Buyer beware: Our experience with Lexus of Bellevue - Sheila
Buyer beware: Our experience with Lexus of Bellevue raised serious concerns at every stage of our three-year lease.
At signing, we incurred $7,973 in additional products and protections, including appearance, windshield, paint, trim, tire, and wheel coverage. Some were presented as necessary, while others were optional. Most concerning was a five-year Tire and Wheel plan costing $1,665—sold with a three-year lease and no refund for the two unused years.
The vehicle’s advertised EV range was “up to” 220 miles, with smaller-print disclosure that the 20-inch wheels on our vehicle reduced the estimate to 196 miles. Because the actual range was so much lower, I tracked charging and mileage for six months. A full charge averaged approximately 135 displayed miles, and each displayed electric mile translated to about 95% of an actual mile driven. That produced an average real-world range of approximately 128 miles—about 65% of the 196-mile estimate. Many charges produced even less range.
The lease-return experience was equally disappointing. Lexus of Bellevue inspected the vehicle on June 28, 2026, one month before lease-end, and told us there would be no additional charges. We returned it two weeks early on July 19 in excellent condition, with only 18,425 miles. Because our leasing representative, was out sick, the paperwork could not be finalized that day. When we spoke afterward, he again assured us there were no additional charges.
On August 2, we received a $350 invoice from Lexus with no explanation.
My advice to consumers is simple: If considering a Lexus EV, carefully evaluate expected real-world range rather than relying on the prominently advertised figure. If shopping for a Lexus in the Puget Sound area, scrutinize every add-on, confirm whether its term exceeds the lease, and obtain all lease-end assurances in writing. Based on our experience, I would choose another dealership.
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