2023 IS Interior
Although quite sportily styled and trimmed in suitably luxurious materials, there are still signs that Lexus has tried to dress up an outdated interior. The buttons littering the center stack come across as cluttered, while the touchpad controller for the infotainment system still isn't as user-friendly as it should be. Some improvements were made for the 2021 model year, such as a touchscreen that's mounted a few inches closer to the driver, while a clearer 10.3-inch screen is available. On the F Sport, Geometric interior trim adds to the sporty cabin's aesthetic appeal. Standard features include dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
2023 IS Interior Photos
Seating and Interior Space
In the spectrum of compact luxury sports sedans, the IS has always ranked on the smaller side. It offers seating for five people, though the person sitting in the middle rear seat won't be happy. The rear seats offer only 32.2 inches of rear legroom, which trails rivals like the 3 Series with 35.2 inches. Headroom is at least generous and, up front, the bolstered seats in the F Sport trims do a great job hugging you in place without being uncomfortable; though you may want to try for yourself before taking our word for it.
2023 Lexus IS Interior Dimensions:
| Lexus IS Trims | IS 300 | IS 300 AWD | IS 350 F SPORT Design | IS 350 F SPORT | IS 350 F SPORT Design AWD | IS 350 F SPORT AWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seating | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom Front Seat | 38.2 in. | 38.2 in. | 38.2 in. | 38.2 in. | 38.2 in. | 38.2 in. |
| Headroom Back Seat | 36.9 in. | 36.9 in. | 36.9 in. | 36.9 in. | 36.9 in. | 36.9 in. |
| Legroom Front Seat | 44.8 in. | 44.8 in. | 44.8 in. | 44.8 in. | 44.8 in. | 44.8 in. |
| Legroom Back Seat | 32.2 in. | 32.2 in. | 32.2 in. | 32.2 in. | 32.2 in. | 32.2 in. |
| Shoulder Room Front | 55.9 in. | 55.9 in. | 55.9 in. | 55.9 in. | 55.9 in. | 55.9 in. |
| Shoulder Room Rear | 53.4 in. | 53.4 in. | 53.4 in. | 53.4 in. | 53.4 in. | 53.4 in. |
| Hip Room, Front | 54.3 in. | 54.3 in. | 54.3 in. | 54.3 in. | 54.3 in. | 54.3 in. |
| Hip Room, Rear | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. | 54 in. |
Interior Colors and Materials
All versions of the IS come with NuLuxe synthetic leather interior trim. The IS 300 and IS 350 F Sport Design have black metallic trim while the top F Sport versions introduce black Geometric trim and embossed trim inside the doors, along with aluminum sport pedals. On the lower two trims, upholstery colors include Black, Rioja Red, and Glazed Caramel. Moving up to the F Sport avails colors like White and Circuit Red. If you opt for the Premium Package on the IS 300, it comes with black leatherette and black open-pore wood, while the Comfort package adds black Geometric trim to this model. Only the F Sport comes with a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, but it's optionally available on the IS 300 via a package.
2023 IS Trunk and Cargo Space
Unfortunately, the Lexus IS doesn't come close to many rivals in this area. As discovered in prior reviews, the trunk measures a mere 10.8 cubic feet. With the 60/40 rear seats folded, there is obviously more space available, but in this configuration, a 3 Series can hold the equivalent of about four additional carry-ons.
In the cabin, the door pockets are rather small, but the center console storage compartment and dual cupholders for the driver and front-seat passenger are more useful. At the back, F Sport versions offer a fold-down center armrest housing two pop-out cupholders.
2023 Lexus IS Trunk and Cargo Space Photos
2023 Lexus IS Cargo Dimensions:
| Lexus IS Trims | IS 300 | IS 300 AWD | IS 350 F SPORT Design | IS 350 F SPORT | IS 350 F SPORT Design AWD | IS 350 F SPORT AWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk Volume | 10.8 cu. ft. | 10.8 cu. ft. | 10.8 cu. ft. | 10.8 cu. ft. | 10.8 cu. ft. | 10.8 cu. ft. |
2023 IS Infotainment and Features
Features
Even at its base price, the Lexus IS is equipped with dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button ignition, an illuminated entry system, and eight-way power-adjustable front seats. More impressive is the array of safety gear that includes a backup camera with dynamic gridlines, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, dynamic radar cruise control, road-sign assist, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. Moving up to the lineup, features such as a ten-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated/cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a rather gimmicky G-force display are added. Top trims also have sportily styled instrumentation. On the options list are items like a power moonroof, intuitive parking assistance, and a surround-view monitor. Another reminder of the fact that this is fundamentally an older sedan is the absence of wireless device charging.
Infotainment
Infotainment is a bad word with Lexus. The company has struggled in this area ever since it released the first Remote Touch interface. Granted, the IS still includes the cumbersome touchpad but it now offers a touchscreen interface, so you almost never have to use the fiddly controller. The standard eight-inch screen sits closer to the driver to make it easier to touch, and the available 10.3-inch screen sits a bit closer still.
Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot, voice commands, and Amazon Alexa integration are included in the features list in the IS. Optionally available is a 10.3-inch touchscreen, but it only comes bundled in packages that also add navigation and/or a Mark Levinson 17-speaker audio system.