2017 Lexus IS 350 Review

Name: 2017 Lexus IS 350 Review
Brand: Lexus
Price: 26998 USD

(28)

Lexus IS 350 Sedan Exterior. F SPORT Package Shown.

3.5/5 Expert Rating

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Lexus IS 350 model years

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Edmunds' Expert Review

byJason Kavanagh^{Senior Vehicle Test Engineer
Jason joined Edmunds' testing team in 2006 as a vehicle testing engineer. Jason believes true appreciation of modern cars stems from owning really, really bad old ones.}

Pros

Quiet and well-equipped cabin
Ride quality remains smooth on bumpy pavement
V6 engine's enthusiastic and refined power delivery

Cons

Optional Remote Touch interface can frustrate
Handling capabilities do little to create driver excitement
Trunk area on the small side

What’s new

For 2017, the Lexus IS 350 receives largely cosmetic changes. The revised front end styling consists of a new grille, headlights (LEDs this year) and air intakes, while the back end receives different taillights and exhaust tips. Every IS has additional standard safety features this year, including forward collision warning and mitigation. Finally, a few minor cabin tweaks round out the changes to the IS 350.

Vehicle overview

The 2017 IS 350 sits at the top of the automaker's entry-level IS luxury sedan lineup. It cedes sport-sedan ground to others in the segment, but its robust V6 power, high-quality interior trimmings and surprisingly smooth ride still make for a satisfying sedan.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2017 Lexus IS 350 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 $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$213/mo

$170/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The IS 350, the current generation of which was introduced in 2014, has yet to receive a significant overhaul outside of the addition of an modestly warmed-up F Sport trim level. Nevertheless, its combination of comfort and refinement continues to propel it to relevance today. The IS 350 was never the most outwardly sporting handler, though any flavor of IS 350 — F Sport or otherwise — is certainly competent on a back road. But more than anything, the IS delivers a thoroughly quiet, comfortable and luxurious small luxury sedan experience with a V6 that out-punches similarly priced German four-cylinder rivals.

That the IS 350 is available with all-wheel drive broadens the sedan's appeal for those who live where things often get slick, though AWD models give up two gears in the transmission to rear-wheel-drive variants. Oddly enough, the potent IS F variant hasn't been reprised in this generation of the Lexus IS, and its absence stands out as an obvious gap in the lineup.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

3.5 / 5

Trim tested

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our full tests of the 2014 Lexus IS 350 (3.5L 6-cyl.; 8-speed automatic) and 2016 Lexus IS 200t (2.0L 4-cyl. turbo; 8-speed automatic).

NOTE: Since these tests were conducted, the current IS 350 has received just revisions. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's IS 350.

Scorecard

Overall	3.5 / 5
Driving	3.0
Comfort	4.0
Interior	2.5
Utility	2.0

Driving

3.0

The 3.5-liter V6 is ultra smooth and respectably powerful. Handling dynamics aren't this car's strongest suit, though you can still have fun whipping this luxury compact around a bend or two.

Acceleration

3.0

This IS 350 is not as quick as the class equivalents, but the V6 is super smooth and makes decent power. It achieves 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds.

Braking

2.5

The brake pedal travel is surprisingly short and stiff for a Lexus and lacks a sense of stopping power. In our emergency panic-brake test, an IS 350 stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet, which is long considering the summer tires.

Steering

3.0

The electric steering builds effort that provides a natural and direct response, but it lacks road feel, which is important if your front tires ever lose grip. The IS fails to provide confidence in this area, critical for spirited driving.

Handling

3.0

Even with the stickier optional summer tires, the IS has a tendency to push over the limits of front tire grip. Quick directional changes are more to its liking than long, sustained corners, so choose your back roads accordingly.

Drivability

4.0

Power is more than sufficient, but the eight-speed automatic transmission makes response feel languid at times. Full-throttle downshifts take about a second to select the right gear, which is too slow if you're trying to get out of the way.

Comfort

4.0

Excellent ride comfort and the serene quietness of the 2017 IS 350's cabin are big standouts in the comfort category. We were also happy with the seats until sitting in the saddle for a few hours, which took a small toll on our lower backs due to some mismatched lumbar ergonomics.

Seat comfort

2.5

There's adequate lateral seat support, and the optional ventilation and heating works well. The amount of lumbar support is adjustable, but the position is fixed and sits too high to provide long-distance comfort for an average size driver.

Ride comfort

5.0

The IS 350 delivers ride quality that combines solid body control with smooth compliance at all the right times. Bumps and impacts are absorbed without issue or the marshmallowy float indicative of an overly soft suspension. Very good.

Noise & vibration

4.5

Great attention went into the IS' cabin soundproofing. Road and wind noise is sufficiently silenced, and you don't hear much even under full ABS braking. Quiet cabins are more comfortable but can also promote calmer reactions in emergencies.

Interior

2.5

The 2017 IS 350 struggles with finding a balance between innovation and complication. The infotainment system interface lacks user-friendly qualities, and basic cupholder ergonomics were an afterthought to laying out a visually appealing interior. This is a cabin with mediocre functional usability.

Ease of use

2.5

Lexus' haptic joystick interface for the infotainment system is cumbersome to use, and it snags smartphone charger cords with ease. The touch sliders for the climate control — which look cool and work well — are the best cabin features.

Getting in/getting out

3.0

Even with the easy-entry retracting steering wheel, it's not difficult to graze a knee against the column climbing into the driver seat. The rear door openings are on the smaller side and could prove difficult for less flexible passengers.

Roominess

2.5

Cabin space is not abundant. For an average-sized driver, the center tunnel console is needlessly wide and the armrests can feel intrusive. The rear seats have less legroom than in some competitors, and the center seat has marginal headroom.

Visibility

3.0

Forward visibility is great. Rear headrests don't impede the view directly rearward, but huge rear pillars and a high body slope create blind spots when reversing. The optional parking sensors and rearview camera are recommended.

Quality

4.0

Other than the steering-wheel leather that looks and feels like wrinkled skin by the thumb holds, this interior is done well. The seats have quality stitching, and all contact surfaces are soft with tight panel fit and solid door seals.

Utility

2.0

The small trunk that doesn't fold flat and limited interior storage conspire against the 2017 IS 350's utility.

Small-item storage

2.5

Storage up front is limited to the armrest, the door pockets and the glovebox.

Cargo space

2.0

At 10.8 cubic feet, cargo space is on the small side for the class, and a significant step from the trunk floor is created by the rear seatbacks when folded forward.

2017 Lexus IS 350 models

The 2017 Lexus IS 350 is available in one trim level, with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. Rear-wheel-drive models get an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive variants have a six-speed auto. No manual transmission is available. The sole trim level on offer has a solid complement of standard equipment including keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, premium vinyl upholstery (NuLuxe in Lexus-speak), a 10-speaker, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

Optional features are primarily clustered in packages, with a handful of items available as stand-alone options. The big-ticket package is the Luxury package, which bundles together a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, a heated steering wheel, parking sensors, automatic wipers, leather seats with memory function and wood cabin trim. The rearview camera is available separately. There is also a Mark Levinson premium audio package, a navigation package and two other smaller packages.

An F Sport package is available on IS 350 and IS 200t models (reviewed separately), but only the IS 350's F Sport variant receives continuously variable dampers. It is intended to improve handling acuity without adversely affecting the ride quality. This package furthermore includes unique exterior and cabin trim, summer or all-season tires on 18-inch wheels, heated seats with unique trim and higher-friction brake pads.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2017 Lexus IS 350.

5 (71%)

4 (18%)

3 (3%)

2 (3%)

1 (5%)

4.5

28 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

2016 IS350 F Sport

Tim, 03/30/2016

2016 Lexus IS 350 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)

I hesitated to buy this car because of Consumer Reports rating. They did not like the car very much. Later I found their review was based on the entry level IS. My opinion is that this car is awesome. I have owned over fifty cars in my life. I am hard to please. This car accomplishes what it is supposed to do. When you factor in reliability it wins the class with little competition.

My second IS and it's nice

G$, 10/14/2015

2015 Lexus IS 350 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)

Pros: - The car performs perfectly for the US. It easily accelerates to speed (and for passing on the highway) and it handles like a dream when the roads get twisty. - You're going to play with the guage cluster a lot. It's cool and fun. - The seats are probably the most comfortable I've ever had in a luxury sports sedan (owned or ridden in is300, bmw 328xi, audi s4). This vehicle is …

Great car, with a few exceptions

Tom B, 03/02/2017

2014 Lexus IS 350 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)

I lease a Lexus IS350 with the F-Sport option, and for the past 3 years it has been a lot of fun to drive. I turn mine in this May so I figured I have enough experience with it to write an honest review. First of all, I'm not a race car driver, so I don't much to compare against. But this car feels very sporty to me, has plenty of pickup, good handling, and a snappy suspension. The …

Love my IS350

LexusLover, 03/17/2017

2014 Lexus IS 350 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)

Love the feel and handling of this car. It's so fun to drive. Only qualms: Car vents for air conditioning could be stronger, I have to turn air all the way up to feel anything and then it's loud and annoying. Also, I should have opted for the better quality sound system. However, I feel confidant that it will always take me to and from wherever I have to go...safely. Previously I had …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 Lexus IS 350, so we've included reviews for other years of the IS 350 since its last redesign.

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2017 IS 350 Highlights

Base MSRP	$41,370
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$213/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the IS 350 models:

Pre-Collision System: Detects and attempts to avoid front collisions by applying the brakes to assist the driver and reduce the speed of impact.
Lane Departure Alert: Alerts the driver when it detects that the car is deviating close to lane markings.
Intelligent High Beam: Automatically turns the high beams on or off depending on whether it detects oncoming traffic.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover9.5%

IIHS Rating

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

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

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