The Lexus IS Returns for 2026 With Updates
The Lexus IS has been around for a long time, but the automaker was expected to pull the plug on the sporty sedan soon. The rumors turned out to be unfounded, as the automaker recently announced a new IS for the 2026 model year.
Lexus will offer IS 300H and IS 350 variants of the car, meaning the rowdy V8-powered IS 500 didn’t make the cut. The automaker said it worked to create an “engaging driving experience that allows dialogue with the car.” It also gets electric power steering with variable gearing, which reduces the steering angle and improves steering feel.
The car’s exterior styling got a revision, and the new F Sport package brings updated aerodynamics and unique 19-inch wheels. Lexus will also offer a fresh Neutrino Gray paint color, bringing the catalog to eight choices for 2026.
Inside, Lexus fitted a new 12.3-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Natural bamboo accents give the interior a unique look, and Lexus will offer additional interior color schemes for 2026.
We don’t have pricing details for the new car yet, but it will likely be a bit more expensive than the 2025 model was to start. That would mean a starting price somewhere north of $41,830. The 2026 IS is expected to arrive early next year.
[Images: Lexus]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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^ ANAL thinking he's clever...
I think the current front end looks plenty good. I want one tho...