2021 Lexus IS 300 Fixes Its Biggest Flaws

Over the past few years, the Lexus IS 300 has had the potential to be an intriguing pick for a small luxury sedan. It cost less than its German rivals yet offered more features and similar levels of comfort and quality. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, the IS 300 also suffered from a lack of driving refinement, a distracting-to-use technology interface and a small cabin.

Hoping for a better result, Lexus is hitting a soft reset with the 2021 Lexus IS 300. The exterior is only lightly refreshed, but there are substantial changes underneath and inside that seek to solve the IS 300's most pressing problems. Additional reinforcements and welds increase body rigidity, which Lexus says improves handling and steering response among other benefits. Some suspension components are lighter than before, which reduces unsprung mass and should translate to a more comfortable ride.

Inside, Lexus has replaced the distracting-to-use mouse-like controller with a touchpad controller. This new system eliminates the on-screen cursor that made the prior Lexus system difficult to use. Touchscreen functionality and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also newly available too. The rest of the interior is pretty much unchanged.

Is the 2021 IS 300 better than before? Most certainly. We don't expect the IS 300 will zoom up to the top of our small luxury sedan rankings, but it could be worth a look if value is a priority.