The 2026 Lexus IS returns with a brand new cabin and a purified lineup. As soon as supplied with 4-, 6-, or 8-cylinder engines, it now comes solely with a 311-hp V6. However the cabin has seen a formidable refresh, bringing bigger screens and new gadget charging choices, however holding the dramatic colours and luxurious surfaces it has lengthy been recognized for.
Amongst luxurious automakers, Lexus has lengthy had a popularity for gorgeous interiors. The IS, because the model’s purest sports activities sedan, reveals how Lexus designers can convey that cocoon-like expertise to a automobile with a racing coronary heart. Let’s take a deeper look inside.
Passenger Room and Consolation
All luxurious sedans are comfy. However even in that crowd, the driving force’s seat of the Lexus IS stands out. It has extra head- and legroom than a comparable Acura Integra. It barely trails the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in headroom, and beats it in legroom. Compact sports activities sedans are sometimes a good match for taller drivers, however the IS is a little more accommodating than most.
Rear seat dimensions are tight by comparability, however that’s true of each automobile in its class.
Heated entrance seats are normal throughout all trim ranges, with heated and ventilated seats accessible on most.
Options and Tech
An improve for 2026 brings a bigger, faster-responding touchscreen to the middle stack contained in the IS. We respect that Lexus retains the display screen excessive, so that you don’t must look down removed from the roadway to test instructions or skip to the subsequent track.
We additionally respect that Lexus hasn’t purchased into the pattern of routing most controls by a touchscreen interface. The IS will get all the trendy expertise you’d anticipate in a luxurious sedan in 2026, like an clever digital assistant (say “hey, Lexus” to begin it up), wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a panoramic view monitor to help with tight parking maneuvers. However there’s additionally a row of tactile buttons underneath the touchscreen, serving to you modify local weather management with out paging by menus.
The Mark Levinson sound programs in some Lexus fashions are among the many best-tuned in the marketplace. Some trim ranges of the IS get a strong 17-speaker system – a whole lot of sound for a compact automobile.
A smartphone app permits you to remotely begin and unlock the automobile, with a subscription payment not kicking in till after the third 12 months of possession.
Supplies and Design
Lexus has at all times executed interiors in addition to, and sometimes higher than, any equally priced rival. Our favourite function of the 2026 IS could be the stunning collection of supplies inside.
Each trim stage is upholstered in NuLuxe, an artificial leather-based that’s as gentle as the actual factor however simpler to keep up. Shade decisions differ by grade, however embrace a pulse-pounding pink and black with satin trim and a classy black and white that lends airiness to the cabin of a small automobile. Lexus makes use of gentle supplies all over the place your fingers will contact, and even in a couple of locations they received’t, only for the visible affect.
Cargo Room and Flexibility
Few store for a sports activities sedan based mostly on its cargo room. The trunk of the IS is simply 10.8 cubic ft, however then, that’s practically a match for the trunk of the C-Class or the Audi A3.
The rear seats function a 60/40 break up, providing you with entry to the cabin for storing bigger objects.
Construct and worth your personal 2026 Lexus IS to see this week’s Honest Buy Worth, 5-Yr Price to Personal, and extra, or see the IS fashions on the market close to you.
