2003 Lexus IS 300 Review

Name: 2003 Lexus IS 300 Review
Brand: Lexus
Price: 834 USD
Rating: 4.7 (127 reviews)

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Lexus IS 300 model years

Lexus IS 300 for Sale

Lexus IS 300 types

Wagon
Sedan

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Outstanding driving dynamics, slick interior decor, competitive pricing.

Cons

Small rear seat and trunk, not much storage space, styling more suited to baggy-panted masses.

What’s new

Other than having some new wheel designs, the IS 300 is unchanged this year.

Edmunds says

It's still not at the level of a BMW 3 Series, but its combination of price, performance and premium features make it a very intriguing sport sedan or wagon.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M) 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 $4.58 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$299/mo

$183/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 Lexus IS 300.

5 (80%)

4 (15%)

3 (2%)

2 (0%)

1 (3%)

4.7

127 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 127 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Lexus IS300 Sport Design

Justin, 03/28/2010

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

I bought my 2003 black on black Lexus sport design in 2009 with 86k miles on it. The car drove and performed awesome the whole time i owned it. The interior is classy/sporty and stylish. Every girl I've taken on a drive loved the car. The car's chrome shift ball is F1 inspired i love the look. The door stiles have silver step plates. Car never fail me but the previous owner never changed …

Understand what you're buying

03is300, 04/21/2011

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Note: I am a car guy, I'm not even 30 and this is my seventh car (not an idiot, just an enthusiast with a few extra nickels to burn on car payments), this is not a worthless review where I talk about how I don't like the cupholders or the color..... Aside from a few minor issues, this vehicle is a great choice, especially now that the prices have dropped dramatically. This is not your …

Home-Run

03is, 07/12/2011

2003 Lexus IS 300 E-Shift 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)

Ready? Love the car, but since I just recently bought it, I've had to do some work getting it up to par as the prior owner didn't take great care. However, it's a Lexus, so a blind monkey could drive it into a lake and it'd be better than anything on the road. A few cosmetic issues inside and out, and 90k service hadn't been done. When something breaks on this car, it's costly. But if …

Sold my IS 300 after Seven good years

Aja1, 07/27/2010

2003 Lexus IS 300 E-Shift 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)

I just traded in my '03 IS after seven years and 161,000 miles (purchased new). During my ownership, I never replaced a light bulb, only replaced the brakes once and the tires twice. The car was a joy to drive and I would have kept it for another 100,000 if I didn't need a bigger car for a growing family. I wish I liked the new IS series as much, but I thought the styling dropped off …

See all 127 reviews of the Lexus IS 300

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2003 IS 300 Highlights

Type:

Wagon

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$30,805
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	18 MPG
Cost to Drive	$306/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	21.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the IS 300 include:

Alarm

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
DriverNot Rated
PassengerNot Rated
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
RolloverNot Rated
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Marginal

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2003 Lexus IS 300 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M) 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 $4.58 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 Lexus IS 300.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Lexus IS300 Sport Design

Understand what you're buying

Home-Run

Sold my IS 300 after Seven good years

2003 IS 300 Highlights

Safety

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2003 Lexus IS 300 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M) 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 $4.58 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

2003 Lexus IS300 Sport Design

Understand what you're buying

Home-Run

Sold my IS 300 after Seven good years

2003 IS 300 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2003 Lexus IS 300 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Lexus

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M) 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 $4.58 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}