2019 Lexus IS 300 review

1. Spacious & feature-rich interior

Take one look inside the 2019 Lexus IS 300, and you'll find a spacious cabin adorned with a raft of comfort and luxury features. You get seating for five passengers, with 44.2 inches of front seat legroom and 32.2 inches of rear seat legroom. Combine that with features like dual-zone automatic climate control, a sunroof, NuLuxe^™ simulated leather upholstery, and an eight-speaker sound system all as standard, and the miles will fly by in comfort and style for you and your passengers.

2. Choice of powerful engine options

The 2019 Lexus IS 300 can be found in either rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive configuration, and each drivetrain layout comes with its own specific choice of potent engine. Rear-wheel-drive models are powered by a 241-horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 258 lb-ft of torque. Alternatively, all-wheel-drive models swap out the 2.0L engine for a 3.5L V6 engine, packing 260 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque.

3. Lots of standard features & options

The lack of a traditional selection of trim levels means that very few of the 2019 Lexus IS 300's available features are gated off behind more premium trim levels. If you spot a feature that appeals to you, chances are it's either included as standard — like power-adjustable front seats, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, two USB ports, and a seven-inch infotainment display — or available as an option package. These include the Premium package with heated front seats, the Navigation package featuring a 10.3-inch display and navigation system, and the Mark Levinson^™ package with a 15-speaker surround-sound system.

4. F Sport trim amps up excitement

If you want your comfortable, well-equipped midsize sedan to also have a sporty edge, the 2019 Lexus IS 300 has you covered with the F Sport trim. Upgraded brakes and a sports-tuned suspension help tune the handling and response, while an intake sound generator amplifies engine noise as you accelerate. There are also unique styling touches both inside and out, such as a revised front bumper and rear valance, aluminum pedals, and instrumentation inspired by the Lexus LFA supercar.

5. Driver convenience tech in abundance

Alternatively, for when you just want to enjoy a relaxing and stress-free drive, the 2019 Lexus IS 300 comes equipped with an array of driver convenience technologies as standard, with more available as optional features. All 2019 IS 300 models come with a rearview camera, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection. Also available as optional features are front and rear parking sensors, an automatic parking system, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.