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:

• 

  Dont Do It! - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Linda G. - September 30 - 10:00 am

  I like driving this car. That being said: 1) tires. The car comes w/performance tires which means they are soft -- i had to replace them at 20,000 miles. there is only one replacement tire right now -- it cost over $1,000 for 4 tires. 2) reliability. a few weeks ago the car died in as i was accelerating in an intersection. it was towed to lexus who tried to fix it for 2 days to no avail. on the 3rd day the car miraculously started ... no explanation whatsoever. lexus customer service was not helpful and pitiful. i am thoroughly disappointed with this car.

• 

  Why buy a fancy camry? - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By robcrowley - May 4 - 10:00 am

  nothing really thrilling about the eshift automatic. This car is loaded yes but the automatic is so boring to drive and the handling is ok but not all that - rear wheel sucks who cares. after 2 mos I am buying a Saab 9-3 Arc. thankfully with the dealer incents I am not losing my shirt on the lexus. Make sure you test drive Saabs, Audis etc This is really a revved up camry and I am not so happy. oh yeah and after 20K of boring drivng youll have to cough up over a grand for the new tires you need. Also the service coverage ends with the first oil change so get out your $$

• 

  Terrible gas mileage, no back seat room - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By slow_jim - March 19 - 2:44 pm

  Surprisingly little room for a luxury car. My wifes 2010 Insight had more room. We bought this hoping that the gas mileage would be better than rated, as I had heard some owners were getting 30mpg highway. We did not find that to be the case. Even without the PWR button on, we were only getting ~22mpg highway on premium. Simply unacceptable for such a small car. Also the dash on these has a chronic melting issue on the passenger side airbag cover. Interior really does not hold up well over time. My car was an 04 but felt more like it was 15-20 years old. Got rid of it in less than 6 months and gladly took a loss on the sale. Maintenance at Lexus dealerships is expensive, take it to Toyota

• 

  Whos supposed to buy these things? - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By Lmigliore - January 24 - 3:30 am

  The IS 300 seems conceptually confused. Its an imitation 3-series BMW but Lexus had to muffle its road feel and give it unreadable instruments. The instrument cluster on this car is the ugliest and least functional I have ever seen. The traction control cuts the power on city street corners. It burns much more premium gas than a car its size should. It beeps if I get out of the car wrong. I guess if I wanted a Toyota I should have gotten a Corolla.

• 

  wheel noise - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By lkuhl - October 23 - 10:00 am

  It makes a lot of road noise and even though it has been to the dealer they refuse to fix what is a bad wheel bearing or tires that have problems. One tire popped out the tube like a bike tire and it cost $225.00 to replace. Acts liked it was wrecked or something and dealer will not fix it I would not buy another one!

• 

  IS 300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By leadfoot - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is an awesome thing to drive...havent had this much fun for a while. Although I genuinely cannot stand the material used for the interior, I think the performance more than made up for it. More linear acceleration would be nice though.

• 

  Get something else... - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By whatisit - October 22 - 2:00 am

  Actually got mine in May 2001; not 2002. It was before the standard was available; so I am stuck with a slipping aoutomatic. Handles great; not quick enough; has its fair share of problems. Being that I live in NY; I have to drive it in the snow - talk a bout a freaking adventure!!! I mean, the car does not really excel at anything other than handling; but everything else is so average at best - it cannot make up for its downfalls. Do yourself a favor; save your pennies and get a real sportscar. If it has to have 4 doors than save up for a 540. Looking forward to getting out of my lease early on this thing - I am a bit disappointed.

• 

  eh. - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By tonytan12 - December 23 - 2:00 am

  its not anything like any bmw ever. The acceleration isnt that great for the 3000ccs of displacement. And for getting that bad of gas mileage, it should be faster. It does handle good, and the design is nice, but if you have the money, go with the bmw.

• 

  I wanted so bad to like this car! - 2005 Lexus IS 300
  By mjf - March 2 - 4:20 pm

  Where do I start… I have had this car at the Lexus shop 7X in the past year for numerous rattles & squeaks which still aren’t fixed. I have had the clutch on the AC replaced, the AC/heater fan motor replaced, the heating/AC control unit replaced, & the sunroof track system replaced. I wanted so bad to like this car but it has been nothing but a pain. Performance wise, it just OK. The 5-speed manual shifts hard & the traction control is bad, kicks in when taking off or cornering hard & then stays activated too long causing lack of power. The car handles well on dry & wet pavement, however, its downright scary on any remotely slippery roads. I wished Id bought a BMW again.

• 

  Is300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Big Blur - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my IS300 for about a year. There seems to be a problem with steering the car on wet roads and uneven surfices. In fact at times Im even afraid t drive it. Also you cn smell the exhust of the car in front of you while waiting at lights.I dont recommend th car to new drivers. Good luck