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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  great fun car but not a BMW - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By hog4oc - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I had this car for 1 week, my wife and I love driving it, we also own BMW 5 series, it is definitly not a BMW, but different kind of fun car to drive around. It is a good experience for us, much better than any Toyota cars around.

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  Sweet Car! - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By KingLexBucket - September 27 - 2:00 am

  This is TOTALLY a sweet car.. cept for the MPG.. But it deffinately a head turner.. Ive owned my since 2002. I have notice that it runs real hard when the engine is cold.. Plus the noice is loud fromt he outside..

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  Just needs a supercharger - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Bertrand - July 12 - 10:20 am

  I own a 99 BMW 328i manual and a 2001 IS 300 sedan; here is my take on the two cars. Lexus has better performance all around except for acceleration. Brakes and handling are amazing on the IS and the build quality has been very good. Dealer experience with JM Lexus of Florida has been the best part of owning this car! Bottom line, give this Lexus a manual and a TRD supercharger and it will compete with an M3 on the performance front while costing 10K less after the supercharger.

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  Perfect city car. - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By jsu888 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  Im probably the least likely buyer for this car. My last car was a BMW 7 series. I just got tired of all the repairs required by the German cars. This year alone I spent over $10K on over 7 trips to Dinan on everything from leaking transmission oil gasket to air conditioner rebuild. Im returning to Japanese models. I wanted something small for San Francisco and with navigation system. Not too many to choose from. I evaluated Mercedes C230, Toyota Prius, BMW 3 series. This is the only one with DVD navigation system. That means only one disk is required for the entire North American continent, and about $6K less than a comparably equipped BMW 325.

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  Fun car to drive - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By drivininaz - March 24 - 10:00 am

  The car is very fun to drive. It takes corners well with little to no sway. E shift is fun but cumbersome to use on a regular basis. The gauges take a little time to get used to - The speedometer is hard to read around the 5s. The MPG guage is very distracting since it bounces all over the place telling you the instant MPG - not helpful over the long haul. Looked at the TL and G35 as well as the ES300 they drove like a larger family car which wasnt what I was looking for at this time. Inifinty dealership went old school w/me with the hard sale. Lexus dealership was the easiest car purchase I have made to date.

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  Impressive Sport Sedan from Lexus! - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By dave1122 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  After owning a BMW 323i and having to stay in that same price range, i decided not to go for the 325i and pay an extra 3000 for a 14 hp improvement over the 323. I test drove the lexus and fell in love with it. Very comfortable, handles great, engine is nice (would have like a few more horses), but overall, an EXCELLENT sport sedan for the price. Oh, and did I mention, it is sooo fun to drive.

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  2003 IS-300 review - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By Todd - January 27 - 3:16 pm

  The car is outstanding - fun to drive, and absolutely reliable. Mine has a 5-speed transmission. Quality of everything is top-notch. My only complaints were the way the transmission shifted for about the first year - clutch was very difficult to engage smoothly, but it eventually broke in and is now fine. There has not been a single thing wrong with the car since the day I drove it out of the showroom.

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  The right car for me - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By feendog - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I looked long and hard for a car. thought about the acura rsx - was too small. thought about a bmw - im sick of bmws, so i decided on the lexus is. i like it alot. its a pleasure on the highway. only complaint - its a bit of a gas guzzler, and the rear seats dont fold down, make storage small. but id buy/lease it again if i had to do it over...

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  Fun and affordable - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By David - December 21 - 11:36 am

  The IS 300 is fun to drive, it handles really well. I have the 5 speed so its quicker than the automatic (I drove both). The interior is sleek and I love the exterior. All around I have been very pleased with this car. I have had a couple isolated issues that fell under warranty, but Ive talked to other owners who didnt have the same issues.

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  Lexus Sport Cross - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By kokomokid - December 14 - 10:00 am

  What I wanted in a car when I bought the IS 300 Sport Cross was a car that would drive like a sports car, but transport R/C model planes easily. It fills the bill, except that a manual tranmission is not available in the Sport Cross.