Old school muscle with new luxury, hard to beat that combination for your Car Pro. I’ve got a beauty this week, and it is some kind of fast, too. I bring you the 2025 Lexus IS 500 Performance Premium sedan, a midsized speedster that doubles as a luxury car. If you took the badges off the car, it would be hard to tell this was a Lexus by the way it performs.
Exterior
Let’s start with the very attractive exterior. There is a lot going on with the sloping hood, the sharp lines that are pronounced down the sides, the black 19” forged alloy wheels that are part of the Flare Yellow Special Appearance package, the integrated rear spoiler, uneven chrome exhaust tips, and black accents all around the stunning paint job. This is a head-turner for sure.
Performance
Under the hood is a rarity: A naturally aspirated V8, yup no turbos or superchargers! This 5-liter engine is putting out 472-horses and 395 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic with shift paddles, and this sedan is rear-wheel drive, which I love. It is just good ‘ol muscle nestled in a luxury package. 0-to-60 speed is a brisk 4.4 seconds and top speed is limited to 165-miles per hour.
Interior
As I entered the cabin, I am a fan of the black NuLuxe seats with Ultrasuede inserts that look great with the yellow exterior.
As you sit in the 10-way power seats that are bolstered, heated, and air conditioned, you snugly get in place and start to look at the bright and colorful instrument panel. The digital gauges are the most configurable I have ever seen. The gauges are nearly identical to the world-renowned Lexus LFA supercar.
The instrument cluster in the IS 500 F Sport features a dynamic digital display. It moves with a sliding bezel, expanding and retracting digital readouts when information is accessed from the steering wheel and when you change the drive modes. There is start-up animation that is quite entertaining.
Heavy-stitching abounds in yellow and it surrounds everything from the door panels, across the dash, and around the console area. The entire cabin is filled with luxury materials that are soft to the touch. The F Sport heated steering wheel is heated and is also very soft to the touch and fits nicely in my hands.
Center dash up high is the 10.3-inch touchscreen, but you can also tool around the screen from a trackpad on the center console, but for me, it’s a bit of a pain and Lexus has abandoned the track pad in most of its models. The screen is easily within reach of the driver or passenger. The screen houses the navigation system, the wonderful Mark Levinson sound system, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi connection, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an amazing Panoramic View camera that utilizes four high-resolution cameras mounted on the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle to give drivers a bird's-eye view of your surroundings. Moving View and See-Through View options create a composite image of the vehicle's surroundings as on-screen guides assist with parking and tight maneuvering. This is for sure one of the better camera systems I’ve seen.
The center console is very well done. From there you control the heated and cooled seats, turn on the heated steering wheel, change the drive modes, two cupholders, the gear shifter, the track pad that I never use, you can turn on the auto hold. There is a soft console cover that feels good to your elbow, and inside you will find the wireless phone charger.
Drive modes include: Normal, Sport and Sport+, Eco, and Custom. You’ll notice significant changes in the car with each mode.
Moving to the back seat, it is fairly limited in space, especially headroom due to the sloping roof, but adults that are not too large will fit there and be OK. The rear occupants will get a nice fold-down armrest with cup holders that pull out and also air vents.
I found the trunk space to be ample with almost 11-cubic feet of cargo area and a very wide opening to load luggage or cargo in.
Safety
On the safety side, you get the Lexus Safety System 2.5. That includes lane tracing assist, road sign recognition, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, intelligent high beam headlights, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, parking assist with automatic braking, and the terrific panoramic view rear camera.
Packages and Options
This IS 500 F Sport also has the Premium package and that means it is loaded with standard equipment. Besides what we have covered above, it has a power moon roof with sliding shade, power tilt steering wheel, keyless entry, aluminum pedals, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, memory seats, and power rear sunshade.
In options it has the Flare Yellow Special Appearance Package for $4,050 that includes the 19” wheels Ultrasuede seat inserts, and unique floor mats. Other options are illuminated door sills for $425, a carpeted trunk
Fuel and Pay
Fuel economy is good considering it has close to 500-horses, coming in at 17 city, 25 on the highway, and 20 combined. Even the way I have driven it, it is hitting those targets, which surprised me.
Total MSRP on this beauty is $69,539 and I have to say that for the combination of luxury and performance you get with this car, it’s a very good buy and a great value.
Verdict
It is hard to describe just how enjoyable this car is to drive. It has a race car feel to it, but make no mistake, it is a luxury sedan. The exhaust sound is intoxicating, especially in Sport+ mode. This will not be a car for everyone for various reasons, but if it fits you and your lifestyle, I guarantee you will smile every single time you get behind the wheel and hit that start button!
2025 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Premium
- What I liked most: The old school muscle feel, exterior looks, comfort inside, acceleration, and exhaust.
- What I would change: This speedster really should have a head-up display.
- MSRP: Base price $63,670 and as equipped $69,539 with transportation.
- Fuel Economy: 17 city/25 highway/20 overall.
- Official Color: Flare Yellow.
- Odometer reading when tested: 2,100 miles.
- Weight: 3,891 pounds.
- Spare Tire: Compact temporary spare.
- Length-Width-Height: 187.3” long/72.4" wide/56.5” high
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 17.4 gallons with the filler on the driver’s side.
- Towing Capacity: N/A.
- 2025 IS 500 F Sport in a few words: Not your typical Lexus! A rare combination of sporty luxury and pure driving excellence and performance!
- Warranty: 4-year/50,000-mile Basic Warranty/72-month/70,000-mile Powertrain Warranty/ 72-month unlimited-mileage Corrosion Perforation Warranty, and the first two maintenance visits are free.
- Final Assembly Location: Tahara, Achi, Japan.
- Manufacturer’s website: Lexus
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