Lexus has refreshed the IS compact sedan for 2021, with new sheet metal, bigger screens, and a price increase of $1,700 to start off the IS 300 RWD option.
The first thing you'll notice on the new IS is the new face that brings it more in line with the rest of the Lexus lineup. The roof is slightly higher, but the changed face, wider fenders, and bulging wheels help make it look lower and meaner.
Inside, the standard 8.0-inch touchscreen is 80 mm closer to the driver than before, making it easier to reach, and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A new larger 10.3-inch screen is also offered, with both getting a new system underneath. A new 1,800-watt, 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system sits atop the options chart.
Lexus has also added Safety Sense 2.5+ to the IS, which takes the existing adaptive cruise, lane-departure warnings, and blind spot monitoring but tweaks the pre-collision system cameras and radar for a larger response range and also lets it detect both the vehicle ahead and a preceding cyclist by day as well as pedestrians in light and low-light conditions. The system has improved recognition of oncoming vehicles and pedestrians at left-turn intersections too.
Entry-level for the IS is the IS 300 RWD that comes standard in Canada with an F-Sport Series 1 package. That has a 241-hp turbo four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission along with LFA-style instrument cluster, heated and ventilated seats, and 19-inch alloys.
IS 300 AWD uses a 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 making 260 hp sent to all four wheels through a six-speed auto. Available packages add luxury goodies including the Mark Levinson audio system and there are two F Sport trims that add appearance and design features.
Finally, the IS 350 has a 311 hp version of the same V6, as well as AWD and a six-speed auto, and offers an F Sport 3 with adaptive suspension, carbon accents, and triple LED lights. The 2021 Lexus IS goes on sale later this month.
2021 Lexus IS Canadian Pricing
IS 300 RWD $42,950
IS 300 AWD $43,400
IS 300 AWD Premium Package $43,800
IS 300 AWD Luxury Package $47,700
IS 300 AWD Ultra-Luxury $51,000
IS 300 AWD F Sport Series 1 $45,800
IS 300 AWD F Sport Series 2 $49,500
IS 350 AWD F Sport Series 2 $53,300
IS 350 AWD F Sport Series 3 $58,000
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