2021+ 3rd Generation Lexus IS (300, 350, 500) Megathread

[Gecko]

Just found this one too:

 

[Gecko]

 

[MichaelL]

I am less interested in the marketing spin. Just make kick butt, top class product and the word and customers will come. Product is king.

 

[jelly1928]

they spent more money marketing this 8yo ( not interested in the new lights/body panels ) IS than they did trying to figure out how NOT to put a 15yo motor in it. one is engineering related the other is aesthetics. can't really imagine they've been selling well..especially with how FAR behind they are in tech behind bmw merc audi

 

[mikeavelli]

they spent more money marketing this 8yo ( not interested in the new lights/body panels ) IS than they did trying to figure out how NOT to put a 15yo motor in it. one is engineering related the other is aesthetics. can't really imagine they've been selling well..especially with how FAR behind they are in tech behind bmw merc audi

Sales almost doubled last month over 2019. Sales were up huge in November. This was with zero marketing campaign.

So they got something right.

 

[Levi]

Not really "all in" with the old interior and old engines. But well, for the superficial world we live in, it should be enough.

 

[jelly1928]

Am i reading this wrong or do I have the wrong numbers? According to this it's up "huge" by less than 200 cars? Maybe he knows some insider info that's not on the web

 

[Will1991]

Well, 200 cars means roughly 20% sales increase for November, and for December it went up from 1.171 units to 2.289... Almost doubling sales...

Source: https://pressroom.lexus.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2020-year-end-sales/

Considering this and the fact this car has a waiting list in Japan, yes, I would call it a success.

As for Lexus being behind the Germans, we all know that Lexus isn't perfect but lets try not turn this in another of those "making Lexus less Japanese" conversations...

 

[Levi]

Those numbers are nothing compared to 2016. Everyone that wanted one got it then. While the new model is the best in looks and handling, it lacks the other half for being a top class product in interior and power/torque? (engines). It is too big of an omission for many buyers. The will settle for less exciting styling and worse handling which they lose little from and get more straight line performance and more up-todate interior. Interior of new IS should have mimicked the LC/LS/ES in design and quality. Engines should have been new, like 2.4l I4 Turbo and 3.5l V6 Turbo with a well calibrated automatic transmission (BMW and Porsche are considered the best). The chassis is not a problem really, it is good, can't be much better, we have attained a passive chassis safety level in these last 15 years on which there is nothing much to improve, which highly increasing costs, to such extend that new safety tests include active safety score to the overall score, making us believe cars are safer. That is completely false. The is a risk that manufacturers reduce passive safety and compensate with active safety which is cheaper once the hardware/software is developed.

 

[mikeavelli]

Those numbers are nothing compared to 2016. Everyone that wanted one got it then. While the new model is the best in looks and handling, it lacks the other half for being a top class product in interior and power/torque? (engines). It is too big of an omission for many buyers. The will settle for less exciting styling and worse handling which they lose little from and get more straight line performance and more up-todate interior. Interior of new IS should have mimicked the LC/LS/ES in design and quality. Engines should have been new, like 2.4l I4 Turbo and 3.5l V6 Turbo with a well calibrated automatic transmission (BMW and Porsche are considered the best). The chassis is not a problem really, it is good, can't be much better, we have attained a passive chassis safety level in these last 15 years on which there is nothing much to improve, which highly increasing costs, to such extend that new safety tests include active safety score to the overall score, making us believe cars are safer. That is completely false. The is a risk that manufacturers reduce passive safety and compensate with active safety which is cheaper once the hardware/software is developed.

Have you seen all Sedan numbers? Accord was down like 25%. 5 series is down huge. The new 3 series is down. The IS actually going up is pretty incredible with no official marketing launch in November or December.

Lexus isn’t expecting to sell a ton, the ES does that still around 4-5k a month.

My concern is if the IS doesn’t hold around 2k a month then it’s on the chopping block. And that would leave an ES and LS.

 

[jelly1928]

Have you seen all Sedan numbers? Accord was down like 25%. 5 series is down huge. The new 3 series is down. The IS actually going up is pretty incredible with no official marketing launch in November or December.

Lexus isn’t expecting to sell a ton, the ES does that still around 4-5k a month.

My concern is if the IS doesn’t hold around 2k a month then it’s on the chopping block. And that would leave an ES and LS.

they need to full send it with the is500 already then all would be forgiven smh

 

[yosafbridge]

*sigh* ^^

Let's do a bet for the sake of bragging rights. I say that the IS won't sell anywhere near close as the TLX.

December 2020, the first full month both cars went on sale:
2021 Lexus IS sold 2289, 2021 Acura TLX 2285

 

[yosafbridge]

no way the IS is out selling the TLX ( or really anyone ). Those numbers are either skewed or made up

2021 IS 2289 December 2020
2021 TLX 2285 December 2020

Seems like Mikeavelli was getting accurate information.

 

[Will1991]

they need to full send it with the is500 already then all would be forgiven smh

A deep facelift like this one, should take around 24~36 months for Lexus to consider to kill it, perhaps they're keeping the IS500 between closed doors to present it as a MY2022 to revive market interest and maintain a stable sales number.
This way, they're using the 3.5L V6 /2L Turbo/2.5L Hybrid to launch it across different markets and use a MY2022 IS500 to make it more relevant further down the line.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Lexus offered the IS with some aggressive incentives compared to the TLX, so they're reaping some of that it seemed during the last half of Q4. I'm sure that loyalty rebate was very helpful in getting repeat customers to lease another 36 months. These December to Remember sales events are very important to the company as well as their dealers to hit those sales targets.

 

[mikeavelli]

Lexus offered the IS with some aggressive incentives compared to the TLX, so they're reaping some of that it seemed during the last half of Q4. I'm sure that loyalty rebate was very helpful in getting repeat customers to lease another 36 months. These December to Remember sales events are very important to the company as well as their dealers to hit those sales targets.

TLX sales were down 12% in November.
Bro they both have incentives. About 2k on the hood.

The fact of the matter is the refreshed IS with hardly any marketing support and okay reviews outsold their volume all new car with full marketing support and the media admiring it.

Acura has to be on suicide watch. That isn’t good.

 

[spwolf]

Have you seen all Sedan numbers? Accord was down like 25%. 5 series is down huge. The new 3 series is down. The IS actually going up is pretty incredible with no official marketing launch in November or December.

Lexus isn’t expecting to sell a ton, the ES does that still around 4-5k a month.

My concern is if the IS doesn’t hold around 2k a month then it’s on the chopping block. And that would leave an ES and LS.

weather it is on chopping block or not, has been already decided.

As to the IS vs TLX, 2021 IS has 350 vehicles in stock across USA, while 2021 TLX has >5000.

Nuff said.

 

[mikeavelli]

weather it is on chopping block or not, has been already decided.

As to the IS vs TLX, 2021 IS has 350 vehicles in stock across USA, while 2021 TLX has >5000.

Nuff said.

Inventory is low and some people are waiting on what they want. Sales could be higher.

Also a lot of cars are at port waiting on some carbon fiber stuff that’s a bit delayed (supplier issue) on the DHP models.

So good news for the IS.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

TLX sales were down 12% in November.
Bro they both have incentives. About 2k on the hood.

The fact of the matter is the refreshed IS with hardly any marketing support and okay reviews outsold their volume all new car with full marketing support and the media admiring it.

Acura has to be on suicide watch. That isn’t good.

It seems that the 350 was more popular than they expected. My local dealer doesn't have any now, though they have some 300s of course. I'm away from the big market dealers (LA), and even Longo only has two showing in stock. Curious what most buyers are wanting. If I see a Atomic Silver 350 with red interior, non-DHP, I might look a lot closer.

 

[mikeavelli]

It seems that the 350 was more popular than they expected. My local dealer doesn't have any now, though they have some 300s of course. I'm away from the big market dealers (LA), and even Longo only has two showing in stock. Curious what most buyers are wanting. If I see a Atomic Silver 350 with red interior, non-DHP, I might look a lot closer.

I think the F-Sport base price is really attractive. I expect most to be in the 43-50k range. Loaded at 55k is a lot. Lexus has built the brand equity where that seems like a nice value. You are getting a V-6 for the price of most I-4 offerings.