New 2021 Lexus IS sedan revealed

After several teasers, the wraps have come off the wider, lower, more aggressive fourth-generation Lexus IS medium luxury sedan, which will arrive in Australian showrooms from late 2020.

Currently priced between around $60K-$80K, price and spec for the new cars are yet to be confirmed for Australia but there will be three model-grades offered, Lexus IS 300, IS 350 and IS 300h.

These vehicles get 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo (180kW/350Nm), 3.5-litre V6 (232kW/380Nm) and 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid (133kW/221Nm) powertrains respectively, which carry over from the previous-generation.

The Japanese-built Lexus IS luxury sedan will take the fight to its German rivals, such as the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and carsales car of the year 2019, the BMW 3 Series, with sportier suspension and new driver assistance technology.

The engines and underpinnings of the 2021 Lexus carryover from the previous models which means the car doesn’t migrate to parent-company Toyota’s newer TNGA platform architecture – and it also means the controversial touch-pad input system returns.

However, the addition of a large 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system means owners can bypass the touchpad. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also feature for the first time in the Lexus IS.

The new Lexus IS gets several firsts for the brand, including advanced lane tracing assist (semi-autonomous steering) and emergency steering assist, along with driver emergency stop assist. Other features include adaptive cruise control traffic jam assist and road-sign detection.
The interior has been updated with new outboard vents and more upholstery and trim colour options but overall fundamental changes are few.

The biggest changes to the new-generation Lexus IS can be found in its design – which features completely new sheet metal – and the suspension rig.Showing off an aggressive look and tough new stance thanks to its wider body and track (+45mm front, +50mm rear), the Lexus IS boasts new-look, slimline LED headlight clusters flanking a larger, bolder spindle grille.

The front end design has a more resolved appearance, its angular motif and increased girth adding much-needed machismo to the design.

From the side, the Lexus IS has a more sculpted appearance and the pumped shoulder line above the rear wheel arch adds a bit of menace to the previously tepid design.

The LED brake lights now span the entire width of the rear and the tail end styling has also been sharpened and simplified.

Lexus IS 350 review

Lexus has made it clear it wants to be known for building dynamic vehicles and the new IS is the first shot in a salvo that will be spearheaded by a new hardcore twin-turbo V8 engine expected to debut in the new Lexus LC F soon.

While it’s not clear if the Lexus IS F will return, the brand now has options if it wants a BMW M3 and Audi RS4 rival.

As well as the insane 450kW-plus turbo V8 engine the brand has a 310kW twin-turbo 3.5-litre petrol V6. Either way, the new Lexus IS has significantly wider tracks, a reinforced body and uprated suspension all of which would help the car deal with more mumbo.

Suspension changes include new coil springs that are 20 per cent lighter now, joined by swing-valve shock absorbers that pack ultra-low-velocity valves designed to improve road-holding.

The Lexus IS body’s torsional rigidity has improved thanks to the addition of various reinforcements, support structures and more welds.

Part of the car’s new-found dynamic prowess is owed to the Lexus new ‘mini Nurburgring’ test track in Shimoyama, Japan, which opened in 2019.

The Lexus IS 200’s lineage stretches back to 1998 and this model is the fourth-generation vehicle from the Japanese brand. The third-generation vehicle made its debut in 2013, making it more than eight years old.

It remains to be seen whether the new model will have an eight-year lifespan, given its underpinnings will soon be a decade old.

The Lexus IS was launched in Australia in 1999 and has found more than 46,000 buyers in that time. Globally, some 1.09 million Lexus IS vehicles have been sold.

However, it was outsold by the Lexus ES in 2020. This year the Lexus IS has managed 208 sales, accounting for just under five per cent of the medium-sized luxury car market. The BMW 3 Series is currently the segment leader with 31 per cent market share or 1312 vehicles sold in the first five months of 2020.

Lexus Australia is confident the new model will boost sales, as Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson explained.

"Australian customer preferences align perfectly with the focus on sharp design, dynamic performance and cutting-edge technology with the stunning new IS, making it an important addition to Lexus dealerships later this year," he said.

Lexus currently only offers a four-year warranty, which lags behind Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Volvo, which all offer five-year warranties now. Lexus says it will not adopt a five-year warranty like parent company Toyota.