Lexus IS (2013-2020) Review

When the original IS200 was launched back in 1999 it took a bold shot at more sporting saloons in the premium segment, delivering a drive that was a convincing alternative to the BMW 3 Series. Evidently, that ambition has diluted with time, with the most recent Lexus IS seemingly revelling in being a leftfield choice rather than one that can genuinely be mentioned against its more sporting rivals. 

On the plus side, Lexus has its excellent dealer service in its favour, while the IS300h does emit commendably low CO2 and feels different inside and looks it outside. ​It’s pretty refined, too.

Two petrol engines were offered during the Lexus IS's lifespan: a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit in the Lexus IS200t with 248PS and a 2.5-litre in the IS250 with 207PS, but sales of these versions were miniscule in comparison to the hybrid IS300h, which provides a total power output of 223PS. The hybrid also uses a CVT gearbox, while the petrol versions come with a conventional automatic only.

Trims are a little bit more expansive in their offerings, with the Lexus IS offered in three grades, these being Lexus IS, F-Sport and Takumi. Even though it’s the priciest, that Takumi is the one we’d suggest, because it’s fully loaded with equipment as standard, including a reversing camera, blind spot monitoring and the exceptional Mark Levinson premium surround sound 15-speaker audio system, which, if you like your music, is almost reason enough alone to buy an Lexus IS. Just make sure you negotiate a hefty discount. 

We’ve already mentioned a few, the Lexus IS traditionally a car that’s been touted as a rival for cars like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, as well as a huge number of mainstream and upper mainstream saloons. 

As time’s passed the Lexus IS’s hybrid unique selling point has been eroded significantly, with most rivals now able to offer not just similar mild, self-charging hybrids as alternatives, but far superior plug-in competitors that offer genuine commuting range electric-only range and performance – both environmentally and against the stopwatch.

Lexus is famed for its reliability and the interior exhibits the company’s incredible attention to detail and build quality. It’s undeniably busier inside visually, the Japanese take on car interiors more differing to the slightly more restrained style of European premium alternatives, but you can’t deny the pervading feel of solidity inside. 

There are some really nice finishes inside, with a choice of metals and even laser cut wood trims – which Lexus sources from Yamaha’s musical instrument building division. Only the Takumi has leather upholstery as standard, the others requiring some option box ticking for leather, which is regrettable, with most rivals able to offer leather, or at least convincing fake leather at the Lexus IS’s price point. 

The march of progress is no better demonstrated by the Lexus IS’s infotainment system. As standard, it comes with a 7.0-inch Lexus Media Display with 6-speaker audio, a CD player, DAB, full European mapping, 2 USB sockets, an aux-in socket and Bluetooth telephone connection. Compatible phones can be mirror-linked to the screen, but the Lexus IS doesn’t support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

All that is controlled by a remote dial control, or, if you opt for the Lexus Premium Navigation with 10-speaker audio, you get a Remote Touch Interface control and a larger 10.3-inch display. Neither control method is perfect, the Lexus IS hailing from a time when screens were still in their infancy, and, even then, it was a bit behind in its operational simplicity and slickness.

While we’re not the biggest advocates of touch screens here, they’re hugely better to use than Lexus’ Remote Touch Interface solution, it almost impossible to select things at standstill, let alone while the car is on the move. If you can get it to work, the stereo is good, though the navigation graphics do betray the system’s advanced years. We’d suffer all that for the optional (on F Sport) and standard on Takumi, Mark Levinson 5.1 channel surround sound system, which brings incredible high-end HiFi to the Lexus IS’s cabin.

When the Lexus IS was launched Lexus was quick to point out its longer wheelbase, which in conjunction with recesses in the backs of the front seats, brought far greater legroom to the rear of the Lexus IS. The class here isn’t exactly defined by commodious rear accommodation, and while a couple of adults can get reasonably comfortable back there, if you want lounging space you’ll be better served by a Skoda Superb. 

That’s true of all the Lexus IS’s rivals, though, and where it really matters, in the front seats, there’s ample room for both the driver and passenger, with decent cubby storage including a lidded bin in the centre console and sizeable door pockets up front. A pair of deep cupholders are also in the centre console, but if you do fill them with anything taller than a short coffee you might find them further hampering the control of the already fiddly infotainment system. 

There are three seatbelts in the back, but really, as with all rivals, the Lexus IS is better for two in the back, not least because of the sizeable transmission tunnel that eats into foot space. 

There’s a pair of ISOFIX child seat mounts for the outer rear seats, while all have a split-fold backs in a 60/40 format to load longer loads through from the boot. Being a hybrid the bootspace is slightly compromised thanks to the battery under the floor, this also necessitating the removal of a spare wheel – the IS driving on run-flat tyres – but the boot’s volume of 450 litres is respectable, and it’s a good shape, likewise the opening is relatively large for a saloon.

The Lexus IS dimensions are 4665mm long, 2027mm wide and 1430mm tall.

Towards the end of the Lexus IS’s lifecycle it was only offered in Lexus IS300h guise. That’s h for hybrid, though unlike so many of its electrically assisted competition now, it does without a cable for charging it. Being a ‘self-charging’ system it scavenges back power to charge its small battery when it can, via brake recuperation, or by diverting a little bit of engine power to the battery pack when it’s not needed elsewhere.

If you’ve driven a Prius (from Lexus’ parent company Toyota) you’ll be familiar with this type of hybrid. The promise is of diesel-like economy, without diesel-like emissions, that electric motor also having the benefit of allowing some infill to broaden the responsiveness of the 2.5-litre petrol engine it assists, and very occasionally, completely replaces. It works smoothly enough, the combined output being 223PS, allowing it to reach 62mph in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 125mph. 

That all drives through an E-CVT, which is a continuously variable transmission, and, arguably the Lexus IS’s most unappealing feature. There’s a huge disconnect between what you ask from the accelerator and the response you get, with the CVT particularly unruly if you ask for all the performance, while pulling away at the paddle-shifters to take over yourself via stepped ratios seems to make no difference, either. 

It’s this that hampers the Lexus IS so much it feels a generation or two behind the quick-shifting accuracy, smoothness and speed of rivals’ twin-clutch automatics, at all but the most moderate speeds.

The cabin is comfortable, refinement, too, is impressive, Lexus having worked hard to bring premium levels of hushed quiet to the Lexus IS’s interior. A good deal of that is down to the aerodynamics, being very quiet in relation to wind noise, though all that’s ruined if you start pushing the drivetrain and the engine’s revs rise and hold thanks to that E-CVT transmission.

Take it easier, then, and the Lexus IS is dignified transport, which all gives you a better platform to enjoy the excellent listening experience of the Mark Levinson HiFi, if it has one of course. Tyre noise suppression on the road is decent, too, despite the Lexus IS having standard fitment of run-flat tyres, the short spurts of electric-only motoring the hybrid system allows underling just how hushed the Lexus IS can be. 

All Lexus IS come with driver and front passenger front, side and knee airbags, while there’s a curtain airbag running the length of the cabin. ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist, and a traction and stability control system are standard on all, too. 

There’s a pop-up bonnet to help protect pedestrians in an impact, ISOFIX child seat mounts in the outer rear seats, a tyre pressure monitoring system, while Lexus also bundles a lot of safety equipment into all under its Lexus Safety System+ banner. That contains Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Road Sign Assist, Sway Warning System and Automatic High Beam for the headlights, on every trim level. 

The range-topping model benefits from a standard reversing camera with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a Blind Spot Monitor and back in 2013 when it was tested by Euro NCAP, it scored a full five star rating in crash testing. 

In a world where you can buy plug-in hybrids that will cover your daily commute in electric-only modes, the Lexus IS300h’s hybrid system’s potential EV only range is very limited. Lexus doesn’t actually quote a figure, but it does default to EV on start up, and if you try hard you might get a couple of miles out of battery running alone.

The Lexus IS scored a mighty 9.71 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, which actually doesn't come as a surprise at all.

Lexus as a brand came second overall in the same survey, finishing just behind Dacia, so if you find a well-maintained example you can be pretty confident that your Lexus IS will be largely trouble-free.

The Lexus IS300h is listed in groups 28 to 38 for insurance, which is broadly similar to its rivals, so insuring the Lexus shouldn’t be any more troublesome or expensive as doing so with its more familiar competition.

Unsurprisingly the Lexus IS300h is the best performer here, and if you go for an SE model registered before the April 2017 rule changes you'll pay nothing towards VED. Even the F Sport version on bigger wheels is only £10 a year. After this date you'll pay £155 a year.

The other engine versions are more painful. A Lexus IS200t is £265 before April 2017 and £165 after, while the Lexus IS250 is £330 or £165 depending on its age.

The Lexus IS offers heated front seats, alloy wheels, Sat Nav, DAB, twin-zone climate control, parking sensors and Lexus Safety System+ containing Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Lane Keeping Assist and Automatic High Beam Control. 

The Lexus IS F-Sport adds sports suspension, driver and passenger eight-way electrically adjustable seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and F-Sport specific styling inside and out.