Reliability. They have never performance wise out-spec’d their competitors.
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I don’t disagree with you here. Unfortunately I think it’s a product of timing and market conditions, in addition to their own past mistakes with the performance lineup - to where they’re now kept on a short leash by Toyota. It’s tough to develop a “complete product” centered around a small sedan in a world dominated by SUV’s when your parent company is all about volume sales. BMW & Mercedes are feeling that same pain with diminishing sedan/sports car sales in favor of SUV’s. (And now even when you go to their websites they position their SUV’s ahead of their cars).
Now in terms of what Lexus does better than others - well they still offer a V8 so there’s that lol. But their steering/suspension tuning is actually quite good (when they want it to be), and dare I say better than the Germans. My m340i is completely devoid of steering feel. It handles amazingly well, but the problem is it surprises me every time it handles well because I can’t feel anything.
Then there’s reliability and overall build quality which they’ve always excelled at. I know… doesn’t do much for an enthusiast looking for a fun-short term car. But that’s the by-product of their reluctance to adapt newer technologies.
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This is curious beast. I’m just not sure who the target buyer is for this? compact luxury sports sedan market has been shrinking for a while now. The younger, moneyed buyers in this segment have migrated to compact/subcompact SUV’s and those looking for performance have moved to EV. The only selling feature of this is the V8 and possibly long term reliability. The interior and styling (whilst subjective obviously) - suck
I’m very happy that Lexus is doing this, because it’s an unusual choice and will probably be a future classic based on the numbers they’re likely to sell but I dont think I’m going to be hearing the glorious V8 rumble from a Lexus IS anytime soon
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I don’t think it is Lexus’ purpose to be the leading edge in automotive technology. I also do not think their customer base expects this.
The Lexus customer base is extremely different from that of BMW/Audi/Mercedes. They rather have a car that doesn’t have the newest in infotainment for a car that they can put 200,000 miles on with lower-cost routine maintenance and little-to-no crazy repairs.
The 5.0L V8 is a testament to that idea. It will not take the IS500 from 0-60 faster than an M340i, but it will be the better car at the 80,000+ mile marker.
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Well, they have definitely made it clear that interior technology is not their strong suit. Reliability is still their best known trait, and I have to agree. Let’s hope they keep on going.
Honestly I was surprised when the IS was not only kept this year, but updated. Its sad that no one buys cars anymore, all SUV/CUV/crossovers.
Beyond a certain level of quickness, it’s diminishing returns to the enjoyment of the experience.
Handling, steering, balance, throttle response, etc are lot more important to me than a few tenths of a second.
IRL I’m never racing anyone in a street car. I’m either enjoying hopefully an empty road or getting around a left-lane straggler on the curviest parts of the sawmill or palisades parkways
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More choices is always a good thing, especially when they sound as good as a NA V8. Lexus has always had high quality and well built vehicles, but I think they still need some help in the infotainment / human interaction space.
While I do agree about the V8 soundtrack and handling, it comes at the expense of the rest of the car. The 4IS’ interior is cramped and has been known to have an annoyingly stiff ride, especially in IS350 F Sport. Obviously, we can expect the V8 model to be stiffer.
This car falls into the same category as the Alfa Romeo Giulia or Cadillac ATS or Genesis G70. People will tell us how great they are online, but as a car to commute in everyday, they don’t have the modern technology, ride quality, or interior comfort/space of the 3/A4/C.
That may be true. But the class of cars this IS500 competes with (M340i, C43, S4) all have very stiff rides (my daily is an M340i).
You’re spot on about the technology however. Lexus has lagged FAR behind on that front for quite some time.
I think this is main takeaway, IMHO. I’m very glad that Lexus is producing this car and specific trim/engine, but the underpinnings that would make it perform better as a daily driver and probably in terms of subjective enjoyment just isn’t there, IMO. Not sure if the TNGA-L can be shrunk down to a compact/smaller mid-size car, but I was very disappointed that Lexus chose (or was stuck w/) the platform it’s being using for… a long time.
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IIRC, the next-gen IS is going to be on a shared RWD platform with Mazda and their upcoming inline-6 because TNGA-L was deemed too expensive/heavy.
All I ask is they stop selling the 2GR. It’s time to move on Lexus!
Awesome vehicle. Hopefully they learned enough from what went wrong with pricing on the IS-F, GS-F, RC-F line.
If its priced around or slightly above the M340i, I think they might have a winner. Nostalgia/FOMO will get folks (last V8).
So $399.01 would be a deal breaker? 
I think the basics are pretty solid in terms of interior tech.
Standard AA/CP + Safety Suite 2.5 (the latest the TMC group produces and in line with the european benchmarks competitors)
TSS 2.5+ builds on the previous TSS suites by enhancing two of its existing functionalities: Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking) and Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (adaptive cruise control). Additionally, TSS 2.5+ continues to offer lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance (featuring both steering assistance and road-edge detection), lane-centering assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and road sign assistance.
This next phase of TSS 2.5+ brings the forward collision warning and automatic braking technology to a new level of accident avoidance by making it more proactive in its functionality. Beyond detecting the vehicle ahead, the system can also sense a preceding bicyclist or pedestrian in both daytime and low-light conditions. And at an intersection, the TSS 2.5+ will now detect an oncoming vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian during a left-hand turn and provide audio and visual alerts as well as perform automatic braking when necessary. The goal is to maximize a vehicle’s ability to avoid a collision that previously may have been deemed unavoidable.
As before, adaptive cruise control is part of the TSS 2.5+ system, but now includes a new feature that allows for a more seamless and anticipatory approach in passing maneuvers. When approaching a slower vehicle from behind, the system automatically begins to accelerate once the driver engages the turn signal with steering input. The increase in speed readies the vehicle to confidently change lanes and overtake the vehicle in front, eliminating the delay in acceleration that typically plagues adaptive cruise control. After the lane change occurs, acceleration continues until the vehicle reaches the preset cruising speed. At that point, the driver can decide when to safely move back into the original lane or stay in the new lane.
Overall, TSS 2.5+ is designed as an integrated system, utilizing camera, radar, and an advanced computer with more processing power than ever, operating with greater sophistication and wider functionality over its previous iteration.
The slam on Lexus tech only applies to the trucks like the GX and the Landcruiser. Yes, the joystick thing sux, but they now have touchscreens, android auto, and apple car play.
Also, you will get a loaded car with ventilated seats, auto high beams, a heads-up display, all the options that drive you crazy because they are missing from a BMW.
Yes, the BMW might be a better “drivers” car. But the Lexus will give you more bang for the buck.
That being said, I am also starting to look past the grill on the M440i especially in Davit Gray and San Remo Green.
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nah, should’ve just found a way to get 400lbs+ out of the chassis and it’d be glorious with that V8.
400lbs easy, take out all the seats replace them with some recaros, AC, and label it the Secret Track edition (paying homage to their secret test track under a mountain in Japan) and Add a markup of about $20k.
Porsche move-over, Akio Toyada moving in!
The GX replacement is going to be legendary…stay tuned 
It would be interesting to see how many of these cars Lexus ends up selling. Less than 10k units in its first model year? Who are their prospective buyers? A guy looking for an “affordable” foreign V8 sedan?
My reasoning behind these questions is the fact that it does not make much sense for an automaker to “invest” in a sedan, when SUVs are their money-makers. What are we missing? Putting a V8 in an IS is pretty impressive, but it is not going to sell a bunch of IS500s with the F Sport Performance package.
Although pricing has not been revealed, if its starting price is at $70k, then it might sound “attractive” to someone looking at an Audi S4/S5, Audi RS5, a BMW M3/M4 or Mercedes Benz C63 AMG.
Talking about performance for a sec, although the IS 500 produces 472hp, 395 lb-ft of torque is disappointing. Some of the Germans are also lacking in horsepower and/or torque.
- The 2021 C63 produces 469 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque.
- The 2021 S4 produces 349 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.
- The 2021 RS5 produces 444 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque
- The 2021 M3/M4 (non-Competition) produces 473 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.
If you are looking for more performance, you will have to upgrade to:
- The C63S offers 503hp with 516 lb-ft of torque
- The M3/M4 Comp offers 503hp with 479 lb-ft of torque
However, you will probably have to spend close to $100k for one of these Germans. If a fully loaded IS “only” costs $80k, the Lexus could do well.
The Lexus is missing plenty of tech from the BMW, such as wireless AA/Carplay, HUD (the IS does not have that option), LCD cluster (that F Sport cluster is a gimmick at best), Laser Lights, and an infotainment system from this decade.
If this costs as much as a loaded M340i, there is no “bang for the buck.” The BMW will be significantly faster, have better interior technology, more interior room, and be a better daily driver.
It’s hard to get excited about a car that’s essentially the last gen IS-F with minor updates. Toyota can do better, but they refuse to spend the money. We used to hold Lexus to the same standard as BMW/Mercedes/Audi.