2023 Lexus IS 300

Sedan · 2.0L Turbo I4 · AWD

79/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a sedan is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	2.0L Turbo I4
Horsepower	241 hp
Torque	258 lb-ft
0–60 mph	6.6 sec
Top speed	130 mph
Drivetrain	AWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	26 mpg (22 city / 31 hwy)
Range	441 miles
MSRP	$40,875
Body style	Sedan

The verdict

What's good

Genuinely fun rear-drive handling
Rock-solid Lexus reliability
All-wheel drive available for winters
Tasteful, driver-focused cabin

What's not

Cramped back seat and small trunk
Aging infotainment screen
Base engine feels a bit slow
Firm ride on rough pavement

The engine

8AR-FTS

2.0L Turbocharged I4

A flexible, efficiency-minded turbo four that can switch between Otto and Atkinson combustion cycles, trading the outright punch of rivals for smoothness and a broad, usable spread of torque.

Toyota's 8AR-FTS, the company's first modern turbocharged gasoline engine, debuting in the Lexus NX 200t in 2015 before spreading to the IS, GS and RC; its twin-scroll turbocharger was developed at Lexus's Miyoshi plant.

It can morph between the Otto cycle for power and the Atkinson cycle for efficiency by varying valve timing, an unusual trick for a turbocharged engine.
It uses Toyota's D-4ST system, combining direct and port injection, and a cylinder head with an integrated exhaust manifold to speed turbo spool.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 79 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 5 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault