Overview & Reviews

Once a goal is set, Lexus is not a company to dillydally. Witness the 2002 IS 300. After just one year on the fiercely contested entry-level luxury sport sedan battlefield, Lexus has quickly moved to address the IS 300's short list of faults. A five-speed manual transmission is available, and it comes packaged with a sportier suspension than what is offered on the "regular" IS 300. The luxury side of the equation has also been upped. A navigation system and an all-leather interior are optional this year, and the rearview and driver-side mirrors are auto-dimming. Safety is also enhanced with the addition of head-protecting side curtain airbags (in addition to the regular side airbags), a BrakeAssist function and a stability control system. And for all of those golden retrievers out there tired of riding around in numbing RX 300s, take notice that Lexus has expanded the IS 300's lineup with a wagon version.

• Outstanding driving dynamics, slick interior decor, competitive pricing.

• Small rear seat and trunk, not much storage space, styling more suited to baggy-panted masses.

User Reviews:

Showing 81 through 90 of 165.00

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  my IS - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By BikesEtc - May 13 - 10:00 am

  disappointing...the looks of the car grew real tired in a matter of months, shouldve gotten the Xterra

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  Wow!! - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By L3X - May 7 - 10:00 am

  Superb Handling, good acceleration, Very comfortable even with 17" rims. test drove the BMW 330Ci, glad i bought the IS300.

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  is 300 l-tuned - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By richie - April 29 - 10:33 am

  i fell in love with my silver is300 the moment i saw it.the l-tuned package to me makes all the difference in the appearance of the car.great fun to drive,ample power,excellent build quality.

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  A Great Little Car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Ace is300 - April 22 - 8:43 pm

  Ive had my IS for over 15 months and I cant even believe how drama-free and worry-free its been. Its a sweet heart of a car. I love this car. Its got great handling, good acceleration (Ive got the rare 5 spd/man.), awesome color (Solar Yellow), and adequate luxury (Nav.syster,heated seats, full leather, 6 disc cd). But its the fun factor that keeps me smiling.

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  Unstoppable - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By RJ - February 28 - 3:16 pm

  In 7 years Ive driven 160K+ fun, yet trouble-free miles. Replaced clutch & timing belt @ 100K. Other than that, just tires, brakes & fluids. Still looks & drives like new. I get 24 mpg on the highway @ 80mph. This car handles crisply and has a nice, broad powerband. I read Edmunds reviews on the 02 BMW 3-series & I cant believe it has a similar review score to the IS when every other review complains about excessive repairs & costs. I put more faith in the reviews of people whove owned the car for a while than those who post a review right after purchase. Reliability is the 2nd most important factor in my buying decision. Fun to drive is #1. IS doesnt disappoint in either category!

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  Its been over a year - no regrets - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By joeyzasa - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my 2002 IS300 for over a year now. I still love it. Sure, its not the fastest of the bunch (still pretty quick) and has clear taillights (like every souped up civic out there). However, it makes up for it in so many ways. The car fits me like a glove. Its also nice to be one of only a few IS owners in my area vs the hoards of BMW owners. Overall, I have no regrets with my purchase. The only thing I might change would be to get a 5spd. But the e-shift provides a good compromise between performance and sitting in traffic.

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  owner for almost a year - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Kunal Kirpekar - February 15 - 2:00 am

  The car is everything what I expected but, too many recalls and there is a noise coming from the front suspension that is very annoying will mention the in my 15k service!

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  My happy car - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By MCJ - January 21 - 5:23 pm

  Bought it in CA as Certified Pre-Owned. I love the CPO warranty (3 years from purchase and up to 100K total vehicle miles), but havent had to use it. Driving it never fails to bring a smile to my face. Now that its in New England, it is much more rare to see another one, but that only makes it more of a head-turner. The car is small, but comfortable enough for a foursome to go golfing in. I drove it across country in 3 days full of cargo with no complaints. Other than a problem with the dealer fixing my seat heaters (they eventually replaced my seats for me), no unexpected maintenance. Love this car!

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  Impressive - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By JayC - December 13 - 8:16 pm

  Having test driven an IS300,I can attest to the high-quality and sporty appeal of this car.The engine being equipped with a 3.0-liter inline six put a smile to my face when I mashed on the gas.The chassis was remarkable delivering stability and control.The interior makes this a great road car without losing the sporty look and feel.Quijote–The reason your friend smoked the IS300 with a BMW325 is because the person driving the IS300 cant drive!The 325 has 189 hp while the IS300 has 215 hp.

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  motor city is300 5speed - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Chris300 - November 17 - 10:00 am

  2,000 miles later I am happy I picked the IS300 over the BMW 330i. Even after the $2200 chrome wheel option, I saved almost $3k versus the BMW and the car has received more attention than its popular counterpart. Potholes in the Motor City are plentiful, but the stiff ride is confident and composed. Im 6 4 and have ample headroom even with the moonroof option. Strong braking and acceleration compare favorably to the BMW but the shift gate can be a bit tight at full throttle. Nonetheless, this car is a pleasure to own.