The 2021 Lexus IS 350 F-Sport AWD Needs More Changes To Stay Competitive 

I feel like this is equal to a Honda Accord sport 2.0t. I’d rather get one of those and save a bunch of money : )

We’ve had several IS in our family and this update is a let down. But that’s typical of Lexus as they don’t stray too far from what works. But I am disappointed with the powertrain and want an ISF.

They need to bring back the gs.. this car is too small..

I agree with your assessment in general, but believe actual Lexus buyers will be quite happy with the updates. I say this as my wife is on her third Is (2020), and can say she has loves the appearance of sportiness combined with unbeatable quality and old fashioned touches (cd player, clock,etc).

@@730F-Sport GS350 F*Sport... 2015 model with updates.... I love that body style!

I'm driving a 2004 car with 300hp stock. It's kinda a shame looking into buying this car and getting about the same power doesn't feel great

You here Kirk? I expected that Where there is Lexus, There is Kirk Yeah I agree with you

We couldn’t agree more! This car is begging for more power.

#ThankYaDammit :-)

Is f

@@Datsun7705 no they didn’t.

It’s called upgrading. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” doesn’t even apply here. It’s about keeping up with competitors which Lexus has not in terms of tech and design especially inside. With the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” cars wouldn’t have any generations.

@@johnhancock6374 Exactly. So many people on here think that the whole "if it ain't broke" is the only thing a car needs. This is supposed to be a luxury car, with high quality materials, updated mechanics and technology, and decent performance. Of course reliability is a huge plus, but the Germans are still doing extremely well here. I don't know why Japanese auto makers do that thing where they neglect their luxury division and just update their mainstream offerings. A Toyota should not be faster, more luxurious, or have more features than a Lexus. Same thing for Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti. It just canabalizes sales.

@@LimiitedChans dude yeah it needs more power, getting matched on the highway by a effin camry despite paying 10k+ more. It’s embarrassing

V8 Option 😂 you're asking for too much in a compact lux sedan this isn't the 2000's anymore

@@robertcarroll2840 not a v8 maybe just the same engine as the supra. Or their own custom v6 TT like the q50 red sport

Pragmatically, it's more like a FMC to the exterior, and just an MMC for everything else (interior, powertrain, etc).

But can it impress more than the new facelift of the Genesis G80

Mercedes had a facelift on the GLC and the E class that changed the entire car so what are you talking about?

All the interior lights are still not leds....

No LED turn signals? Wtf that's something so simple to get right..

Yeah, it might not be that important pragmatically speaking, but it's that attention to detail that separate premium vehicles from what Sofyan calls "poverty-spec". Lexus really half-assed this self-proclaimed "all new IS" and it shows in those small details.

What did you expect? Toyota is lazy

They do

that’s how overpriced this thing is

@@zhila5958 not overpriced when you find out how reliable it is and how it will outlast any vehicle on the road today

themobbkillas i never said it was bad. i actually like every aspect of this car in fact it’s my favourite lexus car after IS F and RC F. i just said that they could charge less so more people can afford it.

@@zhila5958 far more important than light bulbs are reliability of engine and any components that will keep it running. you fanboys thinks leather and carbon fibers are the ones that will keep the price up. smh

That looks like a US only special. Pretty sure rest of world who gets the update had LED

nah he would you recommend you go buy a 15 year old hooptie for 4k lol

@@paladin3116 or better yet, a '94 celica!

2012 Camry!

Yeah what car guy doesn't know Scotty Kilmer, he would definitely recommend this one

Scotty is right about non-turbo engines: they last longer because of less internal pressure; thus, a normally-aspirated engine will outlast most turbo-charged engines. And that's what Sofyan needs to understand: Lexus owners like cars that they don't have to worry about when it comes to reliability. If I was going to pay a lot for a sports sedan, I'd go with a Lexus over any BMW or Benz or Audi: those European cars will spend a lot of time at the dealerships for costly repairs while the Lexus owners will simply wave as they drive by.

RU-vid pays $500 per 40 views

Tesla’s receive OTA updates pretty consistently on their cars to keep it up with the times lol I agree with everything else u said tho

Would happily take the basic CD player and a high quality interior over the latest tech any day. I'd prefer to keep the car for 300k miles than purchase a new one more often. I bought my Lexus for reliability and comfort.

He'll never get old...

Too safe in this case

I've seen some people having issues with their Toyotas right after the warranty was expired. 2020 Toyota isn't reliable as 2000 Toyotas imo. They went too far saving cost here and there.

@@b1uezea1ot they are still one of the most reliable brands tho

@@b1uezea1ot Agreed, toyota's reliability is declining, but mostly it's from the newer engines toyota produce, especially the hybrids one.

@@b1uezea1ot Agreed, toyota's reliability is declining, but mostly it's from the newer engines toyota produce, especially the hybrids one.

Toyota has new engines that unfortunately we may not get due to emissions.

Idk man this thing is pretty slow. A i4 3 series is the same or faster the way bmw underrates 0-60, it's quite a bit cheaper, and gets way better mpgs. An M340i would just destroy this. And yeah if you're worried about reliability go with Lexus but for a real sports car this will never be on my list with this engine.

@@Shane-fh4uu agreed. Life’s too short to want to hang onto one car for a long ass time. The whole long term reliability thing only matters to those owners who plans to drive their cars til the wheels fall off or for the 2nd owner and on..

I mentioned this as a comment but I will reply here: They can't just stuff engines from different models. The LS is based on a different architecture and that engine simply won't work with the IS.

@@maxweinbach3996 just give it the ancient v8 then Christ.

Yeah inside always stays the same

LeakoLotad Thank you!!! Why do all these reviewers keep doing the AWD one, when it's well documented that the RWD IS350 F-Sport is the better performer!?!

They just came out with this in a V8 model!

@@TRD_Nate Yeahhhhhh man, I saw!

@@BCstyle01 because the RWD is hard to find

Agreed

Definitely agree! I just reviewed them and can’t get over the styling!

Yup, MUCH better looking car than the last gen model, lower and wider looking, with less busy styling.

I completely agree. Compared to its BMW and Mercedes class rivals, this is definitely the best looking. Mercedes always makes ugly cars in my opinion, and the new M3 looks like crap. The IS isn't going to top them in performance, but I'm not necessarily concerned with that. I like reliability and style. The 311hp is just enough power for me.

Because they know Genesis has them beat

They probably got lazy and said "this redesign for the exterior is enough, just put those lightbulbs in there..not a big deal"

The facelift has LEDs so this is odd

Because in typical Lexus fashion, if it works why change it. They may be incandescent bulbs but at least they're amber so they could be worse.

Yes they should’ve made the rear turn signals led but honestly if someone is going to buy this car they can just order some Led amber bulbs from Amazon

No one needs to drag race everyday in the city. Plenty enough power.

Well said!

The 350 is as fast as a v6 Camry lol

@@naveenthemachine and a Honda Accord is quicker than the IS350 F-sport

@@TheBreakfastLover I’m comparing v6 to v6. I know the accord is quicker but it’s not by much vs the v6 Camry. It ranges on the accord from 5.5-5.7 seconds

I'm glad to know Sofyan wasn't impressed which tells me... "Don't waste your time!!"......

No they don’t. Completely different lighting assembly. Also the Avalon does not light up completely it’s not a true LED single unit like this on the Lexus.

i think they look similar to the UX tail lights

IKR, I drove next to a Highlander last week and thought it was an RX 350. Lexus and Toyota’s design language is no longer distinct enough for me to consider it advantageous to drive a Lexus over Toyota so my guess is that: Toyota is planning on taking most of its current models up market incorporating them into the Lexus lineup or their phasing out certain Lexus vehicles. Either way, the newest IS appears to be a carryover and for lack of a better term, a dam Scam. Lexus switched a few lines and bent a few panels for it to appear redesigned but I feel like I just stepped back into 2014 after seeing the interior. I understand the “if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it mentality” from a financial standpoint but Lexus has always been ahead of its contemporaries in both design and reliability. Re-releasing a car can spell disaster in the minds of their customer base. My fear is that brand loyalist will think “If it wasn’t broke, then why’d you have to go and break it?”

Not at all

Insofar as they both have red tail lights, I guess.

That was completely unplanned! 😂

that's why Lexus didn't bother investing on a new platform for this model, and essentially recycled the ancient interior and powertrains. It shows they don't have much confidence in the IS. They previously went this route for the GS before they discontinued it (RIP). Rumor is that the next IS might be a re-badged Mazda6, similar to the Toyota 86 & Subaru BRZ, or Supra & Z4. Acura, on the other hand, invested millions in R&D for the TLX's all-new chassis, bodywork production, and V6 turbo. That speaks for itself.

@@TheBreakfastLover i see what you mean but in my opinion toyota is just to cheap to invest in these cars. Look at the land cruiser, lx570, sequioa and the gx. All those suvs are basically the same as their 2015 models, barely updated. They didnt even want bother to spend money and invest to make a new engine and platform for the supra and instead of refreshing the land cruiser and giving it a new engine to fix its horrible gas mileage they are going to discontinue it. All toyota cars about is the camry, corolla, rav4 and the highlander.

@Chezzyperson i dont see them getting rid of the RC because its the only two door car for lexus besides the LC. I wouldnt mind them getting rid of it but they would have to have a IS model with a V8 or even a two version. The NX needs the boot honestly

@@paladin3116 NX is is definitely not getting the boot anytime soon, that thing is selling hella good in Europe right now.

Thats because there are Toyota " purists " out there that keep buying the vehicles just for the name. And that happens a lot on everything. People buying/leasing/financing just because of the brand or someone told them to.

The reason they did not put it on the plattform of the LS is because lexus and mazda develop a new rwd plattform together due in 2022/2023 on which the next is is supposed to ride on aswell. That‘s why they extended the live of this generation

I'll agree with you that at 56k this car is a tough sell. But you have to remember that if a car like the Model 3 had the same build quality as this Lexus, it would cost significantly more. I see Lexus all the time that are 10-15 years old and still look new. The same can not be said about it's competitors. This car would be excellent with a small v8 under the hood.

@@andrewmeehan6151 so I knwo everyone wants to talk build quality but here me out. Tesla will fix ANYTHING that is wrong if you have anything wrong with your model 3 without question free of charge. And for a long while as well. I drove a model 3 and didn't get what all the complaints were about with build quality it felt just as nice as my infiniti q60 Redsport did and my bmw 335 before that did which both are above lexus int he build quality department. I think that this car really is, as it always has been, for the guys who don't want issues long term with there car and don't trust the Germans even though they've gotten much better now. The model 3 has this beat with an infinite mile warranty for 8 years on your drive train. While lexus is relaible especially this 3.5.its seriously behind on tech, power, handling etc etc. I can't see anyway to really justify it in today's market other than your scared to buy another brand really!

@@IReahpZz For me, the Model 3 hasn't been around long enough to see how they hold up long term, but from what I've seen they have a lot of issues (again I've never driven one, but i have seen them up close). I think people that want a Tesla already have their mind made up, so the IS really competes against the Germans and obviously the Genesis G70. I won't argue that the German brands have this beat in performance and tech, but if I was in the market for one of these cars the out of warranty maintenance and repairs would scare me away. This is a shame because I think the c class/e class are some of the best looking cars around.

@@andrewmeehan6151 I mean the genesis isn't a fair comparison. My current dialy is a Kia stinger and with 3 mods I'm faster than the Lc500, isf rcf etc etc. Most Tesla buyers with the model 3 are first timers and again there coming from luxury cars not mainstream vehicles. And people who own them pretty much always want to keep them. Again personally it doesn't matter if they have issues ( genuinely minor 95% of the time) tesla had you covered. Hell they send people to you to fix the car and if it can't get done you have an identical or better loaner delivered to you! If you buy a lexus you want quiet. No beating the model 3 at that either. I love my gas cars but the M3 is really hard to argue with in this class of vehicle right now

Or a certified used RC F. I’d rather get that.

your comparing a WRX to Lexus -_-, if you compare any other competitors to this the interior is outdated, but thats Toyota for u

Same, it's a Toyota, they don't innovate.. they make reliable shit

here's some fun info. The Lexus LX is the same SUV underneath, since 2008. Only did a face lift and interior updates since. edit: just remembered Nissan 370z. Same car since 2009 or so.

he knows his shit 100%-love him....

@L I Agree I bought my L certified 2017 GS-F V8 (with only 3,000 miles) a year ago and only paid $58K. Deal of the century! The new MSRP was $87K. Yowzir !

Lol... you mean a much BIGGER lexus. Remember, the Is350 is the same motor. The GS 350 Fsport is sick AF for sure.

It was in trouble already. The TLX outsold the IS by 12k units last year and that was the old TLX.

TLX is better than this

And that new type-s looks tempting

New Tlx BASE motor competes with this V6 ancient crap. A tune and it will put the v6 to shame. Tlx type S is already two steps ahead

I mean they are probably going to drive way different, this would still handle way better no matter how much trickery they use the TLX is still fwd based and when driven to the core, you're gonna notice that but this is my personal opinion

The C43 is one of our favorites. We just find the BMW, Mercedes, and Audi offerings in that segment to be grossly overpriced when fully loaded around $65-69k.

How so? enlighten me. lol

I prefer 12" vinyl, but sales say otherwise...sadly, record stores have mostly closed...

@@biglee13m lossless sound, meaning it isn't compressed, like MP3 files. CDs and vinyl albums will always deliver the best sound quality, until someone delivers digital music files that are not compressed.

Never in my life have I heard anyone say “wtf turn this lossful low quality assed, poorly compressed assed, non cd having ass sound track off”

@@porschegt2346 younger people only know what they are used to listening to. Besides, you take what you can get. That's why nobody says anything about shutting off this low quality audio. But when you listen to the same track on vinyl or compact disc through a proper sound system, and not your smartphone, you will understand.

It's pretty obvious, he's always been this way to Lexus. Still a amazing brand regardless of the hate throws. It speaks for itself, Lexus is doing a awesome job. Always has Love the content though

I think it’s because he used to work for Lexus when he started this channel or something. Maybe had a bad experience, but he shouldn’t let that affect him

@@XanhDT89 agreed

OK, it isn’t just me that sees the disgust on his face, before he even starts the review.

Reviewer is a european fangirl and ambassador for Tesla, trying to rake in sales for other brands maybe rewarded with $$$ to influence the review, typical of car journalists because it's only their perceived opinion of any car and not factual...

Acura Tlx isn’t very good looking in my opinion. And I usually don’t like how lexuses look, but this one is beautiful.

@@ps1hagrid84 It looks better than this imo

@@koolkitties8552 nah

@@koolkitties8552 nah

The shade 😂

I wish they had a tuning knob as the trackpad, so much better in my opinion. Like the one on the Mazda vehicles.

Yes I like touchscreen,which is one of the reasons I won't give up my 18 aspec for the new one, this car is still nice even though it's refreshed

hahaha.

Or the g70

They’re asking $56,000 for this.... I’d pay no more then $40

Agree with what you said. It’s just hard the power this has vs competition 🤦‍♂️

These are my thoughts as well. I'm getting to the age now where specs superiority over my bros is a non-factor. I now buy cars for myself and my needs, not what others think or don't think.

Better than a C300

The Lexus IS350 competes with the Benz c300, and Audi A4 or whatever, it’s the quickest out of both it doesn’t compete with the S5 and m340i, q50 redsport yet.

I definitely agree with the improved look from the middle pillar to the back👍🏻