2021 Lexus IS Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Whether we like to admit it or not, our cars reflect ourselves. A boring car tells people something about you; so does a flashy exotic. The IS makes several statements about its driver. It is athletically proportioned and has a great stance. Designers often speak of the challenge of capturing motion in their car designs, and the IS is one of those sedans that look like it is traveling forward even while standing still. Elegance is another elusive quality, often quantified by measuring the distance between the front axle and dashboard. A greater distance (up to a point) conveys elegance, and the IS nails it. The fast roofline splits the difference between the currently fashionable coupe-like dome and a fastback. An interesting kick-up of the window base at the back of the passenger door shortens the greenhouse visually, making the cabin look more compact and sportier. A new version of the Lexus signature “spindle” grille is filled with an attractive diamond mesh, and narrow headlights give the IS an assertive squint. Paint, chrome, and panel gaps are flawless, as expected on a Lexus.

Inside, the dash is tastefully simple. The centre stack looks like a collection of components plugged into an attractive rack, a little retro hi-fi feel that’s cool and different. The interior, in general, matches the exterior with bold, assertive choices, authentic lines and build quality, and a modern aesthetic.

In the context of this modernity, the vestigial analog clock is starting to feel like an obstructive anachronism, rather than the signifier of luxury it once was. It’s time for a brave design team to abandon the clock—unless there’s an opportunity for co-branding with a high-end watchmaker.

If you’re going to compete in the luxury sports sedan category, you’ve got to bring the sport. Lexus invested time, energy, and engineering resources testing and developing the IS at the new Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama, which is near Lexus global headquarters in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. The IS debuts the “Lexus Driving Signature,” a philosophy that “pursues linear operation that is faithful to driver’s intentions, such as in the seamless transition from deceleration to steering and acceleration during cornering, in all types of driving situations,” according to the company.

Everybody’s curious about what’s under the hood. The IS 300 with rear-wheel drive (RWD) gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder gasoline engine that puts out 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The IS 300 with all-wheel drive (AWD) gets a naturally aspirated (non-turbo) 3.5-litre V6 engine tuned to produce 260 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. IS 350 models, sold with AWD only in Canada, get the same V6, but various tweaks crank it up to 311 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. RWD models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, while AWD models get a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Lexus reports a 230 kilometre per hour top speed for all models of IS. Acceleration from 0 – 60 mph ranges from 6.9 seconds for the IS 300 RWD to 5.6 seconds for IS 350 RWD. (0 to 100 km/h figures are not published.)

Our test drives took place on public roads in a rear-wheel drive IS 350 (a U.S.-spec vehicle in a configuration not sold in Canada). With double-wishbone front and multi-link rear independent suspension and electrically powered rack-and-pinion steering, the IS does feel crisp, precise, and balanced.

The 2021 Lexus IS's fuel efficiency varies based on the powertrain. Natural Resources Canada estimates fuel consumption at 11.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 7.6 on the highway, and 9.5 combined for the IS 300 RWD. When the AWD drivetrain is equipped, those figures increase to 12.2 city/9.0 hwy/10.8 combined.

For a car to be considered a competent sports sedan, a driver-centred focus on form and function is essential. The IS accomplishes a lot with a great driver position, which is easily adjustable and pairs with a comfortable, supportive seat. The F Sport trim's bolstered seat is standard in IS 350 models, and it includes heating and ventilation. The IS comes with perforated NuLuxe fabric but no leather option is available. NuLuxe is synthetic upholstery that Lexus says has “the look and feel of leather without the added cost and care.” It is also said to be eco-friendly, lightweight, and easier to clean than premium leather.

The IS has ample storage space, from an open cubby at the bottom of the centre stack to twin cupholders in the centre console, to big door pockets with room for water bottles, and a decent glovebox to an under-armrest compartment.

The rear seats, as expected in a compact sedan, are comfortable for two, cramped for three, and legroom must be negotiated with front-seat occupants.

Trunk space is adequate at 305.8 litres, and it's surprisingly deep in configuration. The IS comes with a temporary spare stored beneath the trunk’s load floor.

The 2021 Lexus IS finally offers a touchscreen infotainment system that runs both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and includes Bluetooth. The touchpad remains, but it will no longer be the default option for most drivers. The IS makes good use of Lexus’s various connected services and generously includes free trial periods for owners to decide if they’ll benefit from spending money. Lexus Enform Safety Connect (discussed in more detail below) is an important suite of features and comes with a three-year trial subscription. Lexus Enform Service Connect comes with an 8-year complimentary subscription and activates alerts for service and maintenance, with the option of including your chosen Lexus dealer. Lexus Enform Remote is free for three years) is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Additionally, the Lexus mobile apps (Lexus Enform Remote, Lexus Drivers, and more) are also available for connection with the IS.

The subscription model for technology has pitfalls to watch for in some cases. If you add a navigation system to your IS via a package, Dynamic Navigation and Destination Assist are included—but only for the first three years of ownership. This is an annoying unknown for the future.

One tech option we recommend is the Mark Levinson 17-speaker, 1,800-watt premium surround-sound audio system with Quantum Logic surround, which in Canada is offered only in the Ultra Luxury package available on the IS 300 AWD. Mark Levinson is a respected name in high-end home audio and has been engineering car audio for decades now. The IS’s system is superb, and still includes—gasp—a CD player! If you have any audiophile bones in your body, you’ll want to hear some of your favourite music through this system. Crank some tunes, it’s good for the soul.

The 2021 Lexus IS has been rated a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), docking it only slightly for the headlights included on certain grades, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it a five-star safety rating with a four-star rating for frontal impacts.

Lexus loads the IS up with its standard Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, which brings a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, including low-light pedestrian detection, daytime bicyclist detection, and left-turn intersection support, along with lane-departure warning with steering assist, road-sign recognition, enhanced lane-tracing assist, full-speed dynamic adaptive cruise control, and intelligent high beams. There’s also vehicle dynamic integrated management, location-specific tire pressure monitoring system, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a backup camera with dynamic gridlines, LED headlamps, taillamps, and running lights, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. With a three-year trial included, Lexus Enform Safety Connect activates an SOS emergency assistance button, roadside assistance, automatic collision notification, and stolen vehicle notification.

The IS comes with four-channel/four-sensor anti-lock braking, which integrates with the vehicle dynamic management system and has power-assisted disc brakes (13.2-inch ventilated front and 11.7-inch ventilated rear).

The model year 2021 Lexus IS comes in three flavours in Canada. The Lexus IS 300 RWD starts at an MSRP of $42,950 before fees; the IS 300 AWD starts at $43,400; and the IS 350 AWD starts at $53,300. Several packages are available on the latter two, including additions for seat comfort, F Sport features, 19-inch wheel upgrades, spoiler, adaptive front lighting, and on-board navigation. The IS 350 comes with F Sport 2 standard features and offers an F Sport 3 package for a total cost of $58,000.

The king of the compact luxury sport sedan for most of the past decade has been the BMW 3 Series, which starts at $49,350 for a RWD 330i. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class offers sharp competition (starting at $55,000 for a 4Matic C300 sedan), as does the Audi A4 (starting at $43,300). Don’t overlook the Infiniti Q50 (starting at $43,995 with standard AWD), Acura TLX (starting at $44,105, also with standard AWD), Cadillac CT4 (starting at $36,198), Volvo S60 (starting at $45,250 with standard AWD), Alfa Romeo Giulia (starting at $51,590 with standard AWD), or Genesis G70 (starting at $45,650 with standard AWD). Each offers a unique take on the compact luxury sedan formula. The Lexus IS has the brand’s reputation for quality and reliability behind it (which some of its competitors only dream of matching). The IS also comes nicely equipped, with a reasonable list of packages and options available, so pricing never gets stratospheric. Some competitors, like those from the German automakers, offer high-performance variants that come with steep bottom-line prices but will appeal to ambitious enthusiasts who may want to experience a track day or two in their daily driver. The IS has no answer to this option right now without aftermarket support.

As the first example of the Lexus Driving Signature, the 2021 Lexus IS impresses. Lexus is definitely moving forward, dropping the floaty, cushioned interpretation of luxury for one that is sporty, athletic, agile, and youthful. Now it’s up to Lexus customers to show whether this new definition of luxury has the right appeal.