Lexus Renames Turbocharged IS & GS Models
Gone: IS 200t & GS 200t Now: IS 300 RWD & GS 300.
Kevin · August 30th, 2017
Latest News
Driving the 2017 Lexus IS 300 AWD
Some thoughts on the updated 2017 sports sedan.
Kevin · April 13th, 2017
Lexus IS F SPORT Performs Well in Motor Trend Luxury Sedan Comparison
The IS 200t F SPORT finished fourth in a field of seven cars.
Kevin · March 23rd, 2017
Video: Eye-Tracking Technology Traces the Lexus IS F SPORT
A marketing campaign from Lexus Asia Pacific produces some unusual results.
Kevin · February 21st, 2017
Visit our Gloomy Autonomous Future in this New Lexus IS Commercial
Lexus Canada pulls no punches in their new commercial.
Kevin · January 24th, 2017
Video: Lexus Creates LED-Covered IS F SPORT
The LEDs respond to music and motion.
Kevin · December 5th, 2016
Sriracha-Themed Lexus IS Debuts at LA Auto Show
The surprise debut is hot hot heat.
Kevin · November 16th, 2016
New Commercials: The Updated 2017 Lexus IS & IS F SPORT
Sharp cuts and plenty of red light.
Kevin · November 7th, 2016
Modellista Releases Body Kit for Updated 2017 Lexus IS
Another new body kit for the updated Lexus sports sedan.
Kevin · October 27th, 2016
TRD Japan Releases Body Kit for Updated 2017 Lexus IS F SPORT
Over $10,000 worth of upgrades now available.
Kevin · October 24th, 2016
The Updated 2017 Lexus IS Launches in Japan with Exclusive Interior Options
Beautifully detailed interior trims, only for JDM.
Kevin · October 20th, 2016
Updated 2017 Lexus IS Line Now Featured on Lexus USA Website
Two new interior colors are now available on the restyled sports sedan.
Kevin · October 14th, 2016
Photo Gallery: European Debut of the Updated 2017 Lexus IS
The newly revised sports sedan also gets some suspension changes for 2017.
Kevin · October 5th, 2016
Photo Gallery: The Updated 2017 Lexus IS & IS F SPORT
32 new photos of the updated sports sedan.
Kevin · September 12th, 2016
Fresh New Details on the 2017 Lexus IS & IS F SPORT
New front, new back, and new screen are the highlights for 2017.
Kevin · September 12th, 2016
Lexus IS Reaches 1,000,000 Worldwide Sales Milestone
The USA made up half of sales, with Europe following at 20%.
Kevin · August 25th, 2016
Throwback Thursday: First-Generation Lexus IS Stars in New Commercial
Lexus Hong Kong features the classic IS in a commercial for the new model.
Kevin · June 9th, 2016
Live Photo Gallery: The Updated 2017 Lexus IS
Photos straight from the Beijing Auto Show.
Kevin · April 26th, 2016
Video: Introducing the Updated 2017 Lexus IS
The new IS is introduced in this new video full of flames and butterflies.
Kevin · April 25th, 2016
Photo Gallery: The Updated 2017 Lexus IS & IS F SPORT
All the official photos of the update in full resolution.
Kevin · April 25th, 2016
Updated 2017 Lexus IS Revealed at Beijing Auto Show
Changes include an updated front end, new headlights, and a larger infotainment screen.
Kevin · April 24th, 2016
Updated Lexus IS to Debut at Beijing Auto Show Next Week
The refreshed IS sedan is coming April 25th by way of China.
Kevin · April 18th, 2016
Lexus UK Builds Origami Car Completely from Cardboard
Lexus UK has created an IS made completely from cardboard, which they’ve called the Origami Car.
Kevin · October 5th, 2015
Lexus USA Releases Fuel Economy Estimates for IS 200t & IS 300 AWD
The 2016 Lexus IS 200t will return up to 33 MPG on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid Lexus sedan in the lineup.
Michael · September 13th, 2015
Lexus Europe Announces CT & IS Sport Appearance Packages
Lexus Europe has released information on the upcoming IS & CT Sport editions.
Kevin · September 3rd, 2015
Sponsor: Vossen Wheels x Lexus IS F SPORT in LFA Yellow
Vessel Wheels have just released new photos and videos of their modified Lexus IS F SPORT in LFA yellow.
Kevin · August 6th, 2015
Lexus USA Announces 2016 IS Sedan with Three Engine Options
Lexus USA has announced the 2016 IS model, which will include three engine options for the first time.
Kevin · July 24th, 2015
Lexus IS 200t Coming to Canada, New IS 300 AWD Also Announced
Lexus Canada has announced that the current IS 250 will be replaced with two engine options — the IS 200t RWD announced earlier today, and a new IS 300 AWD.
Kevin · June 26th, 2015
Lexus Announces IS 200t with 2.0L Turbo Engine
Lexus Europe has announced the long rumored IS 200t sports sedan will be available starting in September of this year.
Kevin · June 26th, 2015
Two Mystery Lexus IS F SPORTs Spotted in California
Two unusual IS F SPORT models were spotted at Lexus USA headquarters by our site administrator Mike Forsythe this weekend.
Kevin · June 15th, 2015
Lexus Files Trademarks for RC 300 & IS 300 in USA
The Kaizen Factor weblog has been digging deep into Toyota trademarks in the USA, and in the process made an unexpected discovery — Lexus has recently filed applications for both the IS 300 and the RC 300.
Kevin · June 8th, 2015
Lexus Dominates 2015 Auto Express Driver Power Study
The 2015 Auto Express Driver Power survey of over 61,000 British drivers has named Lexus the best manufacturer and the Lexus IS the Best Car to Own in Britain.
Kevin · April 22nd, 2015
Lexus IS 200t & GS 200t Coming Soon?
Lexus Australia CEO Sean Hanley strongly suggests that the new Lexus 2.0L four-cylinder turbo engine will be coming to the IS & GS.
Kevin · March 24th, 2015
Video: Behind-the-Scenes with Lexus IS Exterior Designer
Lexus International has released a video with IS exterior designer Hideaki Iida talking about his process and inspiration.
Kevin · March 15th, 2015
Lexus IS 200t Turbo Prototype Spotted in Colorado?
A camouflaged Lexus IS prototype with emissions testing equipment and manufacturer plates was spotted in the Colorado Rocky Mountains by The Fast Lane Car: As suggested by TFLCar, a plausible possibility for this IS prototype is the testing of the 2.0L turbo engine first introduced with the NX 200t. Lexus has already trademarked IS 200t …
Kevin · December 19th, 2014
Lexus IS Named Best Executive Car in Scottish Car of the Year Awards
The Lexus IS has been named Executive Car of the Year in the Scottish Car of the Year Awards: Alasdair Suttie, [Association of Scottish Motoring Writers] President, said: “In a marketplace dominated by German offerings, the Lexus IS delivers a unique take on the compact luxury theme. It feels fresh and different to the more …
Kevin · December 9th, 2014
Photo Gallery: Lexus RC F SPORT, NX F SPORT, and IS F SPORT All Together
Ace photographer Ste Ho pulled together the Lexus RC F SPORT, NX F SPORT, and IS F SPORT for a tidy little photoshoot: There’s a great shot with all three models together: (Before seeing all these models side-by-side, I would have said the spindle grille was different on every vehicle — surprised by how similar …
Kevin · December 3rd, 2014
Auto Express Comparison: Lexus IS 300h vs. Mercedes C300 BlueTEC Hybrid
Auto Express prefers the Lexus IS 300h over the new Mercedes C300 BlueTEC Hybrid: In the battle of the hybrid saloons, the IS 300h takes a narrow win. Its hybrid powertrain feels better resolved than the Mercedes’, as it relies on the electric motor more frequently to save fuel, is more refined and switches between …
Kevin · November 30th, 2014
Motor Trend Long Term Test Report on the 2014 Lexus IS
Scott Evans from Motor Trend has just wrapped up a year behind the wheel of the Lexus IS model range: A year with the Lexus IS line, then, confirms expectations. They’re comfortable, reliable cars that are also sporty in a corner. They’re not the most fun or emotional cars in the class, but they won’t …
Kevin · November 6th, 2014
Lexus IS 350 F SPORT Participates in Car & Driver’s Lightning Lap Test
The Lexus IS 350 F SPORT participated in the 2014 edition of the Car & Driver Lightning Lap, and performed quite well: Finally, a world-class sports sedan from Lexus. Its weakness here is power, or lack of it, relative to weight. With 12.2 pounds for each one of its 306 quiet, Camry-hum horsepower (alas, it’s …
Kevin · October 22nd, 2014
Lexus IS 350 F SPORT Wins Road & Track Sports Sedan Comparison
Road & Track has compared the Lexus IS350 F SPORT, BMW 335i, Cadillac ATS V6, and the Infiniti Q50 — here’s the result: From the moment we sunk into the black-on-black interior, we were struck by how determinedly idiosyncratic the IS 350 seems. There are deep seats with handsome stitching set in an angular collection …
Kevin · October 12th, 2014
Photo Gallery: The Lexus IS F SPORT by Hypebeast
Hypebeast has released a stunning photo gallery of the 2014 Lexus IS F SPORT: (An excellent job by Photography by V — like photos from an official brochure.) [Source: Hypebeast]
Kevin · September 18th, 2014
New Lexus IS F SPORT Commercial: Appearances
In the spirit of the F SPORT commercial released a couple months back, there’s a racy new Lexus IS commercial from the USA: (I liked it — the “it’s not what it looks like” bit is an old cliché, sure, but it works.)
Kevin · September 17th, 2014
Lexus IS Aero Kit Released by Japanese Tuner TOM’S
Japanese tuner TOM’S has released their first aero kit for the third-generation Lexus IS: The full kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, rear under spoiler and a trunk spoiler — a quad exhaust system is also being offered. Here’s a video with the car in motion: The TOM’S aero package will retail in Japan …
Kevin · July 15th, 2014
2015 Lexus IS 250 & IS 350 Information
The US-spec 2015 Lexus IS has been announced, and there’s been some minor updates to the second-year sedan: LED fog lamps Siri Eyes Free technology from Apple; compatible with iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 models AWD models gets heated steering wheel Heated/ventilated front seats added to F SPORT Revised interior trim, including piano black on …
Kevin · June 30th, 2014
Lexus IS 200t Trademarked in Australia & Europe
Lexus has trademarked the IS 200t nameplate in both Australia and Europe, making way for the new 2.0L four-cylinder turbo engine to be introduced in the sports sedan. The turbo engine will debut this year with the NX compact crossover, where it generates 235 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The engine also features a …
Kevin · May 27th, 2014
Slammed Lexus IS F SPORT from Japanese Tuner Lexon
Dino Dalle Carbonare from Speedhunters has a nice feature on Japanese tuner Lexon and their Lexus IS F SPORT show car: Before the Lexon company was set up, its owner, Takemi-san, was more into the performance side of things and was primarlily building and supplying parts for circuit and drift cars. But with changing trends …
Kevin · May 27th, 2014
Lexus Spain Releases Special Edition IS F SPORT for Lexus 25 Year Anniversary
Lexus Spain has released a special edition IS F SPORT to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Lexus brand — the car debuted at the Madrid Auto Show today, here are some photos from Autonocion: As expected, this IS special edition has the TRD body kit installed — other exterior upgrades include the RC-style carbon …
Kevin · May 20th, 2014
Photos: Matte Grey Lexus IS F SPORT in Australia
Lexus of Perth in Australia continues to try new things with their inventory — first it was the matte black IS F SPORT, then a blacked out RX 450h, and now we have this matte grey IS F SPORT: Something mean about a matte grey finish — might even prefer it to matte black. Excellent …
Kevin · May 14th, 2014
Lexus Spain to Release Special Edition IS F SPORT for Lexus 25-Year Anniversary
Lexus Spain will release a special edition IS F SPORT at the Madrid Auto Show to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Lexus brand. The special edition will be limited to 25 cars, and will have exterior, interior, and mechanical upgrades. The above image is the first teaser of the special edition IS, but as …
Kevin · May 13th, 2014
Lexus IS the Next Model to Get Turbocharged Engine?
AutoGuide reports that the IS will be the next Lexus model to get the turbo-charged 2.0L four-cylinder engine debuting the new NX crossover: Currently the base IS250 model makes use of an antiquated 2.5-liter V6 engine. Rated at 204 hp it’s not only down on power compared to turbocharged 4-cylinder rivals but it also offers …
Kevin · April 16th, 2014
New Lexus F Performance Commercial Featuring the RC F
Lexus has released its first commercial featuring the new RC F coupe — here’s the full 60 second video: The commercial is part of an initiative to familiarize consumers with the F performance brand — there’s also this new print ad (click for a larger image): (It may be confusing for enthusiasts to see true …
Kevin · April 7th, 2014
Lexus IS F SPORT Nominated for Wards 10 Best Interiors Award
The 2014 Lexus IS F SPORT has been nominated for the 2014 WardsAuto 10 Best Interiors award. Other cars be considered for the award include the Kia Cadenza, Cadillac ELR and CTS, Subaru WRX and Audi SQ5. The winners will be announced at the end of April. Watch the Ward’s video overview of the IS …
Kevin · March 31st, 2014
Lexus IS F SPORT with Rear Wheel Steering Now Available in Japan
Lexus now offers the IS F SPORT with the Dynamic Handling System (DHS), which includes four-wheel steering — Motoring Australia spoke with IS chief engineer Junichi Furyama about the performance advantages this technology has over similar AWD systems: “All-wheel drive tends to be heavier and the behaviour tends to be understeer,” he explained via an …
Kevin · March 25th, 2014
Tomica Release Die-Cast Lexus IS F SPORT
Japanese toy maker Tomica has produced two Lexus IS F SPORT die cast models — here’s a loyal fan unboxing the cars: The detail is decent for a 1/65 scale model — wish I could visit the nearest big-box store and pick up a couple for myself, but these will likely be rare outside of …
Kevin · March 23rd, 2014
Photo Gallery: Ultrasonic Blue Lexus IS F SPORT & the Canadian Sunset
Lexus Canada has just posted an Ultrasonic Blue IS F SPORT gallery from photographer Kevin King Uy: I’ve been a huge fan of Kevin King Uy ever since his LFA/Supra photoshoot a couple years back — happy to see his work featured on the Lexus Canada Facebook page.
Kevin · March 9th, 2014
Photo Gallery: Matte Black Lexus IS F SPORT in Norway
The folks at Lexus Trondheim in Norway have sent in some photos of a matte black & carbon pattern wrapped IS 300h F SPORT, and it’s a real looker: (Thanks Tim!)
Kevin · February 20th, 2014
New Lexus IS Receives European 5-Star Safety Recommendation
The Lexus IS 300h has been given a five-star safety ranking from Euro NCAP, making it the safest new car in the Large Family category and one of the top performing cars of 2013. Here’s a video of the crash tests: The IS scored the maximum points in the side barrier test for adult occupants …
Kevin · February 19th, 2014
BEYOND Magazine: Roadtrip with the Lexus IS 300h
Official Lexus publication BEYOND Magazine has a featured road trip across the Shikoku island in Japan with architect Hironaka Ogawa and a Ultrasonic Blue IS 300h F SPORT: The journey that Ogawa is embarking on across the island of Shikoku begins here, and a metallic blue Lexus IS is peacefully parked outside. The vehicle’s bright …
Kevin · February 16th, 2014
Lexus IS Nominated for 2014 World Car of the Year Award
The Lexus IS has been nominated for the prestigious 2014 World Car of the Year award. The twelve finalists are the Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and the Skoda Octavia. The IS has also been nominated for …
Kevin · February 11th, 2014
2014 Lexus IS Wins Russia’s Golden Klaxon Award
The Lexus IS has won the 2014 Golden Klaxon award as the best midsize luxury car in Russia. (This marks the eighth win by a Lexus since the Golden Klaxon awards were established in 2000 — the ES was last year’s winner in the Business Class category.) See the other 2014 Golden Klaxon winners
Kevin · February 11th, 2014
Autoblog Reviews the 2014 Lexus IS 350
Jeffrey Ross of Autoblog has reviewed the 2014 Lexus IS 350: For now, the BMW 3 Series is probably still the top contender in its class, but in a short time, the new IS – along with the ATS – has proven that small, fun luxury cars exist outside of German showrooms. Love or hate …
Kevin · February 5th, 2014
TTAC Reviews the 2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD
Winston Braithwaite of The Truth About Cars has written a glowing review of the 2014 Lexus IS 250 AWD: After spending a week with the 2014 Lexus IS250 AWD it took me another couple weeks to shut up about it. That rarely happens, and when it does, it means that the car is simply fantastic. …
Kevin · February 3rd, 2014
Lexus IS 300h Finishes First in Real-World Gas Mileage Test
UK magazine What Car? has compared the real-world gas mileage of five luxury sports sedans and found the Lexus IS 300h to deliver the best results. The IS 300h, which is officially rated at 64.2 mpg in Britain, returned 59.6 mpg in the What Car? test. The Mercedes C220 CDI, despite having an official rating …
Kevin · January 27th, 2014
Lexus IS F SPORT Nominated in 2013 Most Beautiful Car of the Year Awards
The Lexus IS F SPORT has been nominated in the 2013 Most Beautiful Car of the Year awards, an annual contest held by Festival Automobile International & Euro Sport. Public voting will determine the winner, which means you can get involved — be sure to vote before December 26th to help the IS F SPORT …
Kevin · December 18th, 2013
Lexus IS in Atomic Silver Wins Japanese Color Award
The Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color & Topaz Brown interior color offered on the Lexus IS has won the 2014 Auto Color award from the Japan Fashion Color Association, which may be the strangest award the sedan will win this year. (In all seriousness, the Atomic Silver/Sonic Titanium exterior color is a great addition to …
Kevin · December 17th, 2013
Lexus IS 350 Named Best New Luxury Car Under $50,000 by Canadian Automotive Journalists
Big win for Lexus today — the 2014 IS 350 has been named the best new Luxury Car under $50,000 by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. The IS won over the Buick Regal, Kia Cadenza, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid & Mercedes CLA 250. [Source: Lexus Canada]
Kevin · December 3rd, 2013
Video: Cruising Estonia in the Lexus IS 300h F SPORT
Time to take a little break and cruise Estonia in the Lexus IS 300h F SPORT: This video was produced by the Lexus Tallinn dealership in Estonia, and it’s extremely well done — the quality reminds me of a less intense Vossen video. (Thanks Taavi!)
Kevin · November 14th, 2013