2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport - Bottom Line Review

RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF RATIONAL ROAD BURNER: A Bavarian wild child saloon, stuffed full of wicked straight six has traditionally been the yuppie's emotional choice for Autobahn burner. However, the last remaining high performance compact sport sedan, propelled by eight ferocious pistons, begs to differ. The 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport makes the argument for the young upwardly mobile professional's rational choice for Kozoku Doro Bana.

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WHAT: The 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance GSE37, launched for the 2022 model year, as the hi-po edition of the XE30 / AVE30 Mark 3 series, succeeding the XE20 USE20R IS-F sedan. Despite sharing potency and the non-modular Toyota N platform with RC-F coupe, the IS 500 F-Sport P is not a full fledged "F" [for Fuji Speedway] model, missing the coupe's carbon fiber bits, suspension tune and full big brake kit.

Standard Powertrain: longitudinal 5.0L DOHC 32V DI SFI gas V-8

Standard Drivetrain: 8-spd. torque converter planetary transaxle, steering wheel shift paddles + Torsen limited slip rear differential

Net Power: 472 horsepower @ 7100 r.p.m., 395 pound-feet @ 4800 r.p.m.

Drive Modes (5): Drive Modes = Eco, Normal, Snow, Sport, Sport Plus

By Comparison:

• -1 hp @ +850 r.p.m. / -36 lb-ft @ +2150 r.p.m. vs. BMW M3 (S58B30T0)
• -1 lbs. vs. BMW M3

WHAT (A) STYLING DIFFERENCE: [From first cycle Mk. 3 Mk.6 IS 350]

- HOUR GLASS HONEYCOMBED: √ Spindle grilles are dark latticed with more curved uprights; √ Smooth hood with side creases terminates higher forming upper border with smooth headlamp housing uppers containing inverted lateral "L" LED DRLs; √ Taller & thinner lower front corner folds.

√ Coke bottle profile bearing large wheel arches, swept back windscreen, tall belt-line to radically slopping fastback with ducktail trunk lid; √ Sharper belt-line creasing; √ New driver's door up-flow body scoop; √ Mid Row 2 lower door to more flared rear quarter panel tandem up-flow body fold; √ Taller C-pillar Hoffmeister kink; √ Prominently boomeranged rear LED light housings fully span across the trunk lid handle line; √ Inverted lateral "L" shaped encased directionals; √ Deeper lower trunk lid license plate bowl with additional lower lateral crease; √ Piano black clad lower rear fascia rising higher into bumper cover with corner folds; √ LC coupe style taller door mount wing mirror stems with prominent mid-mirror cap LED directionals.

F-Sport Performance specific:

• Black fender "F" badges
• Gloss black door mount wing mirrors*
• Gloss black lattice spindle grille, lower front splitter*
• Dark lattice print corner folds*
• Dark flush wing trunk-lid spoiler
• More emphatic gloss black rear lower diffuser (than F-Sport)
• Stacked polished twin pipe dual corner exhaust
• 19" inch matte black forged BBS wheels (optional)*

^{* Shared with F-Sport models}

WHY: Rational counter to emotional choices for high performance luxury sport sedan makes for brilliant daily driver.

WHEN: On-Sale (in the U.S.) since winter 2020-2021

WHERE: Lexus new vehicle dealers

WHERE MADE: Tahara, Aichi Prefecture, Japan

HOW ROADWORTHY: It is a plus that the 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance is the most affordable way to spec the lusty 32 valve, twin cam V-8, shared with the RC-F and LC 500 coupes supplied 32 valve V-8. Once beyond the lazy throttle tip-in and low speed gurgle, and the make no mistake about it upshifts, then the first three numerals on the tachometer, throttle body butterflies open to the short runner, through the dual exhaust. When the tach dial turns from white to orange the mill still has another 2000 revolutions on tap. A Torsen limited slip in back snaps the rear end in line once it senses one wheel losing it.

The eight-speed slush box allows smooth capable of make no mistake about it upshifts will allow smooth meandering around town. Open that throttle further this gearbox will drop two gears to allow that engine speed to scream. Off-throttle gearbox kick-down is swift and fairly authoritative.

The ingot-like body crouches low and is content to glide along, with the forged black BBS wheels embracing surface irregularities. Variable dampers impart only barely tauter wheel control at their stiffest valving. While possessing encouraging heft, though, the variable ratio helm is slightly oblivious to the grip of the Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires, requiring more concentration in the transitions. Moreover, the IS 500 F-Sport, shows some deficiency in scrubbing such easily attainable high speeds. It could stand to learn consistent and reassuring pedal modulation from the genuine article F Coupes, but, then again, it doesn't earn their full complement of hardware.

HOW FAR: 22 combined miles per gallon;

HOW BIG/ LITTLE: The 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance lies on the scrunched 2+2 occupant side of compact luxury sport sedans.

By Comparison:

• 110.2"-inch Wheelbase: 2.3" < BMW M3
• 32.2"-inch 2nd Row legroom: 3.4" < BMW M3
• Nominal cargo capacity: -17% vs. BMW M3

HOW USEFUL: √ Trunk space = executive average; √ Proximity power release and close trunk lid; √ Cargo tie-down net; √ Center console mouse fur lined storage bin connectivity electronics phone bin w/ optional Qi wireless charging;

√ Mouse fur lined glove box; √ Cupholders x 4, Bottle holders x 2 (front doors)

-1 Shallow trunk aperture; No lower center stack mobile device shelf; No overhead sunglasses bin, Tight door pockets.

HOW SAFE: √ 10 airbags; √ IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus; √ Rear camera; √ STANDARD Lexus SafetySense+ 2.5 = √ Pedestrian and daylight bicycle detection braking; √ Forward collision avoidance braking; √ Blind spot warning; √ Front & Rear cross traffic detection; √ Lane Departure Warning w/ steering trace assist; √ Full adaptive cruise control w/ auto hold; √ Automatic high beam headlamps

ADVANCED SAFETY PKG: √ Sonar front & rear park assist + braking; √ 360° Bird's Eye camera view, perimeter scan

• -1 BEWARE WINTER: That more prominently raked front end & spindle grille becomes an icy-slush cow catcher which renders adaptive cruise control "winter paralyzed."

HOW PEOPLE FRIENDLY:  When it debuted nearly a decade ago the Gen. 3 Lexus IS cabin spelled a 2010's business plush, with a rather intricate control fighter jet cockpit. Today, the 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance interior, is a dead ringer for the previously tested 2021 IS 350 F-Sport, down to the red interior. Compared to modern augmented reality instruments, controls and Google based UI, cockpit operations seem fussy. While they do work, the nostalgic artifacts of Enform infotainment remote touch pad, good old fashioned CD player, and cruise control steering column stalk are overdue at a modern art museum.

√ Heated & cooled driver's 10-way, 4-way lumbar, 1st Row passenger's 10-way, 2-way lumbar power NuLuxe leatherette seats; √ Easy Access driver's seat & steering wheel; √ 4 power windows w/ full soft up & down express; √ Heated, power tilt / telescoping leather steering wheel; √ 2-zone auto climate control w/ auto front seat, steering climate; √ Puddle lamps x 4 doors; √ 1-touch power moon roof; √ Power backlight sunshade.

Cool Gizmo(s): √ Comfort approach entry and lighting; √ Electro mechanical sliding F-Sport gauge dial; √ Center stack touch panel sliding dual climate temperature adjust

Details Done Right: √ Red NuLuxe leatherette seating, lower dashboard, door panels & center console + tucked seams; √ Uniform seat & contrast soft dash-top; stitching; √ LED door panel, central console ambient lighting; √ Soft padded center console & lower dash, glovebox door; √ Fine grain knee and below plastic pebbling; Ash wood grain steering wheel & door switch housings; √ Anodized aluminum audio head unit and brushed aluminum volume & tuning knobs.

Nearly Non-Descript: -1 Non-distinctive Ash wood veneers & power door switches; Simulated aluminum climate vent housings; Small climate control switches

HOW CONNECTED: √ Enform 10.3" split pane, capacitive + touch pad remote control LCD infotainment screen; √ Voice recognition command hands-free communications; +1 SMS Text Messaging; √ 3-D SD GPS navigation; √ USB-A x 2, 12V x 1.

Audibly Speaking: √ sibilant and spatial 17 speaker, 1800 Watt Mark Levinson Quantum Logic Clari-Fi 2.0 5.1 DTS HD radio audio; √ CD player

HOW "APP" -LICABLE: √ Android Auto & Apple Car Play wired projection; √ Siri Eyes; √ Enform 2.0 Apps: Amazon Alexa, Doppler Weather, HD Traffic

By Subscription: √ Sirius XM radio (90 day trial); √ Wi-Fi (AT&T 90 day, 4 GB trial); √ Lexus Enform Connected Services w/ S.O.S.(3 year trial); √ Dynamic Navigation POI search & voice recognition (3 year trial)

HOW MUCH: $68,135 = as tested 2024 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport

WHAT'S MISSING: Less fussy controls; More accommodating rear seat; Genuine leather

ANY COMPETITION: BMW M3, Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, AMG Mercedes-Benz C43

Contributing Editor: P. Stamatis