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For sports sedan fans in the country, it was a relatively quick wait. Just five months after its world premiere, the new Lexus IS is already in the country. Now, we would normally wait around a year after a car makes its world debut, but we’re glad Lexus Philippines brought it in as quickly as possible.
Lexus IS 350 F sport
Lexus IS 300h Premier
The Lexus IS receives even more dynamic design cues with sharp angles and sharp lines throughout its body. The sedan also gets the most aggressive iteration of the L-Finesse design language, but that’s no surprise. After all, the SI is targeting young (well-to-do) rising professionals around the world.
Lexus IS 300h rear
Lexus IS 350 F Sport rear
While the exterior is different from the previous model, it is not exactly the same case under the chassis. The fourth iteration of the Lexus IS is an extensive skin-change from the current model, but it’s arguably a next-gen model given the many updates. You get new suspension components that include a wider track, along with lighter coil springs, A-arms, and anti-roll bars. The chassis is also readjusted and Lexus claims it has a more dynamic handling than its predecessor. That’s a bold claim, as the outgoing model is one of the sharpest-feeling and best-looking sports sedans out there.
Dashboard Lexus IS 350 F Sport
Lexus IS 300h Premier Dashboard
Come in and it’s clear that the IS 2021 is still based on the old model. The dashboard should be familiar to current information systems owners. From the floating infotainment screen to the round air conditioning vents, casual observers will find it difficult to separate the third and fourth generation versions. On the other hand, eagle-eyed enthusiasts will notice the wider infotainment screen and touchpad next to the gear selector. Additionally, the new IS comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
2.5L Lexus Hybrid
For the Philippines, there are two variants of IS available, the first being a hybrid. Yes, Lexus Philippines now offers the hybrid version of the IS sports sedan. Nicknamed the IS 300h Premier, it uses a 2.5-liter engine paired with an electric motor. The result is a combined power of 220 hp, and Lexus also says it can reach up to 18.8 kilometers per liter. Shift is handled by a continuously variable transmission.
Lexus 3.5L V6
Of course, Lexus Philippines did not forget about its performance-oriented clientele. They also have the IS 350 F Sport available in showrooms now. The engine remains the same 3.5-liter V6, but receives a slight increase in power. With 312 hp and 378 Nm of torque in the previous model, the 2021 edition produces 315 hp and 380 Nm of torque. Sure it’s not a huge power upgrade, but we welcome more power any day. As before, the new IS 350 Sport uses an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Both variants come standard with what is called the Lexus Safety System (LSS). It includes features such as dynamic radar cruise control, lane follow assist and automatic high beams. The F Sport benefits from the pre-collision system with automatic emergency braking.
Prices for the Lexus IS 2021 are as follows:
Lexus IS 300h Premier 2021: 3,328,000 Php
Lexus IS 350 F Sport 2021: 3,808,000 Php
