2020 Lexus IS
The 2020 Lexus IS is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the IS 300, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 9 complaints, most often about the suspension. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 300 | Gas | RWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 30 | 24 | $3,400 |
| IS 350 | Gas | RWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 28 | 23 | $3,550 |
| IS 300 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 18 | 24 | 21 | $3,900 |
| IS 350 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 26 | 21 | $3,900 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42121, 42118, 42117, 42119.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 300, IS 300 AWD, IS 350, IS 350 AWD | 5 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement | 3.5 L |
| Engine configuration | V-Shaped |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 260 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Transmission | Automatic |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 300 Base, 300 F Sport, 350 F Sport). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 183.9 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 71.3 in |
| Height | 56.3 in |
| Wheelbase | 110.2 in |
| Track, front | 60.6 in |
| Track, rear | 61.0 in |
| Curb weight | 3,461–3,649 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 55/45 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 300 RWD Sedan, 300/350 AWD Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2020 Lexus IS is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →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. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2020 Lexus IS. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Lexus IS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2020 Lexus IS
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this IS →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported
7.9 per 10,000 built · Lexus reported 11,407 IS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 5
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
I am filing this updated complaint to supplement my prior complaint (NHTSA ID No. XXX, filed January 27, 2026) regarding a recurring, safety-critical engine defect in my 2020 Lexus IS300 RWD, 8AR-FTS engine. DEFECT: Three documented misfire events over seven weeks.
Front Suspension (shock Absorber) uneven wear and bouncy, some vibration on the steering wheel at about 30k miles, on highway exit round about circle, the vehicle swerves left or right. very unsafe.
Vehicle steering wheel gets slightly stuck around 70+ mph on highway. Possible issue with the EPS, steering rack, 4 pin point connecter. Lexus isn’t able to diagnose it
Airbags failed to deploy after the car went thru a brick wall at 35 miles per hour. Front impact crash. Car fax report reflects no prior accident. Vehicle was still under warranty & had the “auto nation 162 point check” June 2020 by Tampa Florida by Lexis of Tampa. NOT a single air bag deployed
This vehicle has a recurring, safety-critical defect involving intermittent engine misfires, flashing MILs, reduced engine power, sudden loss of acceleration, and noticeable engine shaking. Despite multiple repair attempts and extended diagnostics by a dealership, with manufacturer technical assistance, the defect continues.
The tires keep coming out of alignment which causes vehicle vibration, a pull to the left and premature wearing of the tires that then have to be replaced every 10-20K miles. Lexus is aware the IS series cars wear tires this way but state its bc this is a high performance vehicle.
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.
Reported by Lexus itself: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 9 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 79 per 100,000 built. Every IS model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
| 4 DR RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsMost often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Structure, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.
- L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 Service bulletin2025-12-15 · Structure — Body
- Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interio
- L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 Service bulletin2025-06-13 · Electrical System
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
- L-TT-0341-25 Service bulletin2025-04-02 · Electrical System
- To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system and are only to be used when requested by FTS and/or FPE.
- L-SB-0017-19 Rev1 Service bulletin2025-02-07 · Structure — Body
- Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.
- L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 Service bulletin2024-07-29 · Structure — Body
- Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interio
- L-SB-0007-21 Rev2 Service bulletin2024-07-02 · Engine
- Some 2015 – 2017 model year NX 200t, 2016 – 2017 model year GS 200t, IS 200t, and RC 200t, 2018 – 2019 model year GS 300, and 2018 – 2021 model year NX 300, and 2018 – 2024 model year IS 300 and RC 300 vehicles equipped with an 8AR-FTS engine may exhibit a MIL ON condition with one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): •Cylinder Misfire – P030000, P030027, P030085, P030100, P0
- L-SB-0030-24 Service bulletin2024-06-21 · Structure — Body
- Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interi
- L-SB-0024-24 Service bulletin2024-04-19 · Structure — Body
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| B15FE B15FE on Lexus → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Equipment | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
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. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Lexus IS failed the emissions check on 0.69% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).
failed emissions
292 initial inspections of 288 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2020 IS | Every 2020 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 0.69% | 2.2% | 290 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.4% | 1.6% | 292 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0% | 0.19% | 292 |
| Miles driven a year | 7,728 | 9,980 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 48,805 | 62,630 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
IS by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2020 IS
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2020 Lexus IS have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2020 Lexus IS. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2020 Lexus IS?
NHTSA gave the 2020 Lexus IS 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Lexus IS?
Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Lexus IS, the best EPA combined figure is 24 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2020 Lexus IS?
Transport Canada measured it at 183.9 in long, 71.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.3 in tall, on a 110.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,461–3,649 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2020 Lexus IS?
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Lexus IS, most often about unspecified, suspension, power train. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2020 Lexus IS?
The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Lexus IS is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Lexus IS?
The manufacturer has filed 142 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Lexus IS, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2025-12-15. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2020 Lexus IS do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Lexus IS failed the emissions check on 0.69% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 4 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 4 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 9 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 4 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 142 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 12 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.