Lexus IS

Lexus IS
Production period:	since 1998
Class :	Middle class
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , convertible

The Lexus IS is a mid-range car model series from the Japanese automaker Toyota , which uses the Lexus brand name for its higher-priced automobiles . The Lexus IS was called Toyota Altezza in Japan until the model change in autumn 2005 and has been built there since 1998. The different versions of the Lexus are called IS 200 , IS 300 , IS 220d , IS 250 (C) , IS 350 and IS-F and have rear-wheel drive .

Market position

In Germany , the Lexus IS competes against, among other things, the rear-wheel-drive BMW 3- series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class . Despite its extensive standard equipment, the IS could not achieve any great success in this market segment. In the US , the IS is selling significantly better, apparently because of the greater popularity of the Lexus brand. Another reason for the low sales figures in Europe is the small range of engines. Until 2005 there was no model with a diesel engine . It was not until the model change in November 2005 that a completely newly developed vehicle with three new engines was introduced; a 2.5-liter gasoline engine in the IS 250 , a 3.5-liter gasoline engine in the IS 350 (only in North America and Japan) and a 2.2-liter diesel engine in the IS 220d (only in parts of Europe).

In Japan, with the 2nd generation of the IS, the Lexus brand was newly introduced, the model name Toyota Altezza was dropped and was replaced by the worldwide name Lexus IS. The Altezza version abbreviations AS 200 , RS 200 and AS 300 used up to that point were no longer used .

IS (XE1, 1998-2005)

1st generation
Lexus IS 300 (1998-2001)
Production period:	1998-2005
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon
Engines:	Petrol engines : 2.0–3.0 liters (114–157 kW)
Length:	4485 mm
Width:	1725 mm
Height:	1410 mm
Wheelbase :	2670 mm
Empty weight :	1455-1750 kg

In autumn 1998 the first generation (XE1) of the Lexus IS was presented. It was available in Europe from spring 1999.

The middle-class sedan, initially only offered with a notchback, was intended to expand Lexus' buyers to include younger customers.

A hatchback version called SportCross followed at the same time as a subtle revision in autumn 2001 .

Technical specifications

model	Displacement	Type / cylinder	power	Torque	0-100 km / h	V max	Consumption l / 100 km
Petrol engines
IS 200	1988 cc	R6	114 kW (155 PS) at 6200 rpm	195 Nm at 4600 rpm	9.5 s	215 km / h	9.7 L
IS 200 (aut.)					9.7 s	210 km / h	10.1 L
IS 300 (aut.)	2997 cc	R6	157 kW (214 hp) at 5800 rpm	288 Nm at 3800 rpm	8.2 s	230 km / h	10.8 L.

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  Rear view

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  Lexus IS 300 SportCross (2001-2005)

IS 200 TTE

From 2001 there was the option of having the IS 200 converted by the in-house Toyota and Lexus tuner TTE .

You could choose between bodywork and chassis conversion , as well as a TTE compressor kit.

Technical data with compressor kit

model	Displacement	Type / cylinder	power	Torque	0-100 km / h	V max	Consumption l / 100 km
Petrol engines
IS 200 compressor	1988 cc	R6	150 kW (204 hp) at 6200 rpm	247 Nm at 5000 rpm	7.5 s	215 km / h	10 L

IS (XE2, 2005-2013)

2nd generation
Lexus IS 250 (2005-2009)
Production period:	2005-2013
Body versions :	Limousine , cabriolet
Engines:	Petrol engines : 2.5-5.0 liters (153-311 kW) Diesel engine : 2.2 liters (110-130 kW)
Length:	4575 mm
Width:	1800 mm
Height:	1425 mm
Wheelbase :	2730 mm
Empty weight :	1570-1730 kg

Stars in the Euro NCAP - Crash Test

With the IS series, which stands for "Individual Sports", Lexus wants to establish its competing product on the German market in the middle class segment against the 3 Series from BMW and Audi A4 . The second generation now has a six-cylinder V-engine and, for the first time, an in-line four-cylinder diesel engine. The 2.2-liter common rail diesel 130 kW (177 hp) comes from the Toyota Avensis , Corolla Verso and the Auris . The 2.5-liter V6 direct-injection petrol engine with 153 kW (208 hp) is also new. For the diesel there is only a manually shiftable six-speed gearbox, for the gasoline engine on the European market there is an automatic and a manual gearbox, which was no longer available after the facelift in 2009.

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  Rear view

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  Cockpit (IS 220d)

The new Lexus IS-F was presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2006. The already decidedly sporty IS series has a V8 engine with five liters of displacement and 311 kW (423 hp) and a maximum torque of 505 Nm. The power is transferred from the new Lexus automatic with eight gear stages. The new Lexus IS-F has been on the market in Germany since the first quarter of 2008.

Facelift

The IS was modified for the first time in April 2009. The front was redesigned, the rear lights enlarged and changed in shape. In addition, the technology has been revised.

In June 2009 the cabriolet versions IS 250C and IS 350C (not for Europe) were presented. The roof structure consists almost entirely of aluminum. It can fold up fully automatically in three parts in the trunk within 20 seconds. The interior as well as the engines, the 2.5-liter or the 3.5-liter V6 correspond to the sedan. The transmission is a six-speed gearbox and in Europe only the six-speed automatic.

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  Lexus IS 250 (2009-2010)

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  Rear view

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  Lexus IS 250C (2009-2010)

As part of a further facelift in November 2010, with a modified radiator grille, bumpers, headlights and rear lights, a second diesel version followed, for which the output was reduced by 20 kW to 110 kW. Consumption drops to 5.1 l / 100km (134g CO ₂ per km). The new model is aimed primarily at business customers, for whom 150 hp is the limit for engine performance. A similar fleet version is also offered by BMW for the 320i .

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  Lexus IS 250 (2010-2013)

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  Rear view

Lexus IS-F

See: Lexus IS-F

Technical specifications

model	Displacement	Type / cylinder	power	Torque	0-100 km / h	V max	Consumption l / 100km	CO 2 (g / km)
Petrol engines
IS 250 [aut.]	2500 cc	V6	153 kW (208 hp) / 6400 rpm	252 Nm / 4800 rpm	8.1 [8.3] s	230 [225] km / h	8.9 S [8.4 S]	194
IS 250C	2500 cc	V6	153 kW (208 hp) / 6400 rpm	252 Nm / 4800 rpm	9.0 s	210 km / h	9.3 S.	213
IS 350 *	3456 cc	V6	228 kW (310 hp) / 6400 rpm	376 Nm / 4800 rpm	5.6 s	230 km / h (lim.)	10.0 S.	233
IS-F	4969 cc	V8	311 kW (423 hp) / 6600 rpm	505 Nm / 5200 rpm	4.8 s	270 km / h (lim.)	11.4 S	270
diesel
IS 200d	2231 cc	R4	110 kW (150 PS) / 3600 rpm	340 Nm / 2000-2800 rpm	10.2 s	205 km / h	5.1D	134
IS 220d	2231 cc	R4	130 kW (177 hp) / 3600 rpm	400 Nm / 2000-2800 rpm	8.9 s	220 km / h	5.5 D	144

* Crankcase and cylinder head made of aluminum, compression 11.8: 1; only in North America and Japan

IS (XE3, since 2013)

3rd generation
Lexus IS 300h (since 2013)
Production period:	since 2013
Body versions :	limousine
Engines:	Otto engines : 2.0–3.5 liters (153–228 kW) Otto hybrid : 2.5 liters (133 kW)
Length:	4665-4680 mm
Width:	1810 mm
Height:	1430 mm
Wheelbase :	2800 mm
Empty weight :	1630-1795 kg

Stars in the Euro NCAP - Crash Test (2013)

The third generation of the Lexus IS was available in Germany on June 29, 2013, shortly after the vehicle was introduced in other parts of the world. In Europe, the model is only offered with rear-wheel drive. In the USA, however, all-wheel drive is also available for the IS250 and IS350 variants.

For the first time, in addition to the V6 petrol engines familiar from the previous model, a hybrid drive based on a four-cylinder petrol engine is offered in the mid-size sedan . Another variant with a gasoline engine came onto the market in October 2015. It's called IS 200t, offers 180 kW of power and is offered with a new eight-speed automatic.

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  Rear view

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  Interior (left hand drive)

Technical specifications

model	Displacement	Type / cylinder	power	Torque	0-100 km / h	V max	Consumption l / 100km	CO 2 (g / km)
Petrol engines
IS 200t automatic	1998 cc	R4	180 kW (245 hp) / 4800-5600 / min	350 Nm / 1650-4000 rpm	7.0 s	230 km / h	7 p	162
IS 250 automatic	2500 cc	V6	153 kW (208 hp) / 6400 rpm	252 Nm / 4800 rpm	8.1 s	225 km / h	8.6-9.2 S	199-213
IS 350 *	3456 cc	V6	228 kW (310 hp) / 6400 rpm	376 Nm / 4800 rpm	5.8 s	230 km / h (lim.)	9.2-9.5 S.
Hybrid
IS 300h	2494 cc	R4	Otto engine: 133 kW (181 PS) / 6000 / min (system output 164 kW (223 PS))	221 Nm / 4200-5400 rpm	8.3-8.4 s	200 km / h	4.2-4.8 S.	99-109

* in North America and Japan only

Web links

Commons : Lexus IS  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official website
• USA brochure Lexus IS 2014 (PDF; 6.9 MB)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Article from the Berliner Zeitung
2. ↑ IS 200 compressor data sheet
3. ↑ Lexus IS crash test
4. ↑ Presentation: Lexus IS Facelift: Refined in detail autoscout24.de, September 6, 2010
5. ↑ https://www.heise.de/autos/artikel/Lexus-IS-200d-Neuer-Basisdiesel-im-Fahrbericht-1142819.html
6. ↑ wardsauto.com, June 1, 2008, Toyota's Twofold Strategy , accessed March 4, 2019.
7. ↑ Lexus IS 300h. Euro NCAP, accessed September 29, 2013 . 
8. ↑ Lexus IS with 2.0 liter turbo gasoline engine
9. ↑ http://www.lexus.de/car-models/is/is-200t