Following a much-need makeover last year, Lexus has expanded its IS sedan lineup from various V6-powered trims to now a much-anticipated and very exciting V8-powered option: the IS 500 F Sport Performance. They spilled the beans that it was on the way earlier this year, at which point I was instantly filled with excitement.
Reason being, I’ve been well-acquainted with the power plant that this new model is packing. The 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated 2UR-GSE is a hell of an engine. In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It revs up so quickly and smoothly, has a riotous powerband, and makes a lot of power.
It’s also been around for a long time, beginning with the old IS F in 2008. This four-door brute was Lexus’s attempt at taking on the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG, and I’d say they did an excellent job at it.
Like the old IS F, the new IS 500 is a four-door, eight-speed auto, rear-wheel drive sedan. So, then, could you say it's the next IS F? Well, not quite. It’s more like an M-badged car with more than two characters in its name, like the M340i. A lot of the way there, but not entirely there. In that case, how close to full-on-F is it?
I recently had just about 36 hours to find out. The spec I was lent was a 2022 Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance Premium in gorgeous Grecian Water blue. While I didn’t have much time with it, I was still able to get a good feel, have a lot of fun, and slide it around quite a bit, as every good V8-powered Lexus deserves. Here’s how it all went.
Big thanks to Lexus USA for squeezing me in on the schedule. The IS 500 starts at $56,500, as tested it comes out to $61,000 before delivery.
The IS 500 Possesses Sporty Looks With Some Nice Aggression Mixed In
The 2022 Lexus IS has a nice overall look to it. Both the 350 and 500 share much of the same exterior details, from their sharp, aggressive headlights, massive front grille, and large functional front intakes, to their sharp tail lights that stretch across the entire rear end. By the way, those front intakes are a functional feature that helps channel air around the front tires for better aerodynamics.
Focussing on the IS 500 itself, it’s got such a classic sports sedan side profile. It also sits fairly low and wide for its size, which, combined with all the aggression going on up front, gives it a ton of presence, and looks quite menacing in anyone’s rear-view mirror. Finally, the quad-and-stacked exhaust system that hangs off the back finishes off the IS’s aggressive vibe quite well, and is shared by both the RC F and IS F—it’s a sort of fast-Lexus-fare exclusive.
My tester’s silver mesh 19-inch Enkei wheels complement its Grecian Water blue color quite well, though personally I think a satin black wheel would’ve matched its black grille, dark tail lights, and various smoked accents a bit better. Sort of like the limited IS 500 Launch Edition.
An Interior That’s A Cut Above In Quality And Value
Stepping into the IS 500 F Sport Performance Premium, you’re met with a host of nice appointments. Quality faux leather (dubbed NuLuxe) covers almost every surface, and is of a particularly nice feel on all the surfaces you’ll touch the most, including the seat, steering wheel, shift lever, and armrest. Elsewhere, switchgear feels substantial, and with the exception of the annoying touch-sensitive climate controls, there are plenty of buttons and switches. This all comes together nicely in its quiet and airy interior.
This is all thanks to the Premium designation in the IS’s title, which also includes such niceties as dual-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic 360-degree camera, chic analogue clock, sunroof, and a power rear sunshade. Finally, to remind you that it’s an above-average, performance-centric Lexus, F Sport Performance logos populate the door scuff plates, the bottom of the steering wheel, and the center of the seats.
The IS’s seats themselves are ten-way adjustable and very comfortable, with good bolstering, great head support, and are even very tall-people-friendly. They can be dropped nice and low via the powered height control along the lower left side, which gives any body type plenty of head and shoulder room for comfortably cruising around, as well as sitting upright for an engaging, performance-driving position. In general, the IS 500 has a good, low-slung driving position, very much like the new BMW M3, with high door sills and a nice big frontal view.
Tech-wise, the 500’s Premium trim features an extensive list of infotainment, convenience, and driver aid amenities. The stereo system absolutely cranks: it’s an 1800-watt Mark Levinson unit, which is controlled via either touchscreen or Lexus’s love-it-or-hate-it remote touchpad. The center infotainment screen is a crisp 10.3-inch high-res unit that contains a host of convenience features: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa integration, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
The fully digital 8-inch dashboard is bright and has great definition, and changes up depending upon the mode selected: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport S, Sport S+, and Custom. I spent the majority of my brief time with the IS 500 in Sport S, as it felt like the best all-rounder mode that made the most of the engine and chassis’ qualities.
One of the Best Engines On Sale Today, Hooked Up To An Excellent Drivetrain
As I’d hoped, the 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE V8 is an utter riot under the IS 500 F Sport’s hood. Its peak figures are 472 hp at 7,100 rpm, and 395 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. These might not sound too low-end-grunt at first, but rest assured there’s plenty going on further down on the tach, and the dual-overhead cam, aluminum lump revs up to these figures quite quickly to boot.
Hitting 60 mph from a stop takes just 4.3 seconds, which is pretty darn good for a 3,800-pound (estimated) near-sports sedan. Launching the IS is always a ton of fun, as its soundtrack is refined-yet-raucous, and while it doesn’t throw you back in the seat, it does feel like it hits its mark faster than indicated.
A lot of the engine’s tone comes through to the cabin via speakers, which is sort of a bummer. Its intensity is apparently adjustable, too, however I didn’t learn this until after I gave it back. Bigger bummer. I was surprised to find out that it’s not tremendously loud on the outside, despite wearing a quad exhaust with surprisingly small mufflers that are a true-dual configuration. I’d like to hedge that this is an area where Lexus is leaving enthusiasm on the table, in case they decide to come out with a new, true four-door F car in the future.
All 472 of its horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque reach the rear tires exclusively via an eight-speed conventional automatic gearbox and Torsen limited-slip differential. The gearbox’s shift times are just barely considered quick enough by modern standards, and only slightly faster when you actuate them yourself in manual mode via two nice-sized paddles behind the steering wheel. Though, it must be said that shifts are very smooth while just cruising around, and not in search of some pupil-expanding lateral-and-longitudinal G forces.
Planted, Well-Damped Handling And Excellent Dynamics
The IS 500 handles very well, and when you peer under its wheel arches, it certainly makes sense. The front suspension is an all-aluminum, dual-wishbone setup, out back it's a multi-link design, all of it tied to the driver’s spine via adaptive dampers. There’s also a Yamaha performance damper mounted in the middle of the front subframe. I found this to be kind of weird; Lexus states that it only possesses a performance damper in the rear, but there’s very clearly one sitting up front, too. Regardless, these teeny shock absorbers help smooth out the ride over rough surfaces, and cut down jarring bumps’ intensity.
As far as daily comfort goes, the IS 500’s ride is excellent. It soaks up all the rough stuff and is brilliant on the street, as well as at any speed on the highway. Combined with its smooth shifts and ample power, it really makes for a solidly-capable and comfortable daily.
When the road gets twisty, the IS 500’s chassis shines in Sport S and Sport S+ modes. There’s some body roll and lean, which unfortunately is paired with a complete lack of steering feel and too light of a steering action. Despite this, the steering is direct and has good turn-in, which would probably be amplified with better tires than what’s delivered from the factory. The IS’s suspension feels planted and confident, and as long as tighter successions of corners are met with precision and the right inputs, it’ll hustle through without any problems. Its handling is sportier than average for more all-around performance, rather than going full-beast mode in the twisties.
It must be said that my tester was very tire-limited. By that, I mean its 235/40/19 front Bridgestone summer tires were quite shot when I received it. They weren’t exactly the best control for experimenting with the IS’s grip and handling. I’d bet green money that any decent OEM performance tire, like a Michelin Pilot 4S, would’ve made this near-sports sedan perform substantially better. Heck, even having more tread on its delivered Bridgestones would’ve felt better. I could feel the chassis wanting to hang on during some high cornering speed through longer sweepers, but ultimately, the front-end would start to fall off pretty quickly due to not having enough grip.
Still, you don’t need decent tires to test for rotation and propensity for oversteer, which the IS 500 has in spades. Like the RC F, it's so incredibly fun and easy to flick into a turn and powerslide out, quickly wiggle the rear end exiting a U-turn, or light up the rears at corner-exit while wheeling at a decent clip. Encouraging the 500 into oversteer is a cinch thanks to the fast-revving 5.0’s torque, and the rear end is so controllable thanks to its limited-slip differential and multi-link design.
Reigning in all of this rascality is done via fairly-massive, two-piece disc brakes. They’re 14 inches up front and 12.7 inches in the rear, and have ample stopping power. Pedal feel isn’t the greatest; it’s a tad soft for a V8 sedan with F Sport in its title. Though, the brakes aren’t grabby; they’re more suited for smooth, comfortable engagement. The IS 500’s daily-friendliness certainly shines through here.
The IS 500 Translates Into Good Overall Value
While it might not be the next IS F, the IS 500 F Sport Performance is still a very good all-around sports, er, near-sports sedan. People might complain about its tech or interior design being a tad dated, and nitpickers might look beneath the wheel arches and exclaim that not much has changed since the IS F and RC F. But, like all Lexus products I’ve driven this year: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Its ride quality is great, power is maniacal-laugh-inducing, handling is good, and comfort is, well, downright cozy. Especially considering where the 500 shakes out up against the competition: $56,500 is a very compelling base price, considering the M340i starts around the same, yet doesn’t possess near as excellent of a power plant that makes about the same power figures as the new G80 M3.
If the IS 500 F Sport Performance is an exercise in Lexus leaving a bit on the table, then a potential, new true-F product will be absolutely glorious.