Overview & Reviews

Lexus continues to change gears, moving away from single-minded relentless pursuits of perfection to chase performance. The new IS 300, complete with rear-wheel drive and a 215-horse inline six, chases the BMW 3 Series in the entry luxury sport marketplace, and will continue to do so until a proper manual transmission is available.

• Near ideal weight distribution, slick interior decor, competitive pricing.

• No manual transmission, small rear seat, lacking a telescoping steering column.

User Reviews:

Showing 41 through 50 of 70.00

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  decent car, but........ - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By ugmike - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Only 1 trip to the dealer for a plastic piece falling off under the car. The main problem I have had with this car, is that the transmission acts confused sometimes. Sometimes when you press the gas, nothing happens for a second! Its like the engine/transmission programming is wacked or something. I read a couple magazines that mention this also. WAKE UP LEXUS! Also, this car shared too many parts with the Corolla, just look at the steering wheel. Performance is not great, its definitely no M3 by any means. For the price/performance, Im going to look at one of the new Acuras, they are incredible. it go. But it has been a good car.

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  ***Transmission Review *** - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By Billy Thomas - March 4 - 12:13 pm

  Ignore the cons about the transmission of this vehicle. The transmission is the best setup ever thought of. its manual, true slap shift, and digital triptonic on the steering wheel with no delay in it. I think the 3 options of shifting this car is what makes it so unique and amazing to drive. Hands down its the stand out option of this vehicle. you honestly must drive it to understand how talented this car is

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  Tight & Good - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By smcfly - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Great driving experience. Feels like youre a pilot locked in for flight - seats, instrumentation, position all put the driver in position to command the car. Intuitive steering and acceleration. Limited slip differential is a must have option.

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  A great value - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By DBoucher - December 19 - 10:00 am

  I was pleasantly surprised at the handling and yet comfortable quietness of this car. Quality built. Only complaint is the low profile tires which costs twice as much for half the miles, but a great look.

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  Great Car - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By Lexus Owner - November 10 - 10:26 pm

  Bought this car used, couldnt be happier. Nice to know how reliable it is. Have had for over 3 years now, not a single problem. Want something reliable? This is it. Fun to drive, good on gas.

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  8 months with IS 300 (and going...) - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By max - June 17 - 2:00 am

  First impression from this sleek sports sedan is something I would never get from any other car. Great exterior design, flashy speedometer/tachometer, sporty shift nob and pedals help you cope with the size of available space. All options suit well with the outfit, just pick whatever suit you best. Service is excellent, acceptable maintenance cost, not as bad as BMW, but not as good as Toyota. Last time I went by the dealer, 2002 special edition looks so good I want to beat myself for not waiting for it. Bottomline: Best car for the price, find the right dealer that will give you services. Grab the key, and lets have some fun. -^_^-

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  8 months with IS 300 (and going...) - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By MaX - June 17 - 2:00 am

  First impression from this sleek sports sedan is something I would never get from any other car. Great exterior design, flashy speedometer/tachometer, sporty shift nob and pedals help you cope with the size of available space. All options suit well with the outfit, just pick whatever suit you best. Service is excellent, acceptable maintenance cost, not as bad as BMW, but not as good as Toyota. Last time I went by the dealer, 2002 special edition looks so good I want to beat myself for not waiting for it. Bottomline: Best car for the price, find the right dealer that will give you services. Grab the key, and lets have some fun. -^_^-

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  a great car if you fit it - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By cizeta - June 17 - 2:00 am

  a great car for me, but maybe not quite right for you.... its a car for those who want that balance of fun-to-drive with reliability... a car to go to luch with business associates then release it on windy roads on the way home... it takes a bit of getting used to- it doesnt seem to feed back, but it never goes out of control... you learn it, and can push it to great limits... awesome slalom capabilities- compare slalom speeds- their porsche like... but i dont haul people in the back seat to often... its greatest drawback. second would be gas milage... it sucks fuel when you open it up...

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  IS 300 is 3 years old - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By 01isowner - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Bought my IS 300 3 years ago. Looks brand new. Drives like it did on day 1. Zero problems. I made a very good decision to purchase it.

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  Awesome Car - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By Rob - April 25 - 1:20 pm

  I just bought an 01 with 30900 miles on it. I do wish it had a manual. I hate the lag time from pushing the accelerator to the time your car goes. An armrest wouldve been nice. But I love the feel and handling of this car. Also once you get going this car has all the power you need right at your foot. This is one of the benefits of having a Supra engine even though it is downtuned from what it was in the Supra. I love how everything you could want is a standard feature. The gauge cluster takes some getting used to, though.