The 2021 Lexus IS is unlike any other IS from previous generations. Lexus claims it?s the best IS to date. It?s also the first Lexus model to be developed using the new Lexus Driving Signature credo. We?re all familiar with the Lexus brand and how it blends Toyota-levels of durability and reliability in a surprisingly luxurious and refined package. Still, a Lexus was never about spine-tingling agility and superb handling. Even the mighty Lexus LFA, for all its attributes and high-revving Yamaha-built V10 engine, can be a handful when driven close to the limit.

All of that changes with the 2021 Lexus IS. The brand is keen on reinventing its offerings, as Lexus claims, to deliver a new standard of performance and handling. In short, Lexus is finally awakening from its persistent slumber and has decided to make luxurious vehicles that are genuinely fun to drive (although my colleague Carl Anthony does feel the Lexus ES 350 F Sport is a blast to drive).
?What we had foremost in mind in developing the new IS was to make it a car that excelled in communicating with the driver regardless of the road conditions or driving situation,? said Naoki Kobayashi, Chief Engineer, Lexus International. ?We aimed to make the new IS a Lexus compact sports sedan that provides high-quality riding comfort while offering a high level of vehicle control.?

Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama

This is where the 2021 Lexus IS was born.

Before the 2021 Lexus IS, previous Lexus models were s...