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What do our experts think of the 2023 Lexus IS? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2023 Lexus IS?
Lexus is making a handful of adjustments to the IS for the 2023 model year. That includes a new special appearance package for the top trim level, a limited edition IS350 version with a black hood, and new wheel designs.
The 2023 Lexus IS is part of the model’s third generation and now features three main trim levels, four engine variations, and the choice of rear or all-wheel drive. Every IS comes fully equipped with a great chassis, excellent handling, lots of luxury appointments, and comfortable seating. While the cargo space is limited, this is a sports sedan and in our opinion it’s the most fun you can have in a Lexus.
2023 Lexus IS – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus IS on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Great chassis
Fun V8 option
Slick interior
Underwhelming base engine
No manual transmission
Not as sharp as rivals
The most fun Lexus
2023 Lexus Specs
- 241 horsepower from base engine
- 258 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 10.8 Cu-ft cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Available 10.3-inch infotainment system
- IIHS Top Safety Pick+
- 1-year free maintenance
2023 Lexus IS Powertrain
Lexus offers a quartet of power levels in the IS for 2023. It all kicks off with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 241 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. That engine leverages an eight-speed automatic and rear wheel drive. Of the four, it’s the least powerful and the least inspiring but it’s also the most efficient so at least it wins in one way.
Next is a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic exclusively for the AWD version of the IS300. It makes 260 hp but only 236 lb-ft of torque which makes it nearly as much of a snooze as the four-banger. Above that is more powerful version of the V6 that makes 311 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It only comes on the IS350 F Sport and comes with either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed automatic depending on whether one picks RWD or AWD.
Finally, the IS500 F Sport Performance gets an outstanding 472 hp 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive only. All IS models feature great handling, an agile chassis, and above average feedback. The available F Sport models are much sharper than the base IS300 and the IS500 truly is the biggest personality in the entire Lexus lineup.
2023 Lexus IS Fuel Economy & MPG
Efficiency changes dramatically based on which engine one goes for in the Lexus IS. The base four-cylinder engine gets up to 21 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway according to the EPA. The IS500 sees those figures fall to 17 and 25 respectively. Every other IS iteration falls somewhere in between.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The interior of the IS offers a lot of focus on the front passengers as most other luxury sedans of this size do. To that end, the visibility is good and the controls are well-placed. The steering wheel is a bit flatter feeling than in rival cars where the airbag pad is recessed.
The cupholders, infotainment system, and air vents near the doors all are slight adjustments on the pre-facelift version. The seats are comfortable and bolstered as they should be for a car in this class. We’d love a little more adjustability but it’s really not a necessity as the seats feel great regardless. The second row isn’t as commodious but that’s not unusual in this segment. Still, we appreciate the consistent styling and quality that expands from the front to the back.
The trunk offers 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space which isn’t all that much. Nevertheless, the trunk opening itself is generous which adds a bit of practicality.
Entertainment & Technology
Tech in the 2023 Lexus IS is a bit of a mixed bag. Generally speaking the 8-inch infotainment system offers most of the everyday functionality that buyers are looking for. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard and both work well. That’s great news too because the native user interface is saddled with a trackpad controller that isn’t very intuitive or easy to use. It does work and over time it becomes easier to operate but there’s a lot of room for improvement.
Thankfully, the touchscreen almost makes it something one can avoid using altogether. Lexus has already moved on from this system in other products so we’re eager to see them do the same in the IS. A larger 10.3-inch unit is also available as is a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.
Safety Features
Every IS comes fully equipped with many useful driver aids like lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. In addition, it scored five stars in crash testing at the NHTSA. It was also a 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner which puts it in rarified air when it comes to safety.
2023 Lexus IS Trims & Pricing
IS300 – $41,235
The rear-wheel drive IS300 comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic. AWD versions get the naturally aspirated V6 along with a six-speed automatic. In addition, both IS300 models come with 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, heated power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, faux leather upholstery, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, two USB ports, a wifi hotspot, and 10 speakers.
IS350 F Sport – $45,560
Step up to the IS350 F Sport and you’ll get more aggressive exterior styling to go with a more powerful V6 that makes 311 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque regardless of whether the car is RWD or AWD. On top of that, the IS350 F Sport comes with heated exterior mirrors, 19-inch wheels, and a sport-tuned suspension.
IS500 F Sport Performance – $59,420
The top trim gets the 5.0-liter V8 along with rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic. It also comes with 19-inch wheels, an adaptive sport suspension, a sunroof, heated and ventilated front sport seats, a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, a 10-speaker Pioneer sound system, and an 8-inch digital gauge cluster.
Buyers can add the premium package which includes integrated navigation, a 10.3-inch infotainment system, a 17-speaker sound system, and a 360-degree camera system. New for 2023 is a Special Appearance Package with 19-inch BBS wheels, Molten Pearl paint, and a unique faux suede interior.
Warranties
Lexus covers the first year or 10,000 miles of complimentary maintenance on every IS and that’s in addition to its normal warranty coverage. That includes four years or 50,000 miles of limited coverage and six years or 70,000 miles of powertrain coverage. Compared to many rivals that’s about average. It’s more powertrain coverage than one will get from Audi for instance but it’s less free maintenance than BMW offers.
What we think
2023 Lexus IS – pressroom.lexus.com | Shop 2023 Lexus IS on Carsforsale.com
The 2023 Lexus IS isn’t the fastest, or the most luxurious, or the most comfortable, or the best value in this segment. But it’s above average on all of those counts and the IS500 is genuinely fun. Sure, we’d love to see Lexus really go after one or two of those abovementioned facets in an effort to be at the top of the market but that’s never been its goal.
If that sounds like you cup of tea, we suggest checking out this car on new car incentives. If you’re looking for a cheaper deal, a used Lexus IS could be in the cards. It made it onto both our favorite luxury cars under $20,000 and $30,000.
