 | Positives: Silky and sonorous V8 power, best-looking sports sedan made today, excellent sport seats, vault-like construction. |
 | Negatives: Reflexes not as quick as the competition, dated infotainment system and interior, small control buttons, tight back seats. |
 | Bottom Line: The IS 500 Sport Performance might not be the quickest sports sedan in the set, but it is the most soulful and satisfying thanks to its amazing V8 engine and incredible build quality. We can forgive its outdated tech and controls because it's just so satisfying to drive. |
Driving Experience
The IS 500's dominant feature is the smooth and powerful V8 engine that's a tweaked version of the same 5.0-liter mill that was in the original IS F. But instead of 416 hp, the engine spits out 472 horsepower. Keep in mind the IS 500 remains only one of twonaturally-aspirated V8 rear-wheel drive sedans on the market today (the Dodge Charger is the other). What it provides is a rewarding and solid driving experience that no turbocharger four-cylinder can match. It's not astoundingly quick, but it very competent and remarkably easy to drive fast or slow.
Ride Quality: The ride is firm , but dampening of bumps is excellent. The car feels incredibly solid and very good over unpredictable surfaces.
Acceleration: The IS 500 will launch to 60 mph in a quick 4.4 seconds. Peak torque doesn't arrive until 4,800 rpm, so you don't feel the power right off the line. What you do get is an uninterrupted surge that builds wonderfully all the way to the 7,300 rpm redline, accompanied by a throaty growl that's piped in through the sound system.
Braking: The brakes are strong and progressive with great feel. We had no trouble scrubbing speed into quick turn entries. The brakes are authoritative and well modulated.
Steering: The steering is sharp and precise with no issues. Feedback is also very good, and there's just the right amount of heft. It's not as good as the setup in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio or the Genesis G70 3.3T, but it's very good.
Handling: Body control is excellent, and the car feels well-balanced. There's a mild amount of oversteer, but it's all very controllable. The IS 500 feels very natural and rewarding.
Technology
One thing Lexus failed to do in the IS's refresh was the infotainment system, and hoo boy does it look and feel old. It's still the same Lexus Enform system, replete with the much-maligned touchpad controller that's about as precise as a fork in a bowl of noodles.
Infotainment System: The portrait-oriented 10.3" screen is drab and has lousy graphics. The system is not easy to use, and even the menu that pops up at the bottom is a challenge to deal with. We're not sure why they haven't updated yet. Surely, Lexus has the capability to do this.
Controls: That touchpad is positively frustrating to operate, and we also despise the tiny buttons on the center stack for certain audio functions.
Styling
The last IS was an attractive car, but the styling didn't give it much presence in a field of sports sedans with more aggressive sheetmetal. You'd never guess the IS was only refreshed in 2022 because it looks like a totally different car, and that's a very good thing. It's definitely still an IS but so much better. The cabin remains largely unchanged. For the most part, it's fine, but some of the controls look dated.
Front: The big spindle grille is impossible to ignore, but it fits well on an aggressive sports sedan when it's got black mesh. That same mesh shows up in the side intakes, as well. The checkmark DRLs are nicely housed within the triple beam headlamp housing. We also like the nice V8 hood bulge.
Rear: Everything comes together nicely here, including the lip spoiler, long taillights, and the stacked exhaust pipes.
Profile: The rising body crease from the leading edge of the front door all the way to the taillight looks great, coupled with the signature IS uptick from the rocker panel. Black window trim, black wheels, and the black rear diffuser match nicely, along with the black F Sport fender badge.
Cabin: Not much has changed inside, and that's both good and bad. The F Sport seats look great, as does the chunky perforated leather steering wheel. The sliding gauges are one of our favorite features, although the graphics could use an update. The center stack and center console are definitely showing signs of aging.
Comfort
Lexus sports seats are some of the best in the industry, and these are phenomenal. The back seat, however, lacks real space for tall adults. Material quality is excellent throughout, despite the fact that some of the ergonomics could be improved.
Front Seats: The sport seats have great bolstering and just the right amount of cushioning. The broad seatbacks and long cushions are great for taller drivers. Adjustability and seating position are also excellent.
Rear Seats: The outboard seats, themselves, are very good, but the middle position has too much bulge in the cushion and the seatback, making it uncomfortable. The short 32.2 inches of legroom is very limiting compared to the Genesis G70 3.3T and the Audi S4, both of which eclipse the IS 500 by at least a couple of inches.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): The sound deadening is excellent, and the build quality is peerless in this category. Road and wind noise are hushed even at high speeds.
Visibility: Despite the tall rear deck and the thick C-pillars, overall visibility is pretty good. Sightlines of the sloping hood make it easy to maneuver the IS 500 in tight spaces.
Climate: The climate system works well with no issues. Heated and ventilated functionality for the front seats is quick to operate.
Safety
The IS is a remarkably safe sedan, and the IS 500 falls into the superb results from crash tests. The standard safety equipment set is also quite comprehensive.
IIHS Rating: This IS sedan nailed the Top Safety Pick+ rating with "good" in every crash test and "superior" in crash avoidance & mitigation.
NHTSA Rating: The Lexus IS earned 5 stars from the federal government.
Standard Tech: The IS 500 comes with Lexus's 2.5 Pre-Collision System w/ Cyclist & Pedestrian Detection, All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Intelligent High Beam Headlamps, and Road Sign Assist. Additional standard features include a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Intuitive Parking Assist with Auto Braking,
Optional Tech: None.
Storage/Cargo
Another area where the IS 500 could use improvement is storage and cargo. We're not terribly disappointed by the below average trunk space, but the absence of good center console storage space is problematic when it comes to keeping things nearby.
Storage Space: The center console has cupholders and a small armrest but not much more. The shift knob and touchpad controller take up a lot of real estate.
Cargo Room: 10.8 cubic feet of trunk space ranks below the BMW 3-Series by quite a bit but matches the Caddy CT4.
Fuel Economy
Unsurprisingly, fuel efficiency is not the IS 500's strong point. That said, it's not terrible, either. We drove pretty much in Sport+ mode all the time to maximize performance, and our numbers were not bad. We drove in equal amounts on the highway and on local roads.
Observed: 23.5 mpg.
Distance Driven: 157 miles.
Audio
We're big fans of the Mark Levinson series of premium audio systems in Lexus vehicles. The booming 17-speaker system comes standard on the IS 500, and the sound is excellent. It has great bass, strong mid-range, and very good clarity. Of course, we'd rather hear the roar of the V8 engine, so we didn't listen to the system all that much.
