String of firsts for new Lexus IS

Lexus is targeting Australia’s top-selling mid-size luxury car, the BMW 3 Series, with its wider, lower, new-look Lexus IS sedan, which now comes with more standard equipment, higher levels of safety and tech and significantly improved driving dynamics.

Arriving in Australia from November 6 but with pre-orders now open, the new 2021 Lexus IS sedan also cops a price increase, with the range now starting at $61,500 plus on-road costs before topping out at $75,000.

This represents a rise of between $1000 and $1750, although Lexus claims the latest IS series offers much better value given the dozens of new features added across the range.

These include a bigger 10.3-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – the first time these three elements have been offered on the sedan.

All models are fitted with a number of other firsts for a Lexus vehicle in Australia, including stolen vehicle tracking, emergency steering assist, intersection turning assist, automated collision notification and SOS call.

Base grades are now fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels, up from the previous 17-inch rims, and an electric park brake replaces the antiquated foot-operated system.

Safety systems have been boosted further with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that detects other cars and pedestrians both day and night, and cyclists during the day only. It works between speeds of 10-80km/h for pedestrians/cyclists and 10-180km/h for detecting other vehicles.

All-speed active cruise control adds autonomous acceleration and braking, while lane tracing assist and the aforementioned emergency steering assist and intersection turning assist add autonomous steering functionality.

Also bringing the Lexus IS in line with its European rivals is the fitment of a new road sign assist system, blind spot monitor, parking support brake and rear cross traffic alert and braking, plus LED headlights with automatic high beam.

Smart entry and engine start together with heated and eight-way power-adjustable front seats and dual-zone climate control are designed to make daily driving duties more convenient and are standard on all models, as is a 10-speaker audio system with digital radio, plus sat-nav with live traffic updates and improved voice control.

F Sport models add 19-inch alloy wheels surrounded by an F Sport body kit (front and rear aprons, side skirts, spoiler) and adaptive suspension, the latter adding a five-mode drive select system with eco, normal, sport S, sport S+ and custom settings.

There’s also ventilated/cooled sports seats up front with leather-accented trim and driver memory settings, F Sport scuff plates and logos, upgraded LED headlights and what Lexus calls an “LFA-style” 8.0-inch digital driver display.

Lexus has simplified the range from nine variants to five, which continue with the familiar powertrain line-up comprising turbo and hybrid four-cylinder and V6 petrol engines.

The IS 300 Luxury and IS 300 F Sport models are powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (180kW/350Nm) hooked up to a “retuned” eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Lexus IS 300h Luxury and IS 300h F Sport models are powered by a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain (133kW/221kW) with a combined output of 164kW and claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption of around 5.1L/100km.

The top-spec Lexus IS 350 F Sport features the 3.5-litre V6 (232kW/380Nm), also with an upgraded eight-speed automatic transmission.

While it remains to be seen whether the new Lexus can match the 2019 carsales Car of the Year – the BMW 3 Series – in a dynamic sense, the new model receives a comprehensive overhaul aimed at improving its performance on the road.

Among the changes are a 45mm-wider front and 50mm-wider rear track (for better turn-in and stability), improved rigidity courtesy of extra bracing at the front-end and spot welding from front to rear, and additional use of high-strength (and lightweight) steel and aluminium across the body.

The double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension also now features lighter and stronger components, which were fine-tuned at Lexus’ brand new technical centre in Shimoyama, Japan.

Featuring a new test track claimed to replicate many elements of the Nurburgring road course in Germany, widely recognised as the most challenging test track on the planet, Lexus says it was key element to improving the car’s driving dynamics.

Despite extra sound-deadening material added for improved refinement, the new IS is up to 30kg lighter as a result of the measures employed.

Given the profusion of standard equipment, options are few, but are lumped into ‘enhancement packs’.

The Lexus IS 300 and IS 300h Luxury models can add a moonroof for $2000 or combine the moonroof with 19-inch alloy wheels, up-spec LED headlights, leather-accented seat trim with ventilated front seats and driver memory settings, a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system and powered rear window sunshade for $5500.

Top-spec IS F Sport models can be upgraded with a $3300 enhancement pack, adding a moonroof, power rear window sunshade and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.

All that’s needed now is the return of a high-performance Lexus IS F model. Powertrain options are plentiful for the brand, with a 450kW-plus twin-turbo V8 or a 310kW twin-turbo 3.5-litre petrol V6 available.

Just as parent company Toyota is investing heavily in expanding its high-performance models via the GR (Gazoo Racing) sub-brand, it’s understood Lexus is in the process of rejuvenating its F sub-brand.

How much does the 2021 Lexus IS cost?
300 Luxury – $61,500 (+$1500)
300 Sport – $70,000 (+$1725)
300h Luxury – $64,500 (+$1000)
300h F Sport – $73,000 (+$1000)
350 F Sport – $75,000 (+$1364)

* Prices exclude on-road costs