2021 Lexus IS 350 Review

Name: 2021 Lexus IS 350
Brand: Lexus

Price Range: $35,990 - $41,998

Lexus IS 350 F SPORT Sedan Exterior Shown

Good

7.7

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

The 2021 Lexus IS 350 falls short of rivals when it comes to interior space and technology refinement. And while we do like the way the IS 350 rides and handles, the underpowered V6 engine limits how much fun you can really have driving. Still, high levels of comfort and lots of standard features help keep the IS 350 a viable pick for a small luxury sedan.

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Average price: $37,681

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Appraise My 2021 Lexus IS 350

Lexus IS 350 model years

Lexus IS 350 for Sale

Pros

Ride quality is smooth and comfortable on bumpy roads
Nimble and secure handling
More features for the money compared to German alternatives

Cons

Back seat is still tight for the class
Lackluster acceleration for a six-cylinder luxury sedan
Storage and cargo space are limited

What's new

Restyled headlights, taillights and grille
Handling improvements and new Dynamic Handling package on F Sport models
Reworked tech interface features touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Part of the third Lexus IS generation introduced for 2013

Overview

Written by automotive expert Ryan ZumMallen

4/20/2021

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.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

15 listings

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2021 Lexus IS 350
F SPORT Sedan
$36,995
fair price
$159 above market
- 43,195 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use
- 19 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- Auto Trademark (17 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Manassas, VA
2021 Lexus IS 350 AWD F-SPORT Call 703-361-6882, Clean Carfax, 43K Miles Only, Balance Of Drive/Train Warranty ( Verify w Manufacturer ) White w Wh...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (19 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JTHGZ1E23M5019542
Stock: AT18439
Certified Pre-Owned: No
New Listing
2021 Lexus IS 350
F SPORT Sedan
$39,998
fair price
$1,229 above market
- 33,183 miles
- 1 accident, 2 owners, personal use
- 19 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- CarMax White Marsh (60 mi away)
- Free delivery available*
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in White Marsh, MD
Wanna drive? CarMax puts you in the driver's seat-and that includes transparency. Certain cars may have unrepaired safety recalls, so check nhtsa.gov/...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
22 Combined MPG (19 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JTHGZ1E2XM5021840
Stock: 28249719
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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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.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Good

7.7

out of 10

We drove the 2021 Lexus IS 350 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

8/10

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 Edmunds' 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

8/10

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

9/10

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.

2021 Lexus IS 350 trim level differences

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 Edmunds, 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: Compare the 2021 Lexus IS 350 trim levels in-depth.

Which IS 350 trim does Edmunds 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.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$272/mo

$228/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability

The 2021 Lexus IS 350 has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4 out of 5, ranks it #11 out of 68 among Luxury Midsize Cars. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent

#11 out of 68 among Luxury Midsize Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$481/yr

vs. $607/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize Car

Frequency

1x/yr

vs. 1.36x/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize Car

Severity

5.6%

vs. 10.5%
for Average Luxury Midsize Car

Recalls

There are no recalls for the 2021 Lexus IS 350

Warranty

4 years / 50,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 4 years / 50,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 6 years / 70,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 6 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 4 years / unlimited miles
Free maintenance Warranty: 1 years / 10,000 miles

Lexus IS 350 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.5

30 reviews

5(73%)

4(17%)

3(3%)

2(3%)

1(4%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2021 IS 350 Features & Specs

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$42,950
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	23 MPG
Cost to Drive	$272/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the IS 350 models:

Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist: Monitors lane markings, warns you if you are drifting, and can even help steer the vehicle back into the lane of travel.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control: Helps you maintain a preset distance by adjusting the Lexus' speed in relation to the vehicle directly ahead.
Intelligent High Beam: Switches between high and low beams automatically by using cues from a camera that helps detect when other vehicles are present.

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%

2021 Lexus IS 350 Review

Price & Payment

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

For sale near Ashburn, VA

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

2021 Lexus IS 350 trim level differences

Which IS 350 trim does Edmunds recommend?

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Recalls

Warranty

Lexus IS 350 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2021 IS 350 Features & Specs

Safety