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History
Introduced as recently as 2001, no car in the Lexus lineup comes closer to embodying "sport" than the IS 300. When the IS debuted, the only transmission available was the five-speed automatic. In 2002, Lexus decided to also offer a five-speed manual due to consumer demand.
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Overview
The Lexus IS 300 stuffs snappy performance and superior quality into a sassy compact four-door sedan. It’s the enthusiast’s choice among the more affordable cars in the Lexus stable; inside and out, it looks like nothing else in the lineup.
The IS comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) side-curtain front air bags, halogen foglamps, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, five-spoke alloy wheels, traction control, a premium eight-speaker audio system with cassette and in-dash, six-disc CD player, plus all the power-oriented paraphernalia of a luxury car: automatic climate control, cruise control, power windows and door locks, auto-dimming rearview and sideview mirrors, heated external mirrors, remote entry, security system and more.
The Lexus IS 300 offers a sporty balance of ride, handling, power, brakes, comfort and price. Its rear-wheel-drive layout makes it more fun to drive than front-drive sports sedans. The SportCross adds some practicality and is at least as much fun to drive, if not more, than the comparable sedan.
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