Trims, Powertrains, and Performance
Buyers of the IS can choose from a half-dozen trims: the Base, F Sport Design, F Sport, F Sport Performance, F Sport Performance Premium, and F Sport Performance Special Appearance. There are three powerplants offered. The 300 – which is standard in the base, F Sport Design, and F Sport – is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 241 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. The 350 is a 3.5-liter V6 that generates 311 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque; it’s optional for the F Sport Design and F Sport. The F Sport Performance, F Sport Performance Premium, and F Sport Performance Special Appearance get the roaring 500 engine, an invigorating 5.0-liter V8 that hammers out 472 hp and 395 lb.-ft. of torque.
All three engines work with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard, but all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional for the Base, F Sport Design, and F Sport. The F Sport Performance, F Sport Performance Premium, and F Sport Performance Special Appearance are made exclusively with RWD.
Fuel Economy
According to the EPA’s official estimates, the Base, F Sport Design, and F Sport with RWD and the 300 powertrain return 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. With AWD, they get 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway. The RWD F Sport Design and F Sport with the 350 powertrain achieve 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway, but with AWD, they fulfill 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway. The IS 500s pull off 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway.
Amenities by Trim Level
The Base comes with plenty of refinements, including NuLuxe (simulated leather) upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, SmartAccess proximity keyless entry, push-button ignition, a 60/40-split fold-down second-row seatback, Drive Mode Select (Normal and Sport), two USB ports, bi-LED headlights and daytime running lights, LED taillights, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The F Sport Design goes with a more aggressive exterior design and 19-inch alloy wheels with a dark metallic finish; its interior is improved with heated front seats and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The F Sport receives ventilated sport-bolstered front seats, a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, position memory settings (for the driver’s seat, side mirrors, and steering wheel), an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, rain-sensing windshield wipers, power-folding side mirrors with reverse gear tilt-down, aluminum sport pedals, embossed door trim accents, a rear armrest with cupholders, active sound control, and performance instrumentation with a G-force display. The more dynamic F Sport Performance shows that it’s serious with a raised hood, Yamaha performance dampers, a Torsen limited-slip differential, stacked quad exhaust tips, an adaptive variable suspension, enhanced Drive Mode Select (ECO, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+, and Custom), 19-inch Enkei alloy wheels, and a power tilt-and-slide moonroof.
The F Sport Performance Premium builds on this foundation with a power rear sunshade and triple-beam LED headlights. At the pinnacle of the range, the limited-edition F Sport Performance Special Appearance adds the aforementioned Flare Yellow exterior paint black plus NuLuxe upholstery with Ultrasuede inserts and yellow contrast stitching, a SmartAccess key card, key gloves with contrast stitching, and 19-inch BBS wheels.
Active Safety Technology
The ’25 IS comes with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 suite, which consists of full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, road sign assist, and automatic high beams. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert is also standard. The F Sport Performance and above add active parking assist with automatic braking and rear cross-traffic braking; the F Sport Performance Premium and F Sport Performance Special Appearance also get a panoramic view monitor.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Most of the IS trims get an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, voice recognition, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a sound system, and Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming. The F Sport Performance Premium and F Sport Performance Special Appearance move up to a 10.3-inch touchscreen featuring a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with QuantumLogic surround sound, dynamic voice recognition, integrated navigation, and Destination Assist.
Packages and Options
Lexus offers a series of notable upgrade packages for the 2025 IS. The Base qualifies for the Comfort Package, consisting of a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, a power tilt-and-slide moonroof, heated and ventilated front seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink. It’s also eligible for the Premium Package, which has everything from the Comfort Package plus a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, side mirrors with reverse gear tilt-down, position memory (for the driver’s seat, side mirrors, and steering wheel), wood interior trim, front door-sill scuff plates, a rear center armrest with cupholders, and a power rear sunshade.
Two navigation packages are available: Navigation and Navigation/Mark Levinson. The basic Navigation Package is offered for the Base, F Sport Design, and F Sport and features a 10.3-inch touchscreen with integrated navigation, dynamic voice recognition, and Destination Assist. The Navigation/Mark Levinson Package for the Base and F Sport will add a deluxe 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system with QuantumLogic surround sound. Finally, the F Sport Handling Package for the 350 F Sport bundles Drive Mode Select (with settings called ECO, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+, and Custom) with an adaptive variable suspension and a Torsen limited-slip differential.
A handful of those features can be ordered as standalone add-ons. Other a la carte options include triple-beam LED headlights, a power tilt/slide moonroof, active parking assist with automatic braking and rear cross-traffic braking, a panoramic view monitor, and a power rear sunshade.