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 1 through 10 of 165.00

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  Wouldnt Trade It For Anything - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By YellowIS - November 30 - 10:26 pm

  This car has been a blast to drive since day one, never failing my expectations, nor failing to put a smile on my face. The lines of the car are only appreciated when hand washing and waxing the car. One of the smartest decisions I have ever made was purchasing this vehicle.

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  lexus is300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By obaid - November 14 - 10:00 am

  awesome car really great, reliable, dependable, fast, easy, car...verrrry fun!

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned! - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By jabberwock - October 2 - 10:00 am

  For those of you who say this car drives like a Honda you cannot drive. My last car was an Accord and although it was a good car, it was nothing like my new Lexus. Incredible handling and comfort, and I LOVE having a car that was made in limited numbers that I dont see 75 of every day.

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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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  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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  Better Than People think - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By shadowy1 - May 4 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Lexus and Im hooked traded a 95 Volvo 850 turbo. The IS300 rocks, great power, handles like its on rails. I looked at an Audi S4 and Acura TSX before getting the Lex, and Im not sorry. People talk about the rear seat being small, SO I dont want a bunch of free loaders riding with me anyway. Just me and my lady riding with the tunes blasting. The dealer didnt look down their noses at you the way those Euro dealers do, bunch of snobs. Anyway back to the point. This car may not be for everyone but its not your Daddys Oldsmobile. Lexus may not have hit the bullseye but they came damn close.

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  Awesome car for the price... - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By LXS - April 29 - 10:00 am

  The car handles extremly well. I opted for 16" tires since I live in an area that gets snow anually. The ride on 16"s is very nice, 17" tires may give you a slightly bumpier ride but the car will really stick to the ground. It is a very quick car. About 7 seconds 0 to 60. I hate SUVs and many SUV drivers have tried to race me but they have all failed everytime. The car is even fast from 0 to 80. The car continues to excellerate fast at 50 and 60 mph. This is a great car for passing those annoying SUVs and Vans on the highways. The interior is awesome. The airconditioner is very cold and does not take away any power from the engine.

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  Not an SUV - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By EDOman - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for 14 months. It still attracts attention here in Los Angeles and is alot of fun to drive. Tested it in rural New Mexico where it handled very well on a straight stretch of open road at 130 mph. The car apparently was not designed for sport conditions as I have beat the hell out of the front dam on curbs and crossing intersections in the city and the cute low profile tires do not hold up to either urban or cross country conditions. Why call it a sportscross if you cant drive it that way without the tires falling apart!!!!

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  This car RULES - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Devnull - April 9 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my 5-speed for almost a year (minus a month and a half for some repairs ;)), and I can easily say its the most fun-to-drive car Ive ever driven. The car handles superbly; I love the way it hugs the road in a turn, the squeel of the tires as I round a bank, the roar as I downshift to pass someone who shouldnt have been in the fast lane. The VVT-i engine is really noticeable in a launch (push that TRAC button to see what I mean).

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  awesome - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By - April 9 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for a month. I test drove Audi 1.8T, but this car out performs Audi in every respect.This is is the best value for the money when it comes to luxury sedans. I love it