2026 Lexus IS Gets A Revamp And A New Lease On Life

It’s no secret that the sports sedan is an endangered species, and many feared that the Lexus IS would be the next model to go extinct as its current generation is now 11 years old. However, Lexus unveiled the third facelift for the IS sedan on Tuesday. While the IS 500 has been discontinued, the 2026 Lexus IS 350 features an aggressive new front-end and a restyled interior.

The new front-end on the IS 350 features headlights styled similarly to other new Lexus vehicles and a massive grille reminiscent of those on models from Toyota, its sister brand. The F Sport trim will come with a new rear spoiler. The sedan is also fitted with the same 3.5-liter V6 engine as the 2025 model, which produces 311 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of peak torque. While the powerplant under the hood will remain the same, the sedan should offer a different driving experience behind the wheel. Lexus claims it optimized the power steering and suspension systems “to deepen the sense of steering satisfaction and intuitive vehicle response.” The aim was to provide a consistent steering feel in various road conditions.

The 2026 Lexus IS 350 will arrive with an updated interior. If you like displays, they will be slightly larger in the revamped sedan with a 12.3-inch center display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The center console has been restyled with natural bamboo fibers and equipped with a pair of USB-C ports at the front. This new interior will be available in a vivid new color, “Radiant Red,” on the F Sport and F Sport Design trims.

Last but not least, the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 will be standard on the IS sedan. The advanced driver assistance suite consists of automatic high beam lights, dynamic radar cruise control with lane tracing assistance, and Lexus’ Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Pedestrian Detection.

Lexus

While the IS sedan won’t be around forever, it’s fair to say that it should be in Lexus showrooms for a few years longer, considering that the automaker has gone four years between facelifts for the model on average. The 2026 Lexus IS will be available early next year, with pricing to be announced closer to the launch date.