2025 Lexus IS 500 Review

When the third-generation Lexus IS first hit the market in 2014, Stephen Harper was the Prime Minister and Millennials were still considered cool.

In other words, the car is old. And as any aging generation will happily tell you, there are some advantages to old-school stuff. However, as Millennials’ backs, knees, and fading fashion sense announce loudly, there are a lot of downsides to growing old, too. And the 2025 Lexus IS 500 is straddling the fine line between both definitions.

User-Friendliness 8 / 10

For example, one of the advantages of the IS 500’s age is that its infotainment system was designed before the push for screens so big they’ve swallowed all the tactile buttons that control comfort and convenience systems. From the driving modes to the radio’s volume to seat heating, gear selections, and more, there’s an abundance of physical switchgear within the IS that makes it remarkably easy to use. Everything stays where you left it, and there are few menus to dig through in order to find what you’re looking for.

Features 5 / 10

The downside of its age is that there are strict limits to the amount of luxuries Lexus can offer you. As if to remind you of its age, and where smartphone technology was over a decade ago, there’s no inductive charger available. Also frustrating is the fact that you have to plug your phone in to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. And you’ll want to use a phone-mirroring system, because the infotainment interface feels ancient by today’s standards.

Even the features feel out of date. Sure, there are heated seats, but they aren’t particularly effective, and there’s no ventilation on offer. Pretty much the only feature the competition can’t match is its CD player — and that’s because most cars don’t offer them anymore.

Our tester, the now-sold-out IS 500 Special Appearance Package, had 19-inch BBS alloy wheels, yellow contrast stitching inside, and an exclusive shade of Flare Yellow paint. That’s all well and good, but it highlights another deficiency for the IS 500. Lexus offers just nine colour options for the car. Its closest competitor, the BMW M3, is available with 29 colour options.

Inside, there are four colour options for the IS 500. Over at the BMW dealership, buyers can opt for one of 16, to say nothing of the four interior trim options that are available on top of that. Admittedly, these options cost a lot of money, but they also offer buyers a panoply of personalizations to make their already expensive car feel truly special.

Power 8 / 10

On paper, the IS 500’s powertrain isn’t all that impressive, either — but in practice, it might be the car’s best feature of all. The V8 under its hood makes 472 hp (one less than the BMW M3) and 395 lb-ft of torque (11 fewer than the BMW). Together, it propels the IS 500 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds — 0.4 slower than its closest German competitor. 

However, the Lexus makes use of its age and wisdom here. Its 5.0L engine is naturally-aspirated, which has the benefits of delivering a lovely exhaust note and doling out power smoothly and consistently. Peak power is reached relatively high in the rev range, at 7,100 rpm for hp and 4,800 rpm for torque. It allows a driver to better manage the on-road experience. Hang on to revs and let the engine howl if you want power, or shift low and enjoy a calm, quiet cruise.

Driving Feel 8 / 10

My only complaint with the powertrain is that the eight-speed automatic transmission is allergic to revving the engine out. Even in the most aggressive sport+ setting, the transmission short shifts, seemingly working against the rest of the car to cut off your fun. However, the manual mode will allow you rev as high as you like, even allowing you to bounce off the rev limiter if you so choose. To go with that, the steering is sharp and precise, and the suspension holds the road well.

Comfort 8 / 10

Indeed, the IS 500 seems more tailored to a winding country road than a racetrack, and that’s OK. Its suspension, though firm, is enormously comfortable and soaks up cracks in the road surprisingly well. Its controls are also excellently calibrated. The brake pedal is one of the smoothest I’ve ever used, which allowed me to pull up to stops as gently or as aggressively as I desired. I also found the front seats comfortable, though they don’t adjust in as many directions as a BMW’s, and the rear seats won’t impress your tallest friends. All that’s holding this car back from a higher score is the lack of items like ventilated seats.

Practicality 6 / 10

If you’ve noticed a theme emerging, where the IS 500 works well from a mechanical standpoint but falls down at the technological level, that theme falls apart here. The IS 500 simply isn’t very practical. Its 306-L trunk is notably smaller than the M3’s, which can accommodate 478 L of stuff. Inside, too, the Lexus suffers, with only a handful of small cubbies or containers to hold your stuff.

Fuel Economy 7 / 10

Officially, the IS 500’s big V8 is surprisingly efficient. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) estimates it will consume 11.9 L/100 km in combined driving, whereas the M3 will go through 12.6. However, our tester indicated a consumption figure of 14.2 L/100 km. Admittedly, that was after some spirited driving and a week spent mostly in the city. Regardless, that’s a lot of premium-grade gas to be buying.

Safety 9 / 10

Despite its age, the Lexus IS family of vehicles still performs well in crash testing, earning the highest “Good” rating across the board from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Even its crash prevention system earns a “Superior” rating.

Styling 8 / 10

Similarly, the IS 500’s looks remain surprisingly modern despite having first been dreamed up over a decade ago and only refined since then (there have been two refreshes since it first hit the market). Its curves are graceful, its haunches are powerful, and it certainly looks like a sporty sedan. This tester’s Flair Yellow paint danced in the sunlight, and the car looked handsome and well-considered, especially when compared to the wild excesses of recent BMW design language.

Inside, the look is a little more old-fashioned, particularly because of the sheer number of buttons that make the interior look like a jet cockpit at night. It’s by no means ugly, but it doesn’t stir the soul, either.

Value 6.5 / 10

If the IS 500’s story so far has been that of the difficult distinction between the old and the old school, nowhere is that truer than in the price. Prices open around $80,000 (after freight) for the base IS 500 F Sport Performance. That’s around $17,000 less than a base M3. From a chassis and powertrain perspective, that price difference makes the IS 500 look very attractive. But that’s not where the story ends. This is, after all, a premium performance sedan, and one that sacrifices a bit of speed for comfort. To be so thoroughly outdone by its most direct rival when it comes to features, technology, and luxury, in addition to performance, makes the discount more necessary. 

On the other hand, if you don’t mind an aging tech suite, and all you care about is performance, the IS 500 compares well against the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C 43. Yes, the German car’s cabin is significantly more modern, but so is its powertrain: a turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 416 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Despite that, it costs around $3,000 more. Don’t count the Mercedes out completely, though, because despite its significant power disadvantage, it reaches 100 km/h quicker than the Lexus.

All IS 500s — the F Sport Performance, F Sport Performance+, the sold out Special Appearance Package, and the newly-announced limited Ultimate Edition (which gets a metallic gray paint pant finish and red stitching inside) — are mechanically identical. Aside from aesthetics, the biggest difference between the base model and the F Sport Performance+ (which adds $1,300 to the price of the vehicles) is the addition of panoramic cameras and parking assistance. As noted above, the special paint hue and wheels of the Special Appearance Package add around $3,500 to the base price. Pricing for the Ultimate Edition (of which only 40 will be sold in Canada, and 500 in North America) had not been announced at time of writing.

The Verdict

In some ways, it’s hard to dislike the 2025 Lexus IS 500. Its engineers did a really good job, I’m sure the cabin felt thoroughly modern when it first launched, and, frankly, it’s a testament to their work that the car is still on the market at all. If it were a low-price two-door sports car, all of its sins could be forgiven. But it’s not. It’s fighting in a fast-paced segment against impressive competitors for buyers that value high tech toys and numbers to brag about.