Lexus IS COTY Review: A Charming but Flawed Trip Down Memory Lane

Pros

• Still a handsome sport sedan
• Driver-focused interior
• Nostalgic character, modern displays

Cons

• Aging platform and powertrain
• Too relaxed for F Sport badge
• Overdramatic exhaust enhancement

Although nothing is forever in the auto industry, the Lexus IS has been a constant since it was first introduced here for the 2001 model year. After 25 years, the IS is still alive and kicking, as the third face-lift of its third generation arrived for 2026. How alive is it? We invited the newly updated version of the Lexus luxury sport sedan to our 2027 Car of the Year competition to find out.

After a major overhaul back in 2021, the newly refreshed IS gets a facial, revised steering and suspension for improved consistency of feel, and an updated interior with standard 12.3-inch displays. But Lexus is no stranger to taking the “if ain’t broke don’t fix it approach” with its products, so we wanted to see how well the changes played out in the favor of or against the IS during our competition.

Our judges had a lot of positive things to say about the exterior design of the Wind Gray 2026 Lexus IS350 F Sport that joined us out in the Southern California desert. The overall style of this sedan has held up well, and the new face hasn’t ruined its good looks.

Opinions on the refreshed cabin, however, were mixed. Our judges applauded the physical controls and sporty red interior of the F Sport model, but its long-in-the-tooth J-gate shifter drew ridicule and served as a reminder of the car’s overall age.

“All the hard buttons feel like such a delightful throwback,” features editor Scott Evans said. “If it weren’t for the screens, you wouldn’t know it was a new car.”

The nostalgic charm translated to the driving manners, though only to a certain degree. Guest judge and auto industry veteran Johan de Nysschen found its ride to be more than acceptable: “The chassis is nicely balanced, there’s even a hint of trailing-throttle adjustability, and it deals with bumps surprisingly well. It is also well insulated at high speed.”

While judges enjoyed the steering, handling, and roadholding in a general sense, body roll was prevalent on the test track. And although the Lexus cruised comfortably and quietly at higher speeds, our judges were jiggled some when they rolled the IS over the choppier stretches of the test facility’s freeway setup.

The 2GR-FSE 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which has powered the IS350 for about two decades, added to the nostalgia factor, and not in an endearing way. This six-cylinder mill has earned a reputation for durability after years of service, but our judges commented on its lack of overall pep, and the dull-shifting eight-speed was no help, either. Our test team managed a 6.1-second 0–60-mph time, not a great number for a modern compact luxury sport sedan.

The Lexus IS still largely works because it continues to deliver on what its buyers expect-namely quality and reliability-though its aging platform and powertrain have reached the limits of their relevancy. The time has come for Lexus to either completely redesign the IS or kill it altogether in its present form, because as we all know, nothing is forever in the auto industry. But we did appreciate the drive down memory lane.

This review was conducted as part of our 2027 Car of the Year (COTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.