Lexus IS not dead yet as ageing sedan gets yet another facelift

Reports of the Lexus IS sports sedan’s demise have proved premature.

While the V8-powered IS500 was sent off with Climax and Ultimate editions, the four-cylinder IS300h hybrid and V6-powered IS350 have been treated to a facelift for 2026.

It marks the third facelift for the third-generation IS, which entered production in 2013.

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The updated IS is due in markets like Japan and the US in early 2026. However, it’s not expected to come to Australia, where it was discontinued shortly after its last facelift in 2021 as it wasn’t compliant with a new Australian Design Rule surrounding side-impact safety.

Externally, the refreshed IS is distinguished by revised front-end styling that brings it in line with newer Lexus models like the LBX.

The grille no longer appears as tall, giving the IS a wider look, and the Lexus badge now sits above it. The IS is 10mm longer than before, but is otherwise unchanged dimensionally.

There’s a new exterior colour, Neutrino Grey (called Wind in the US market), as well as a new 19-inch alloy wheel design and a new rear spoiler. The Lexus logo at the rear has also been swapped out for lettering.

Inside, the touchscreen has grown from 10.3 to 12.3 inches, and is joined by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The round air vents at either end of the dash are gone, and so is Lexus’ signature analogue clock. The door panels have also been revised.

New Forged Bamboo trim can be found on the centre console and start button, and there’s a new Radiant Red interior colourway.

While the IS had received an exterior reskin for 2021, the updates made to the interior were much more minor from a design point of view. That meant the IS interior was fundamentally more than a decade old before this 2026 facelift.

Lexus says it has retuned the electric power steering for a more linear feel, while the revised adaptive suspension promises greater stability and reduced impact harshness.

The IS’ suite of active safety and driver assist tech – branded Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 – has also been bolstered with a new hands-off function for highway driving.

Lexus hasn’t specified any changes to the IS’ powertrains.

The IS300h features a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, rear-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the IS350 – the only variant offered in the US – comes with a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol V6 with either an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive or a six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive.

It’s unclear when a new-generation IS will launch.

The luxury brand revealed the Electrified Sedan Concept in 2021, previewing an electric IS successor. A production version has never eventuated, though a new generation of the larger, front-wheel drive ES sedan was revealed with both hybrid and electric power.

News of the IS’ latest refresh follows reports the rival Infiniti Q50, which exited production last year, is being revived for 2027 as an even more enthusiast-focused sports sedan with twin-turbo V6 power and an available manual transmission.

However, the other Japanese sports sedan in this segment – the Acura TLX – was axed this year and no replacement is planned. The TLX was never sold in Australia, though the IS and Q50 were previously offered on our market.

Lexus has sold approximately 1.3 million IS models globally since its debut in 1999. Always offered as a sedan, the IS also offered a wagon (though not in Australia) in its first generation, with a convertible offered during its second generation.

MORE: Explore the Lexus IS showroom