2023 Lexus IS
The 2023 Lexus IS is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the IS 300, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 5 complaints, most often about the back over prevention. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $40,585 to $62,770 across 8 trims.
| Trim | Powertrain | Drive | MSRP | HP | Torque | MPG comb | Seats | Cargo (2nd row) | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 300 | Gas | RWD | $40,585 | 241 hp | 258 lb-ft | 21 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 18 in |
| IS 300 AWD | Gas | AWD | $42,585 | 241 hp | 258 lb-ft | 22 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 18 in |
| IS 350 F SPORT Design | Gas | RWD | $43,660 | 311 hp | 280 lb-ft | 23 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
| IS 350 F SPORT | Gas | RWD | $44,910 | 311 hp | 280 lb-ft | 23 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
| IS 350 F SPORT Design AWD | Gas | AWD | $45,660 | 311 hp | 280 lb-ft | 22 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
| IS 350 F SPORT AWD | Gas | AWD | $46,910 | 311 hp | 280 lb-ft | 22 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
| IS 500 F SPORT | Gas | RWD | $58,270 | 472 hp | 395 lb-ft | 20 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
| IS 500 F SPORT Premium | Gas | RWD | $62,770 | 472 hp | 395 lb-ft | 20 mpg | 5 | 10.8 cu-ft | 19 in |
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
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 | 31 | 25 | $3,300 |
| IS 350 | Gas | RWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 28 | 23 | $3,550 |
| IS 300 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 26 | 22 | $3,750 |
| IS 350 AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 19 | 26 | 22 | $3,750 |
| IS 500 | Gas | RWD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 17 | 25 | 20 | $4,100 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45928, 45925, 45924, 45926, 45927.
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, IS 500 | 5 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70 | 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.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2023 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 2023 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 2023 Lexus IS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2023 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 database0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported
2.0 per 10,000 built · Lexus reported 25,277 IS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 3
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 reporting recurring infotainment, display, audio, and related electrical malfunctions with my vehicle that have continued despite multiple visits and repair attempts by an authorized Lexus dealership. The problems began when the vehicle was relatively new and have continued intermittently.
I am reporting a severe, unresolved safety hazard involving my 2023 Lexus IS350]. The vehicle is continuously flashing 'Braking System Malfunction,' 'Crash Light,' and 'Engine Light' alerts on the dashboard. This is the second major acceleration and braking system failure since purchasing the vehicle brand new.
I am reporting a recurring front bumper cracking and separation issue on my Lexus IS 500. A crack developed at the front bumper seam directly adjacent to the passenger-side headlight assembly. The crack originates at the bumper mounting/retention area near the headlamp and appears to be stress-related rather than impact-related.
The contact owns a 2023 Lexus IS350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the moon roof suddenly shattered, raining glass into the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired.
During driving an issue arose where the acceleration had to be performed in order to avoid a potential accident. The gas pedal vas depressed but the transmission would not downshift or accelerate. After about a second or more the transmission finally downshifted and the vehicle accelerated.
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: 12 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 15 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 47 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% |
| 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: Unknown Or Other, Structure, Equipment, Electrical System, Wheels.
- L-SB-0057-22 Rev2 Service bulletin2026-02-02 · Electrical System
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
- L-SB-0004-26 Service bulletin2026-01-23 · Electrical System
- Some 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation System, require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
- 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-TT-0326-23 Rev2 Service bulletin2025-08-19 · Electrical System
- Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist those customers with user issues, user errors, and compatibility issues with other vehicle systems and external applications encountered while operating telematics features.
- L-SB-0032-25 Service bulletin2025-07-30 · Engine
- Some 2016 – 2020 model year GS F, 2008 – 2014 model year IS F, 2022 – 2025 model year IS 500, 2018 – 2025 model year LC 500, 2021 – 2025 model year LC 500c, and 2015 – 2025 model year RC F vehicles with 2UR-GSE engines may exhibit a MIL ON condition with one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): •P0505 – Idle Control System •P2111 – Throttle Actuator Control System – Stuck Op
- 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0505 P0505 on Lexus → | The idle air control system is not holding the idle it was told to. | Engine · Throttle body → | 1 bulletin |
| P2111 P2111 on Lexus → | The electronic throttle is stuck open. | Engine | 1 bulletin |
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 2023 Lexus IS failed the emissions check on 0.27% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%).
failed emissions
744 initial inspections of 731 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2023 IS | Every 2023 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 0.27% | 1.6% | 741 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.5% | 1.1% | 744 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.13% | 0.16% | 744 |
| Miles driven a year | 8,063 | 10,038 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 26,040 | 32,673 | 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 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 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 2023 IS
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsHow much does the 2023 Lexus IS cost?
Manufacturer pricing runs from $40,585 for the IS 300 RWD to $62,770 for the IS 500 F SPORT Premium RWD, across 8 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.
Does the 2023 Lexus IS have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2023 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 2023 Lexus IS?
NHTSA gave the 2023 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 2023 Lexus IS?
Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Lexus IS, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2023 Lexus IS?
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Lexus IS, most often about back over prevention, power train, visibility/wiper. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2023 Lexus IS?
The EPA smog rating for the 2023 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 2023 Lexus IS?
The manufacturer has filed 82 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Lexus IS, most often covering unknown or other, structure, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-02-02. 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 2023 Lexus IS do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Lexus IS failed the emissions check on 0.27% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). 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.
Which 2023 Lexus IS trim is the best value?
$22,185 separates the cheapest of the 8 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.
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 | 5 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 5 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 | 5 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 5 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 82 | 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 | none | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | 8 trims | Manufacturer press kit | Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from. |
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. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.