Review: 2021 Lexus IS 350 F Sport

There’s no denying that SUVs are pushing cars toward the brink of extinction, but hopefully, not everyone will be so quick to give up the driving enjoyment of a car for a high-riding SUV. Even with a growing crop of potent, high-performance SUVs like the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, there will never be a way to truly replicate the feeling you get from driving a low-slung sport sedan. Of course, the biggest thrills (in the automotive world, at least) tend to come in small packages such as the BMW 3 Series

So long as this iconic BMW continues to exist, other luxury automakers aren’t likely to give up on making sport compact sedans anytime soon, and as proof of this, General Motors only offers two sedans in the U.S., both are Cadillacs and one – the CT4 – is a direct competitor to the 3 Series. Filling this role for Lexus is the Lexus IS sedan, which has been heavily updated for 2021 to keep pace with its much newer rivals including the Acura TLX and Genesis G70. At first glance, the 2021 Lexus IS might look like it’s all new thanks to a complete exterior redesign, but in reality, this sedan is mostly a carryover with a few interior and suspension tweaks added to the existing chassis and drivetrain.

On the outside, every inch of the 2021 Lexus IS has been redesigned giving the sedan a bolder look with more attitude, but more importantly, Lexus has given the IS and its coupe counterpart, the RC, more distinctive styling elements, similar to the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series but with less polarizing results. The front of the updated IS shows a cleaner, more aggressive face with narrower headlights to go along with the oversized grille and vertical side air inlets. Lexus has ditched the downswept taillights on the previous IS that gave the sedan a frumpy look and replaced them with a full-width LED taillight treatment that gives this sedan a unique look day or night. And, no, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, this sedan is wider than the previous year, too, with the body gaining an inch in width to accommodate a wider track, which has grown by about two inches wider front and rear, and the staggered width wheels.

Being the F Sport model, this IS 350 shows the aero-tuned front fascia with added air intake inlets and dual exhaust outlets at the rear with a center diffuser. What really gives this particular IS 350 F Sport an eye-catching look is the F Sport Dynamic Handling Package that adds matte black 19-inch forged alloy BBS wheels and a carbon fiber rear spoiler – both look even better set against the Ultra White paint job. 

In contrast to the completely redesigned exterior, most of the interior design of the 2021 Lexus IS 350 carries over from the previous model year. The instrument panel has been updated with a new 10.3-inch infotainment screen positioned closer to the driver, round vents for the outboard HVAC outlets, and the center console has been slightly reorganized, but other than that, there’s not much difference from the 2014 IS. Being a compact, you can’t expect too much space from these cars, but the only area that feels cramped (for adults) is the rear seat; the front seats are perfectly comfortable, and this sedan is definitely designed to be a driver’s car with a clean, attractive cockpit. This F Sport tester spiced things up a bit with the new-for-2021 Circuit Red leather seats with dark ash wood inserts on the steering wheel and door panels as well as a pricey ($2,750) option group that packaged navigation and the 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio package.

Lexus nailed the interior in terms of luxury with excellent materials and fit and finish, but the true joy of the 2021 Lexus IS comes from driving it. Unless you need a true high-performance sport sedan like the new 472-hp IS 500 F Sport Performance model, the IS 350 F Sport is more than enough car whether you’re just doing a daily commute or carving up backroads on the weekend. Under the hood, the IS 350 features a 3.5L V6 rated at 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, and RWD models use an eight-speed automatic, the AWD model uses a six-speed gearbox. As has become a saddening and growing trend in the automotive world, the Lexus IS does not offer a manual transmission. 

This power is more than sufficient for the 3,800-pound sedan allowing the RWD sedan to accelerate from 0-60 in 5.6 seconds according to Lexus; the engine output and performance figures aren’t all that far off from the 325-hp Cadillac CT4-V that can hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. The one area where the 2021 Lexus IS’ drivetrain shows its age is the fuel economy figures. Since its not an all-out performance sedan, I would still expect to see better EPA numbers than 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. 

Lexus claims to have made chassis and suspensions updates on the 2021 IS equating to a ride quality that balances sportiness and comfort but excelling at neither. Adding the F Sport package doesn’t bring any upgrades to the brakes or steering, so your best bet to maximize the performance and handling of the IS 350 is to opt for the F Sport Dynamic Handling Package (a $4,200 option). This package adds Drive Mode Select, sport-tuned adaptive suspension, and a limited-slip rear differential, while those stylish BBS wheels are four pounds lighter (per wheel) helping to drop the car’s unsprung mass. 

In the end, the 2021 Lexus IS is a fun car to drive offering plenty of style and luxury, and it’s priced right for what it is. The base four-cylinder IS 300 starts at just under $40,000 while opting for the V6 power and F Sport appearance bumps the price up only a little bit to $44,275. Tack on the nav and audio package along with the handling package, you’re looking at a test car that was priced at $54,340 all in. 

Even with all of the changes, the 2021 Lexus IS lineup is still the oldest sedan in its competitive set having been introduced all the way back in 2014, but the improved style and handling should be enough to keep this car relevant for at least a couple more years. 

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