Last year’s reimagined Lexus IS struck the perfect balance of sportiness and sophistication, making it the best IS to date. Building upon this success, the IS 300 and 350 F SPORT return for 2022 with new packages and options that add additional refinement and convenience to the front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports sedan. An all-new Premium Package is available on 2022 IS 300 and includes a host of interior and exterior features, while the Comfort Package now includes rain-sensing intermittent windshield wipers and auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink system. The 2022 IS 350 F SPORT receives a new Memory Package, as well as a power rear sunshade available as a standalone option.
The 2022 IS 300 RWD will have a starting MSRP of $38,635, while the IS 300 AWD will start at $40,625. The IS 350 F SPORT RWD will start at $43,050, with the AWD model coming in at $45,050. The 2022 IS is expected to arrive in dealerships later this fall.
The Lexus Driving Signature Lives at Shimoyama
The 2021 IS launched an era of vehicles developed at Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama with a uniform Lexus Driving Signature. Since Lexus launched, the tactile feel, behavior and execution for each model has been driven by the vision and efforts of the Chief Engineer (CE).
Lexus Driving Signature is a key pillar of the Lexus Next Chapter and represents a fundamental shift in our product development process and culture. Moving forward, the efforts of the CE will be focused on elevating the vehicles to a new standard of performance and handling as developed by Lexus International President and Chief Branding Officer Koji Sato and Master Driver and Brand Holder Akio Toyoda. The ultimate goal is to deliver a new generation of Lexus vehicles that are designed with a shared brand identity that includes responsive and linear control; exceptional handling, grip, and confidence; and refined ride quality and quietness. These elements will be realized through rigorous testing and evaluation at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama.
Fast, Fun, Ferocious – Putting the “F” in F SPORT
The IS F SPORT lineup was restructured in 2021, with F SPORT only offered on the IS 350 F SPORT features a host of visual and performance cues that immediately set it apart, including a unique front bumper with functional aerodynamic enhancements, rear bumper, grille surround, rear lip spoiler, rocker molding and more. Along with F SPORT 19-inch wheels, a unique center cap and larger rear tires for added performance (265/35R19), they are also equipped with a cool air intake with sound generator and an F SPORT exhaust and diffuser. In addition, unique F SPORT badges adorn the sides of the vehicle as well.
Inside the IS, stainless-steel scuff plates adorn the door sills. Eyes are immediately drawn to the stylish F SPORT front seat surfaces, especially when dressed in the available Circuit Red. The front seats also offer standard heated and ventilated functions. A heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with unique center ornament, perforated leather-wrapped shifter and F SPORT combination instrumentation meter await the driver, as do unique F SPORT accelerator pedal, brake pedal and footrest. The distinctive front seats offer available two-way power adjustable lumbar support as well as four-way adjustable headrests. Unique F SPORT door accents are highlighted with black geometric film window switch surrounds. Active Sound Control has been improved to further enhance the exhilarating performance notes of the V6 engine while reducing unpleasant tones.
F SPORT models can be further augmented with the addition of a Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) that includes Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS). The DHP also includes lighter 19-inch forged-alloy BBS wheels finished in matte black. Not only are they impressive looking, the 19-inch BBS wheels are approximately 4 pounds lighter per wheel compared to the standard 19-inch F SPORT wheel.
The RWD F SPORT models with the DHP are equipped with a Torsen® Limited Slip Differential (LSD) that improves handling and performance thanks to enhanced traction when cornering or exiting turns. The LSD helps maintain straight-line stability as well. F SPORT models equipped with the DHP also feature Drive Select Mode Sport S and Sport S+, which provides advanced engine and transmission mapping to enhance performance. Sport S+ also adjusts the amount of EPS steering assist and damping force to deliver sportier handling to match the updated powertrain settings. Custom Mode is available on DHP models, offering multiple combinations for powertrain (Normal/Eco/Power), chassis (Normal/Sport) and air conditioner (Normal/Eco).
F SPORT models equipped with the DHP receive a unique carbon-fiber rear spoiler and a Lexus SmartAccess Card Key. Carbon-fiber side-view mirror caps will be an available option.
Fast, Fun, Ferocious – Putting the “F” in F SPORT
The bold exterior styling of the 2022 IS aims for a provocative design, with muscular fenders that extend to enhance and accommodate the available 19-inch wheels. The wide and low form nods to the inherently high level of driving performance the IS possesses, but the sleek lines are also complemented with overtly aggressive sharpness carved into the side and shoulder character lines.
Slender headlamps are fitted on the IS that feature daytime running lights with a sharp L-shape signature that runs across the lateral axis just above the compact and lightweight lamp units. These headlamps help contribute to expressing a low center of gravity through low-positioned areas around the grille, and they are matched by lowered side character lines that carry all the way through to the rear of trunk. Available triple-beam LED headlights are also redesigned to complement the low-profile hood.
Rocker panels accent the side profile of the IS with a design that kicks up in the rear, featuring a sharp overall contour that carries into the muscular shoulders over the rear wheel wells. Gently sloped rear-quarter pillars, which help form a firm cabin silhouette that wraps around from the sides, contrast with the rear fenders to further enhance the aggressive look.
Moving toward the back of the IS, lines of the rear fenders blend into the extended, lowered rear deck to create a low stance that enhances the wider hips. The three-dimensional form of the rear deck design is created with a stamping technology called press-in mold construction. No question eyes will be drawn most immediately to the L-shaped blade-style lightbar that spans across the rear of the vehicle.
The 2022 IS will be offered in ten popular exterior colors, including Ultra White*, Eminent White Pearl*, Atomic Silver, Cloudburst Gray*, Iridium*, Caviar, Matador Red Mica, Infrared**, Grecian Water and Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0**.
*Available for an additional $500 charge
**Available for an additional $595 charge
Bask in Cabin Comfort
The IS interior features standard NuLuxe®-trimmed seating, with 10-way power driver and 8-way power adjustable front passenger seats, a dual-zone automatic climate control system with touch-sensitive controls, an available power moonroof and SmartAccess with push-button start/stop.
F SPORT models feature door trim with a graphic pattern of embossed intersecting lines, representing a new form of Lexus decorative expression and Takumi craftsmanship. Decorative ornamentation is finished in Black Metallic paint, Black Geometric Film or the unique Ash ornamentation exclusive to F SPORT models equipped with the Dynamic Handling Package. Piano Black accents also can be found on surface elements for cabin atmosphere that is both dignified and sporty. Standard NuLuxe interior trim color options include Black, Glazed Caramel and Rioja Red. On F SPORT packages the options include Black, Circuit Red and two-tone White/Black, while the F SPORT Dynamic Handling Package is available in Black or Circuit Red interior trim.
The IS features a standard 8-inch touchscreen for easy access to the controls. An expansive 10.3-inch touchscreen is available on vehicles equipped with navigation or the Mark Levinson Premium Audio Package. The multimedia system features Apple CarPlay® compatibility, Android Auto™ compatibility and Amazon Alexa integration.
The available Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound Audio System includes 17-speakers with an amplifier delivering an impressive 1,800 watts. The Mark Levinson system reduces interference, improves output (aided by the addition of two speakers) and improves overall sound quality with EQ tuning. Rear surround speakers are tweeter/mid-range combination Unity speakers. The audio amplifier has enhanced Quantum Logic Surround for playback of compressed sound sources and to provide a 7.1 surround sound listening experience.
Drivetrains and Powertrains
The 2022 IS will be available in both rear- and all-wheel drive options, and there are three distinct powertrain options available depending upon the grade.
The rear-wheel drive IS 300 features a 2.0-liter, turbocharged and intercooled inline four-cylinder engine. The 2.0-liter engine is updated for 2021, featuring an adaptive transmission control that helps determine the most appropriate gear for each driving situation based on driver input to achieve linear response. Rated to deliver 241 horsepower, the stout four-cylinder also produces a solid 258 lb.-ft. of torque across a flat torque range from 1,650 rpm all the way up to 4,400 rpm. It’s not only powerful; it’s efficient, too, thanks to a sophisticated Variable Valve Timing intelligent – Wide (VVTi-W) system, which allows the engine to switch between the Otto and Atkinson combustion cycles to maximize efficiency. It comes equipped with an eight-speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) automatic transmission. It integrates an advanced G-force Artificial Intelligence (G-AI) system that monitors multiple performance parameters to determine the optimum gear selection.
For added traction in cold-weather climates, the IS 300 is also available with all-wheel drive. The IS 300 AWD is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 260 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The electronically controlled all-wheel drive system is designed to help enhance traction and grip by automatically varying front-to-rear torque distribution. On dry roads, it maintains a 30:70 front-to-rear torque split for maximum performance, but it’s capable of sending as much as 50% of the power to the front wheels in certain conditions.
For buyers who crave maximum power, there’s the IS 350 in either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 311 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of peak torque. The rear-wheel drive model uses the same eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission found in the IS 300 RWD, while the AWD version sends power through a six-speed automatic. If there’s any question about the performance-minded nature of each vehicle, look no further than their 0-60 times, as the IS 350 RWD covers the ground in 5.6 seconds while the IS 350 AWD goes from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds.
Lexus Safety System+ 2.5
The 2022 IS comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 2.5, which brings a suite of key active safety features to the vehicle. For starters, the Pre-Collision System (PCS), which includes Frontal Collision Warning (FCW), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Pedestrian Detection and Bicyclist Detection, features an enhancement to the lens camera and millimeter-wave radar elements to expand the response range. By enhancing the radar and camera capabilities, it is now possible for the system to help detect not only the vehicle ahead but also a preceding bicyclist in daytime and even a preceding pedestrian in daytime and low-light conditions. At intersections, the system has the capability under certain conditions to recognize an oncoming vehicle when performing a left-hand turn, or a pedestrian when performing left and right-hand turns, and is designed to activate typical PCS functions if needed. Additional PCS functions include Emergency Steering Assist (ESA), which is designed to assist steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver.
All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) can be activated above 30 mph and is designed to perform vehicle-to-vehicle distance controls down to 0 mph and can resume from a stop. DRCC also includes a feature that allows for smooth overtaking of slower vehicles. If traveling behind a vehicle going slower than the preset speed, once the driver engages the turn signal, the system will provide an initial increase in acceleration in preparation for changing lanes; and, after the driver changes lanes, the vehicle will continue acceleration until it reaches the original preset driving speed.
Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/ SA) is designed to help notify the driver if it senses an inadvertent lane departure at speeds above 32 miles per hour via steering wheel vibrations or audible alert. It can also take slight corrective measures to help keep the driver within the visibly marked lane. When DRCC is set and engaged, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) is designed to provide slight steering force to help steer to the center of the lane to assist the driver with staying in the lane using visible lane markers or a preceding vehicle. LTA alerts the driver with a visual warning and either an audible alert or steering wheel vibration. In the IS, the lane recognition performance, which makes LTA possible, has been improved with enhanced recognition of line and road edge, lateral G performance and enhanced control and stability after lane change.
Additional Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 features include Intelligent High Beams, which detects preceding or oncoming vehicles and automatically switches between high beam and low beam headlights. Road Sign Assist (RSA) is designed to acquire certain road sign information using a camera and navigation maps when data is available and displays them on the multi-information display (MID).
New Packages and Options for IS 300 and IS 350 F SPORT
For 2022, IS 300 and IS 350 F SPORT elevate the luxury sports sedan experience with the addition of new packages and options that deliver on convenience, refinement and superior value. IS 300 RWD and AWD models receive an all-new Premium Package with features that appeal to our younger buyers and IS loyalists alike.
The updated IS 300 Comfort Package now includes rain-sensing intermittent windshield wipers and auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink system.
Based on guest feedback, 2022 IS 350 F SPORT RWD and AWD models will offer a new Memory Package with power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, outside mirrors with auto-tilt down in reverse and Lexus Memory System for driver’s seat, outside mirrors and steering wheel. An all-new power rear sunshade is now available as a standalone option.
2022 Pricing
