Lexus IS – Review, Specs, Pricing, Features, Videos and More

Remember when finding a snarling, naturally aspirated V8 in a small luxury sedan was the norm? It really wasn’t all that long ago. In 2009, the BMW M3, Audi S4, and Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG all came with free-breathing eight-cylinder glory. Over the past 15 years though, the trend towards downsizing with electric and/or mechanical boost has replaced these large displacement engines.

But there’s still a holdout. The one sedan proudly waving the flag for naturally aspirated V8 engines, even if everyone else has abandoned them. That car is the 2023 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance.

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I have done a lot of press launches.

I mean a lot, and since 95 percent of them were for motorcycles, I bent, bruised or violated the law at pretty much every single one because how can you not? Triple-digit speeds (km/h and mph), wheelies, burnouts, and all manner of Very Bad Things were done by this small and hirsute moto-journalist and yet, somehow, after 15 years of idiocy, not a single interaction with Johnny Law.

And then this happened. And by this, I mean the 2022 Lexus IS500, a blazing street-legal bundle of fun that will probably lead to the loss of many safe-driver discounts and more than a few weekends in jail. Lexus clearly wanted to give its most hardcore, nerdy fanbois the ultimate sport-sedan experience. Is this it?

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Chocolate teapot. Inflatable dartboard. Entry-level luxury car?

I’ll admit, it does seem like a contradiction. Sure, technically every luxury brand has an entry-level model, but does anybody desire them? Should they?

To answer these and other questions, I spent a week with the 2021 Lexus IS 300, in base-level rear-drive form. What I found was a refined, easy-to-like package. This Lexus sport sedan is just a little old-school too, which could be a selling feature to those who lament just how complicated the average compact executive sedan has become. Those looking for the latest and greatest tech will find the Lexus coming up short, however.

Lexus gave the IS lineup a thorough refresh for 2021. While the basic platform is the same, engineers focused on increasing the rigidity, using higher-strength steel and increasing the number of spot welds. A retuned suspension is also part of the package.

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Where do you draw the line between a facelift and a new generation of sport sedan?

Lexus is forcing us all to consider the question with this, the 2021 IS. Try as the Japanese luxury brand might, it can’t quite convince us this is the latter. It shares the same basic platform with its predecessor—which debuted back in 2013—after all. Same goes for the drivetrain combos, too.

To its credit, however, Lexus has wrought one of the most comprehensive facelifts in the industry for this 2021 model. With new looks and a much-improved driving experience, I believe Lexus’ pre-drive pitch that this latest IS will appeal to younger buyers. Will it outshine the thick spread of talent in the compact sport sedan set? That’s a tougher sell.

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The default choices in the compact luxury sedan market are all German. But if you want something that stands out, what about the Acura TLX and Lexus IS?

These two Japanese four-doors represent two different takes on the segment. The Lexus IS debuted over 20 years ago as a veritable BMW 3 Series fighter, with a similar inline-six powertrain and rear-wheel drive. For 2021, Lexus significantly re-engineered its sport sedan. Rear-wheel drive is still on the menu, plus available all-wheel drive, with a modernized interior and fresh styling to match.

Acura debuted the second-generation TLX for 2021 as well. The latest evolution of the car formerly known as the TL, the TLX now stands atop the Acura sedan lineup, as the unloved RLX disappeared last year. Larger than the Lexus, the Acura promises a renewed focus on dynamic prowess, specifically with the reborn Type S.

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