Compact sports sedans have often asked their drivers to sacrifice something – usually ride and/or space – in the pursuit of pure sportiness. The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport is no different. Well, maybe not in terms of ride – I’ll get to that. On The Road With The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport Let’s start with the good. The 3.5-liter V6 is silky smooth and whisper quiet – even when you kick the spurs there’s a nice, muted purr from underhood as opposed to any serious sound. This is both bad and good – bad because you miss out on the full soundtrack, good because most Lexus customers expect to keep the outside noise outside. With 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, there’s plenty of potency available, and the low-end grunt is plentiful in terms of getting the IS moving. Turn into a corner, especially in sport mode, and the IS feels nicely planted, with just a hint of body roll. It’s a double-wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link setup in back – there are stabilizer bars at each. This IS tester had all-wheel drive. Steering feel is a touch artificial, but the weighting is perfect. It tightens up nicely when the center-console dial is turned to “sport”. Paddle shifters for the six-speed automatic transmission are available, should you want to use them. Ride is supple without being too soft or too stiff. The overall ride/handling package blends comfort with sport nicely – the IS feels as comfortable on a backroad as it does on the freeway. It’s a splendid driver’s car, but perhaps not as much for passengers. Fully-grown adults will find leg room too tight while also discovering that the sloping rear roof cuts deeply into headroom. I’ve been hard on Toyota/Lexus interiors in the past, but I like the version here – a large, easy to read to infotainment screen atop of easy-to-use switches for the HVAC. The gauge cluster itself was a tad busy, but still easy enough to read for the basics. My only real complaint is the roller for audio volume control – I’d prefer a knob somewhere. I also was unable to get a large item in the trunk – the object itself would’ve fit easily into what’s a pretty large cargo space, but the narrow opening prevented me from getting it all the way inside. Fuel economy is listed at 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. The onboard computer, which I forgot to reset upon taking possession of the car, showed around 24 mpg for my time with the car. It dropped bit, heading towards 23 mpg, near the end of my time with it. Standard and Available Features For The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport Entry-luxury sports sedans aren’t typically cheap, and that’s the case here. Just to get in the door on this one, you’d need to drop $47,500. Standard features included a dual exhaust, 19-inch wheels, F Sport badging and design cues, LED headlamps and taillamps, heated power front seats, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, wireless phone charger, 12.3-inch infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and satellite radio. Standard advanced-driver assist systems included the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and safe-exit assist. Options included a 360-degree camera, intuitive parking assist with auto braking and rear cross-traffic braking, premium paint, power moonroof, wheel locks, carpeted trunk mat, and key glove. On the surface, this is a pretty good, close to great, package. The IS is fun to drive but also a relaxed commuter. It’s easy to live with, but get a wild hair or just need to pass someone, and you have plenty of power to summon. Curvy back roads will be fun, but a long freeway slog is nice and comfortable. If only the rear seat was more hospitable to adults. If only the trunk’s small/odd-shaped opening didn’t make loading certain objects, objects that would otherwise fit in the cargo area with ease, complicated. I suppose we can’t have it all. The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport is a well-balanced machine that doesn
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