The original Lexus IS debuted back in 2013, and sold far better than even Lexus had anticipated. It was about time Lexus took it upon itself to give this entry-level sedan a refresh repaint job.
There isn’t a whole lot which has changed, the unit that the headlights are mounted on takes on a new shape, and the front fascia has taken on a sportier shape.
There are also new taillight units, new wheel designs, Lexus has even added couple of new colours – Deep Blue Mica and Graphite Black Glass Flake., and on the inside, the infotainment display screen is updated.
Exterior
As mentioned briefly, for the most part, the overall appearance of the IS has remained unchanged, however there are some pretty interesting changes. Up front, the same Lexus grille remains, and now features horizontal louvers all the way to the bottom.
The check-mark LED runners below the headlights now seem to be more stretched out, and the headlights themselves are a little more jagged than before.
Heading to the rear, the Lexus IS has a lot of the same going on. The taillights have the same shape, but the internal layout has changed.
The exhaust outlets are now rectangular, and the rear diffuser now has five fins spread between the exhaust outlets.
In addition, 10-spoke, 17-inch wheels are standard on the IS, but there are several new designs with bright machine finishes.
Interior
On the inside, there are a few interesting changes to speak of. First off, the Moonstone and Ivory colors have been replaced by Chateau, which is a light shade of gray.
The speedometer and tachometer have been redesigned and look much cleaner. The car also received newly designed cup holders that now are now connected by an opening in the middle.
The overall design of the dash has remained the same, as mentioned infotainment screen has been updated from a measly seven inches up to 10.3 inches.
Drive-Train
It comes as no surprise that the refreshed model will offer the same engine line-up.
The IS-200T comes with the same 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder that delivers 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The IS 200T should be able to hit the 60-mph sprint in 6.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 143 mph.
Moving up to the IS-300 all-wheel drive will get you a 3.5-liter that delivers a decent 255 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque. The IS300 AWD can hit the same benchmark in 6.1 seconds with a top speed 131 mph.
IS-350, the 3.5-liter is tuned to deliver a respectable 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. The IS350 has the same 131-mph top speed, but can hit 60 mph from a dead stop in 5.7 seconds.
On the lesser models, power is sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 300 AWD gets a six-speed automatic, and the IS350 gets an eight-speed direct shift automatic.
Conclusion
I am curious to see what Lexus does with the pricing point, though. Surely with all of the extra features the pricing will increase some, but hopefully not too much.
Overall the IS looks to be more comfortable, inviting, and more luxurious than ever.
