Overview & Reviews

For years people associated Lexus with quiet, refined and luxurious automobiles backed by a competitive pricing strategy. "Sporty," however, was far from anyone's mind. Then, in 2001, the Lexus IS 300 sport sedan came along and toppled that image. Lexus wanted this one to be an extrovert and an athlete. With every throttle input and every turn of the steering wheel, this compact, rear-wheel-drive sedan sought to communicate with its driver. With its firmly tuned suspension and sticky high-performance tires, it had the running gear to back up those aspirations.

It also had the styling. One look at its wedge shape, clear-lens taillights and dramatic color palette, and it was obvious this sedan was intended for a younger, more trend-conscious buyer than other Lexus models. A sport wagon version called the IS 300 SportCross was added for 2002, and although it offered a little more utility, outward aesthetics still took precedence over function.

Inside, the compact Lexus IS 300 looked and felt different, too, thanks to its racy watch-dial-style instrumentation, drilled aluminum pedals and chrome shifter ball. By no means was this an elegant cabin, though. Hard plastic covered the dash and console, and feature content never quite measured up to the standards of the class. This half-hearted approach to luxury was the major criticism leveled against the IS 300 during its five-year run.

Although imperfect, the Lexus IS 300 and IS 300 SportCross did get the attention of younger, more performance-minded consumers, which set the stage for their carefully executed successors, the IS 250 and IS 350.

Most recent Lexus IS 300

Based on the Japanese-market Toyota Altezza, the Lexus IS 300 was not originally designed to be a luxury car. When the automaker decided to sell a version of this compact, rear-drive sedan in the U.S., it was retrofitted with additional luxury content and a larger engine -- the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder already used in the midsize Lexus GS 300 sedan.

This 3.0-liter six was capable of 215 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque, and paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. Although this drivetrain propelled the IS 300 to 60 mph in the low 7-second range, a small but vocal niche of consumers and automotive writers cried foul when Lexus initially failed to offer a manual transmission. The company rectified this oversight in 2002, adding a five-speed manual gearbox option for the sedan. The IS 300 SportCross wagon, which also debuted for '02, was automatic only.

In road tests of the Lexus IS 300 sedan and wagon, our editors noted that their stiff body structures allowed Lexus to tune their double-wishbone suspensions for sharp handling without making the ride too stiff for commuters. "But the IS 300 is a car that needs to be exercised regularly," we wrote at the time. "Well balanced due to its rear-wheel-drive layout, it's an easy car to pilot aggressively, thanks to the responsive steering and braking, nimble size, excellent driving position and 3,280-pound curb weight. The steering isn't quite as precise as a BMW's, but it's close. Very close."

Inside, the IS 300's not-so-upscale cabin was snug, even by the indulgent standards of the premium compact car class. Tight legroom and narrow footwells made it difficult for adults to get comfortable in back, and storage space was minimal. Of the two body styles, the SportCross wagon was the more practical choice, thanks to its 21.8-cubic-foot cargo bay.

Past Lexus IS 300 Models

As a used car choice, the IS 300 makes a lot of sense. Sold from 2001-'05, it hasn't held its value as well as competitors like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but it offers equal or better performance in most areas. Build quality was always above average on the IS, and reliability is consistent with Toyota's typically strong reputation.

First-year Lexus IS 300 sedans were light on content, so it might be a good idea to confine your search to 2002 and newer models. Side curtain airbags, stability control, auto-dimming mirrors and a center armrest were all added to the standard equipment list for '02, while full leather seating and a navigation system became optional. Notably, stability control was only available on models with the automatic transmission. Changes were minimal in the years following.

Despite all the fuss the enthusiast crowd made about the manual-transmission option, manual-shift IS 300 sedans are rare commodities on the used car market, as the vast majority were sold with automatics.

User Reviews:

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  Best Sport Sedan - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Retroman Driver - July 16 - 2:00 am

  Best Sport sedan I ever Had!! In the past I own BMW 1600, Audi 90, Datsun 240Z, But this is by far is the near perfect sport sedan. Buy it stick shift to enjoy it. 3.0 liter engine has plenty torque to spin tires. I got the "SPORT DESIGN" (list $1,335), which has nice features: 11-spoke tires and 8-wat adjustable seets(a must). By the way, before I got my Lexus, I test drived all the other sport-sedans + one sport car. Infinity G-35, BMW 330, Mercedes 320, Acura and Nissan 350Z. They were all nice, but I liked the way IS 300 held the rode, its quality and the tastefull interior and exterior design.

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  Most fun I Have had in many years - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Wolfpodd - July 13 - 2:13 pm

  The only problems I have had was scraping the front right bumper on a high curb!! My Bad!! This vehicle is a ton of fun to drive. Handling is great, powertrain is strong. I have a 5 speed manual so gas mileage is better.

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  Love it - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By IS300 - July 9 - 10:00 am

  No problem with the car.. but yesterday i problem happened; driving down the road and a tree fell on the car.. no more IS for me..*tear*

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  FUN FUN FUN - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By lms - July 6 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 has 60k miles in less than two years. No mechanichal problems but cost per mile is high (17" tires). Snow tires a must. Overall, it is the best car I have ever owned, and without a doubt the most fun to drive. I have the 5 spd and wished it had a 6. Comfort zone is 75-90. Extreme noise at 50+ mph with back windows fully down. WOuld buy it again without hesitation.

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  Stick-Shift Lexus IS300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By habersk - June 27 - 2:00 am

  I am thrilled with the car. I researched for a year before my purchase and am still happy with my decision. I was very dissatisfied with my experience at the Dealer however. There werent alot of stick-shifts around my area and they used it to their advantage. In addition, I was displeased to learn that Lexus dealers use the same shady bargaining tactics as other lower end dealers. They used deceiving tactics such as changing around the numbers to try to confuse me and purposely miscalculating things. I am an engineer and didnt fall for the tricks as easily as someone less experienced in math could have, but it was pretty disappointing either way.

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  THIS CAR IS BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By This car is bad!!! - June 27 - 2:00 am

  My car broke down in two hours after I got it from the dealer...Bring it back to dealer, got it back and it broke down again in 2 weeks. I should have got C-class, 3 series or Audi A4!!!!

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  The little lexus that could - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By radardodger - June 23 - 3:13 pm

  This car is a blast to drive! It feels so light and nimble on twisty back roads its just plain fun! It never feels like its going to get away from you, even when the front tires are pushing into a turn. Little "step outs" from the rear end are easily corrected on dry roads. The only thing this car needs to be the ultimate entry level "luxury sport", in my mind, is another 50 hp. Very quiet inside, even with 19s. The tiptronic auto works well, although 2nd gear could be a bit taller. Traction control is a bit intrusive, but does its job, even if it stays on to long when it kicks in. The motor, although lacking power, is silky smooth! And thats an understatement.

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  Absolutely red :) 5M - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By oceanis361 - June 19 - 6:48 am

  Have to agree on the fun-to-drive factor!! Whew! this car is a blast to drive! Love the orange interior lights at night! Guage package likened to a wrist watch face is an original touch. Shifting is solid quality feel. Love the sound of the engine. Handles like shes on rails. Just bought a set of 18" rims (all black) with potenza s-04 pole positions, so the ride should be on fire soon. Im driving a Subaru GT wagon in the winter but my life is changing so Im selling Suby after 13 yrs of ownership. :( But Looking forward to buying a set of micheling Xi3, dedicated winters, to be mounted on the stock rims. Should handle the snow just fine and be a lot of fun in the drift too!

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  good looking car - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By cholodeperu - May 25 - 9:03 am

  Bought the car brand new back in January 04. Got it in black and when I first saw it, I loved it. Now the paint is kind of dull and some scratches are starting to show. I say my favorite color now is the white one, the charcoal and red color is nice too. The car is fast every now and then and very uncomfortable in long trips. The mpg is not so bad if the gas prices stay low. If the car came with 18" or 19" wheels it would be a 10 in looks.

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  Second times the charm! - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Froman - May 22 - 10:36 pm

  After testdriving the IS a year ago I was talked into purchasing an SUV, big mistake and have regretted it ever since. Fed up with the SUV after only a year I listened to my gut and made a bee line for the IS and have fallen in love with the car!