Flash Drive

2020 Lexus IS 350

March 19, 2020 - Behind The Wheel - Comments: 

Model Tested: 2020 Lexus IS 350 F-Sport 4-Door Sedan

The 2020 Lexus IS 350 F Sport is a very handsome car, especially in Ultrasonic Blue Mica paint.

Engine:3.5-lliter V-6, 311 horsepower, 277 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel-drive

EPA Rating: 20-mpg city, 28-mpg highway, 23-mpg combined

Base Price: $42,180

As Tested: $52,135

Performance:

Strong performing V-6

Sport mode makes big improvement

Paddle shifters

Drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport Plus

The 2020 Lexus IS lineup looks fine from the rear 3/4 view, but trunk access is less than ideal.

Separate buttons for traction control and snow

Athletic, adaptive suspension with F Sport

Limited slip differential

Real world fuel economy on the thirsty side

Comfort:

Super stretch-out driver legroom

Driver power lumbar support

Heated and ventilated front seats (3 temps)

Thick, contoured leather steering wheel

Lots of very good auxiliary controls

Good range tilt/telescopic steering column

The rear outboard seating positions are soft and comfortable, but the middle position is rather firm.

Power adjustable passenger seat, but no lumbar adjustment

Tight back seat even with front seats moved up

Headliner grazes tall passengers

Huge floor hump

Adults can’t fit in middle position

Soft, wide rear armrest with cupholders

Utility:

Tight trunk opening

Wide trunk, but limited depth

Tall lift-over height

The F Sport wheels are sharp looking and nicely matched to the sport suspension.

Split folding rear seats fold almost flat

Good size pass-through

Folded seats are six inches higher than trunk floor

Medium to small console bin with OK padded cover

Small locking glovebox almost totally filled by owner’s manual

Auto dim headlights

Two vinyl seatback pouches

WOW Factors:

Handsome styling

Great front seats

Sporty performance

Stunning Ultrasonic Blue Mica paint well worth $595 premium

Whines:

Trunk opening not cargo friendly

The steering wheel and instrumentation are very nice, but the infotainment controls aren’t very intuitive.

Tight back seat

Lots of rear seat wheel well intrusion

No rear door bin

Complicated infotainment controls

Bottom Line:

The 2020 Lexus IS 350 F Sport is more about style, performance, and two-person comfort than it is about passengers and practicality. It strikes us as essentially a two-passenger coupe, but with two extraneous doors. There’s a lot to like about the Lexus IS 350, but the negatives temper the pluses.