Lexus was launched by Toyota in 1989 as its luxury vehicle division, debuting in the United States with the LS 400 — a car that challenged Mercedes-Benz and BMW on quality benchmarks at a lower price. The brand expanded globally through the 1990s and 2000s, entering the Philippines in 2009 and establishing official presence in Singapore and Thailand. Lexus pioneered hybrid luxury vehicles with the RX 400h in 2005 and has since made electrification a core brand pillar. It maintains a quieter, more understated identity than European luxury rivals.