Got an urge to merge behind the wheel of a sporty four-door sedan?
Well, opportunities pare down in 2024 as domestic Big Wigs General Motors, Ford and Stellantis continue to mothball body styles adorning four doors, once a staple of the American diet. The most recent four-door departure belonged to the Dodge and its Charger, which sadly retired in the 2023 model year. In their stead, a growing variety of five-door crossovers.
So, Asian and European automakers are taking up the slack by fine tuning existing sedans and, as with our tester this week, adding a touch of excitement in the form of performance.
The Lexus IS 500 stands as a prime example. The IS (pronounced eye-ess, rather than the one syllable preposition ‘is’) debuted in the states back in the 2001 model year as a performance, rear-wheel drive four-door a cut above the quintessential compact sedan generating 215 horsepower at the time. Since Lexus resides as the luxury arm of Toyota Motor Co., expect a goodly amount of luxurious amenities tossed into the mix.
A third-generation IS was introduced in the 2014 model year of which our 2024 tester is based. Ten years measures as a long time to carry forward without a next-generation redesign but IS did undergo a major refresh in 2021. Dodge’s recently departed Charger’s last redesign dates back even farther to 2011. Updates to IS from the 2023 model year remain minimal save for a new mix of option packages in select trims and new exterior color choices.
Sales of the IS line in the 2023 calendar year continue strong, reaching 22,521, a 5.7 percent increase from the previous year.
The IS competes against entry sports sedans from primarily luxury German automakers (Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class), but with competitive pricing starting thousands less. The 2024 Lexus IS offers three sizes of internal combustion engines: an inline 4, V-6 and the getting ever harder to find, naturally-aspirated V-8. Five trim levels await shoppers with a mix of these three engines. No direct four-door competitor exists from a Stateside automaker although the V-8 powered Ford Mustang coupe occasionally receives a mention.
The entry rear-wheel IS300 includes a twin-scroll turbo four-cylinder cranking out 241 horses. An IS 300 with all-wheel drive adds a 3.5-liter V-6 engine generating 260 horsepower. The IS350 arrives with the V-6 engine and the option of either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The V-8 motivated IS 500 promotes standard rear-wheel drive exclusively.
All-wheel variants team with a six-speed automatic transmission while rear-drive support an eight-speed automatic. All require premium, 91-octane fuel when filling the sizeable 17.4-gallon tank.
Lexus and parent company Toyota offer a wide selection of gas-electric hybrids (the self-charging, non-plug-in type) throughout its lineup. Toyota popularized the gas-electric hybrid subsect beginning a quarter century ago. The performance-intended IS, however, rates as one of the few exceptions not offering a hybrid variant as all trims include Internal combustion engines all the time.
Lexus’ F sub-brand designation has adorned Lexus products since 2006 and soon after IS jumped at the chance to join this exclusive club. This subsect delivers factory-installed performance upgrades including a finely-tuned chassis and calibrated suspensions, delivering sharper, more precise handling with higher horsepower engines.
The capital “F” references Japan’s Fuji Speedway where Lexus incubates and tests concepts before sending forth to the worldwide mass market.
A year later in 2007, Lexus introduced the similar sounding but somewhat distinct ‘F Sport’ designation adding performance accessories (many visual) to the lineup. Needless to say, similar sounding ‘F’ and ‘F Sport’ created confusion among performance-minded shoppers and those entrusted to explain the automotive sector. Lines started blurring between F Sport and F during the subsequent 15 years.
In 2021, Lexus finer tuned F Sport accessories and the F sub brand, merging the two into one and creating four distinct F levels or tiers: F Sport (Design), F Sport (Handling), F Sport (Performance) and just plain old F. Think of plain old F as the highest performing, pinnacle of the quad adorning track-ready brakes, advanced aerodynamics and lighter weight materials.
Lexus sent along a V-8 motivated IS 500 F Sport Performance (not the plain old F) for a week’s testing donning a new-for-2024 exterior color; Incognito resembling a milky gray.
Starting price for our Incognito IS 500 F Sport Performance listed at $63,370. The sole factory option being 19-inch matte black wheels and adding $2,450. With a half-dozen or so dealer add-ons, the bottom line ended at $68,135 including a $1,150 destination charge. The lowest-priced IS, a four-cylinder IS300, checks in at $41,235.
The long hood contrasts artistically with a stout deck lid featuring a lip spoiler. A narrow, red illuminated light bar travels the width of the lower trunk lid extending to rear fender. A trio of in-row LED illumination bulbs flank the central grille and rest atop a frosted white check mark design which turns amber when summoning turn signals. The famous (or infamous) prominent Lexus center ‘Spindle” grille features a synched middle with hour-glass sections above and below and the Lexus L logo in its mid-section. Strap-like, body-colored handles adorn all four side doors.
The F Sprot Performance adds quad exhaust, a raised front hood, suspension tuning, dark chrome window trim, triple beam LED headlights and F Sport badging in and out of the vehicle. The quad exhaust provides an understated rumble of the V-8 horses under hood while delivering a relatively quiet environ for those ensconced inside.
Three interior color choices include black, glazed caramel and our tester’s Rioja red within a faux leather Lexus brands as ‘Perforated Nuluxe.’ One notable benefit sedans bring to bear when compared with two-door models: superior sight lines and minimal blind spots. The compact IS allows good perceptions front, back and to the sides.
For those still clutching to circular compact discs for music pleasure, the audio system includes a CD player for convenience and musical enjoyment. Flanking the classic disc player, chrome twist dials with the left controlling volume, and the right orb serving as a select button for the entire sound system. Another distinctive nuance; a circular analog clock highlighted with Roman numerals resting between central vertical vents, once a staple in many Lexi products but retired during recent next-generation model years.
Limited storage space includes door side pockets and a shallow bin beneath the fold-up arm rest hinged backside. With the large owner’s manual stowed in the glove box, little room exists for much else save for a pair of gloves.
Yet another clue of it’s third-generation architecture, the Five-O-‘Clock steering wheel appendage operating radar-enhanced dynamic cruise control, a staple of Lexus for decades. During recent next-generation efforts of other Lexus vehicles, cruise control functions directly incorporate onto the steering wheel face. Too bad as the appendage locale IS continues promoting provides better tactile functioning allowing eyes to stay fixated on the road ahead.
Lexus smartly locates the electronic push-button start/stop higher on the dash away from direct interference of the three-spoke steering wheel. It also acts as a division between the semi-circled brim shading the largely digital instrument panel and multi-function, flat, touch screen although both screens burst forth with purple flair-like fireworks when the ignition ignites. Many newer design combine these two panels into one mega-screen. Multiple drive modes (Eco, Normal, Custom, Sport, Sport Plus and Snow) select from a dial between front buckets directly fore of inline beverage holders.
The flat, 10.3-inch multi-function color screen jets above the center dash (non-F-Sport versions settle for an eight-inch size). It’s touch sensitive and also interacts with secondary volume and station select steering wheel buttons. For the brave of heart, IS continues forward with a finger-operated interface via a square touch pad near the vertically sliding transmission shifter between front buckets. This two-by-two-inch launch pad moves an in-screen curser through the finger touch, press down with the finger to make a menu selection.
The HVAC system controls from two rows of small push buttons under the distinguished analog clock. Dual front temperature zones come standard across all trims. No wireless charging benefitting Smartphones exists.
The 10.8-cubic foot trunk rates as diminutive even for a compact-sized choice. Peek under the floor board to find a temporary spare tire, an amenity slowly retiring from many competitors. Manually flip forward the 50/50 second row seat backs for more storage opportunities as the second row seems friendlier to cargo than people. The vertical floor hump nicely sections row two into two pods, although IS promotes itself swallowing five riders. Stick with a pair in the second stanza as head and leg room remains acceptable but elusive.
Expect a generous array of standard safety features including blind-side monitoring, rear cross traffic alert (handy when pulling back out of a tight parking spot), lane departure alert and a pre-collision alert with pedestrian detection. The Lexus powertrain warranty compares favorably with the industry average checking in with a generous six years or 72,000 miles, whichever arrives first.
2024 Lexus IS 500
Price as tested: $68,135
Engine: 5.0-liter V-8
Horsepower: 472
Wheelbase: 110.2 inches
Overall Length: 187.3 inches
Overall Height: 56.69 inches
Overall Width: 72.4 inches
Fuel Economy: 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway
Curb weight: 3,891 pounds
Powertrain Warranty: Six years/72,000 miles
Assembly: Japan