2021 Lexus IS 350 Review

　　

2021 Lexus IS 350 Review

byRyan ZumMallenContributor

　　Ryan ZumMallen has worked in the automotive industry since 2012. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Ryan has also contributed to Road & Track, Autoweek, Trucks.com and more. In 2019, Ryan published his first book, Slow Car Fast, on the millennial generation and its unique take on modern car culture.

　　The 2021 Lexus IS 350 is a V6-powered small luxury sedan that, along with the four-cylinder IS 300, competes against the best four-doors that the world has to offer. Before this year, we considered the IS 350 a solid choice in the segment thanks to its strong value statement, comfortable ride and eye-catching interior. However, its lack of driving refinement, clunky technology interface and small cabin kept it from running near the front of the pack.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lexus IS 350 F SPORT 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$200/mo  for IS 350 F SPORT

　　IS 350 F SPORT

　　F SPORT 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 8A) (Most Popular) - $42,950 MSRPF SPORT 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A) - $44,950 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　The automaker is hitting a soft reset with the 2021 Lexus IS 350. The exterior is thoroughly overhauled with slim headlights, full-width taillights and redesigned rocker panels. Though it's still the same car underneath, the 2021 IS seeks to solve the most pressing problems. Among the changes are structural and suspension revisions and a much-needed rethink of the infotainment system. How well does it all come together? Should you get an IS 350 or stick with something like a BMW 3 Series? Read our in-depth Expert Rating evaluation below to help decide.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the IS 350 drive? The Lexus IS 350 F Sport is a fun and nimble sport sedan that's let down by an underpowered engine. In zzdcar' testing, our rear-wheel-drive test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. That's well off the pace of the class leaders, even the base four-cylinder variants. On the upside, this naturally aspirated V6 is silky smooth and builds power evenly from idle to redline. The transmission shifts gears a lot, but at least it's quick and smooth doing it.

　　The IS' steering, brakes and overall handling are much more impressive than the engine. This luxury sedan is athletic and nimble, with responsive steering and a suspension that's firm enough to keep the car planted without feeling so stiff that midcorner bumps unsettle it. Our test vehicle included the optional adaptive suspension and limited-slip differential, both must-have options if you want to maximize the sportiness of your IS 350.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the IS 350? The IS 350's optional adaptive suspension is well tuned. You feel the road, but it won't beat you up. Comfort is bolstered further by the seats. Adjustment is limited, but the basic shape is so good that you settle in quickly. The climate control as well as the heated and ventilated seats all work well to keep you comfortable, though the temperature adjustment slider is more cumbersome than necessary. It's quiet too, though the F Sport's optional summer tires produce a bit more noise than we expect from a Lexus.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The interior might look similar to last year's model, but there have been a handful of updates, most notably to the infotainment system. The much-maligned touchpad is still present, but you can avoid it completely by using the touchscreen. The user interface is generally the same, but it's much easier to navigate through the on-screen menus. Thankfully, Lexus has left the physical controls for the climate and media systems intact.

　　That carryover interior has some downsides. The driving position is excellent, with decent all-around visibility and easy-to-reach controls, but the back seat remains one of the smallest in the class. Passengers approaching 6 feet tall will feel cramped, and getting in and out is a squeeze as well for adults.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? The infotainment system now uses a touchscreen interface, so controlling features such as the audio, navigation or standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is relatively simple. The IS features voice commands, too, though they're limited compared to some rival systems.

　　The IS comes with a suite of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring is standard too. That's a good lineup of features, but their operation lacks the polish of the class leaders. For example, the adaptive cruise is slow to respond and leaves large gaps between you and the car in front.

　　

Storage

6.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The IS 350's 10.8-cubic-foot trunk is near the bottom of the class for volume, though the space is wide and tall, making it more usable than the cargo areas in some rival sedans with superior on-paper specs. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split, so you can expand the space further if you don't need the rear seats. Storage inside the cabin is really lacking. There's no good place to set your phone or sunglasses aside from under the armrest.

　　The tight rear seat hurts when it comes to car seats too. There's not much space to move around when you anchor a seat in, and larger rear-facing seats will likely force front passengers to scoot forward.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS 350 F Sport, which is what we tested, gets an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in combined city/highway driving. That's better than most rivals with six-cylinder engines. The IS 350's rating drops to 22 mpg with all-wheel drive.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the IS 350 a good value? The Lexus IS 350 offers a lot of features at a relatively affordable price. There are a few buttons and controls inside that feel a bit cut-rate, but most of the car is solidly constructed. It's slower than most of the competition, but the V6-powered IS 350 is significantly less costly than other six-cylinder small luxury sedans.

　　Lexus' warranty and ownership experience are slightly above average too. Lexus includes a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, and the powertrain gets a small improvement with six years/70,000 miles of coverage. If you do get stuck, the IS 350 comes with four years of roadside assistance. The first year of maintenance is also included.

　　

Wildcard

9.0/10

　　The IS 350 F Sport has a distinct Japanese flair that helps it stand out in a crowd. The grille is still divisive, but we think it works well with the other design updates to the car's front and rear. The F Sport package does enough to give the IS 350 some purpose without looking gaudy or overwrought. The interior, too, features a design that you won't find on anything coming out of Germany.

　　The design is backed by a generally fun-to-drive nature. Yes, it's slower than most rivals, but the IS 350 is pretty enjoyable on a winding road where raw horsepower is less of a factor.

　　

Which IS 350 does zzdcar recommend?

Given that the IS 350 is only available in one trim that comes standard with a powerful V6 engine, we recommend improving other aspects of the car to match. Stick with the IS 350 F Sport RWD and its standard eight-speed automatic transmission, instead of all-wheel drive and a six-speed auto. With the savings, add the Dynamic Handling package. It includes an adaptive suspension and limited-slip differential for improved traction while cornering.

　　

2021 Lexus IS 350 models

The Lexus IS 350 is offered in a single trim level: the IS 350 F Sport. Its only available engine is a 3.5-liter V6 (311 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque). The related IS 300, which we review separately on zzdcar, comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder. The rear-wheel drive IS 350 comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the all-wheel-drive version has a six-speed automatic. Feature highlights include:

　　IS 350 F Sport

　　Starts you off with:

　　19-inch wheels Push-button start and proximity entry Heated steering wheel Power-adjustable front seats Dual-zone automatic climate control Heated and ventilated front seats 8-inch infotainment touchscreen 10-speaker sound system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Lexus Enform communication servicesThe IS 350 also has a suite of advanced driver aids that include:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front) Traffic sign reader (sees road signs including speed limits and displays them to the driver)Available options include:

　　Sunroof Navigation system with 10.3-inch touchscreen 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system Dynamic Handling package (adaptive suspension system, special wheels, and limited-slip differential on RWD cars) Surround-view camera system with parking sensors

　　

2021 IS 350 Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$42,950
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	23 MPG
Cost to Drive	$200/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles