Somehow, someway, the third generation Lexus IS that started life in 2013 has survived the decade-long decline of the sport sedans and made it to a third facelift. Even more impressively, the 3.5-litre V6 has outlasted the two-litre turbocharged engine and the five-litre V8 and became the only engine choice for the IS in the North American market. So naturally, I became curious whether this 2026 Lexus IS 350 AWD can still be considered relevant in a market dominated by turbocharged crossovers, and I grabbed the keys to one to find out.
Powertrain
It is hard to believe that there is a new car in 2026 that is built with a 3.5-litre V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, but here we are. The power figure is a healthy 311 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque, but anyone who has spent time in modern cars in the past decade will be hard pressed to consider the IS 350 as anything quick. That said, the creamy smoothness and sheer composure of the powertrain is unmatched, and I personally am in the camp of trading brute acceleration force for linear power delivery from my daily driver, so the IS 350 oozes a special charm to me.
CHassis
The IS 350 is easy to drive with a light yet responsive steering rack, and solid visibility all around. Mind you, much like its engine, the IS 350 is not intended to be as sporty as its German counterparts. Though the IS 350 features all-wheel drive, the system is intended more so to help with providing traction rather than creating dramatic corner exits. The brakes offer good stopping power for when you need to put things to a stop quickly.
Efficiency
Fuel consumption is rated at 12.4 L/100km in the city and 8.9 L/100km on the highway for a combined average of 10.8 L/100km. My average for the week clocked in at 11.9 L/100km which is a bit higher than most turbocharged 4-cylinders on the market, but certainly not ridiculous. The engineers definitely left some fuel efficiency on their drawing board when fitting the IS 350 with a six-speed automatic rather than an eight-speed box that has become a bit of a standard. Premium fuel is required for its 64-litre tank.
Design
Onto the styling – I am a fan of the L-Finesse design language, and thought this current generation had executed that to perfection even before this facelift. This new one has taken it a step forward by tidying up some of the awkward angles and given it a more cohesive looking rear end. With the F-Sport dress-up that includes the gorgeous 19-inch forged wheels, the IS 350 continues to be one of the more striking looking compact sedans on the market.
Interior & Tech
When compared to the pre-facelift model, the biggest improvement is found inside the cabin, where its interior layout received a drastic makeover that prioritizes intuitive controls and user friendliness. The ridiculously clunky trackpad is gone, and all infotainment control is from direct input through the 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is a good unit with vivid colours, sharp resolution, and quick transitions between menus. The upgraded 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system fills the space with above-average sound quality, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are connected wirelessly.
A full suite of Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 drivers assistance technology is found on board this IS 350 tester, since it has been equipped with the F-Sport 3 package, loading it to the gills. This includes features such as Panoramic View Monitor, Intuitive Parking Assist with automatic braking, automatic high beam, Proactive Driving Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Curve Speed Management, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Change Assist, and all kinds of detection and collision mitigation systems.
Money
Base MSRP for the 2026 Lexus IS 350 is set at $56,855 with our tester tallying up to $67,367 with the inclusion of the $10,512 F Sport 3 package. Its price tag is reasonable when you consider the fact that it is only a few grand more than econobox-based hot hatchbacks, and most German luxury sports sedans will run you well north of $70,000 when similarly equipped.
Wrap it up
So, here we are – the 2026 Lexus IS 350 AWD has managed to outlive many other sports sedans and is continuing on its impressive 13-year production run. It is not without its flaws, most notably a powertrain that will feel outdated to most, and handling that does not measure well to its peers. However, if you are looking for a sharp-looking and well-packaged commuter that is likely going to outlive most cars on the road today, this one is hard to beat.