2016 Lexus IS
Gas Compact car
The 2016 Lexus IS is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the IS 200t, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 16 complaints, most often about service brakes. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 200t | Gas | RWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 32 | 26 | $3,000 |
| IS 350 | Gas | RWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 28 | 22 | $3,500 |
| IS 300 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 26 | 21 | $3,700 |
| IS 350 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 26 | 21 | $3,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2016 Lexus IS is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
Compare coverage →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.
Recalls (0)
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2016 Lexus IS. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (open)
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002
Owner complaints
16 complaints filed
0 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2017: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 1
Most-cited components
- Service Brakes — 5
- Electrical System — 3
- Unknown Or Other — 2
- Fuel/Propulsion System — 2
- Wheels — 1
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other IS model years
2026 IS
0 recalls · 0 complaints
A2025 IS
0 recalls · 1 complaints
A2024 IS
0 recalls · 1 complaints
A2023 IS
0 recalls · 5 complaints
A2022 IS
1 recalls · 5 complaints
A2021 IS
0 recalls · 3 complaints
A2020 IS
0 recalls · 7 complaints
B2019 IS
2 recalls · 10 complaints
A2018 IS
1 recalls · 9 complaints
B2017 IS
2 recalls · 19 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 36891, 36893, 36892, 36894). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.