Is the 2020 Lexus IS a good car?
No.
1 of 7checks
- Family car: 1 of 4. Rear legroom 32.2 in. Class median 36.5 in.
- First car: 3 of 5. Price $38,560. Class median $36,750.
- Commuter: $116 a month. Class median $107.
- Seniors: 1 of 3. Height 56.3 in. Class middle half 56.5 to 58.1 in.
- Off-road: 5.1 in clearance. Top 101% of 125.
- Good buy: 12 rivals beat it on all four.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | No | 1 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 3 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $116 vs $107 a month |
| Seniors | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | No | 5.1 in, top 101% |
| Worth the money | Yes | 4% below predicted |
| Good buy | No | 12 beat it on all four |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the IS a good family car?
No. Passes 1 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 32.2 in | Median 36.5 in | 98 | No |
| Rear headroom | 36.9 in | Median 37.4 in | 98 | No |
| Cargo behind the last row | 10.8 cu ft | Median 15.1 cu ft | 92 | No |
Is the IS a good first car?
No. Passes 3 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $38,560 | Median $36,750 | 103 | No |
| Horsepower | 241 hp | 147 hp to 335 hp | 105 | Yes |
| Length | 184.3 in | Median 192.3 in | 100 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 34.2 ft | Median 37.3 ft | 96 | Yes |
| Fuel cost per mile | 13.3 cents | Median 12.3 cents | 103 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the IS a good commuter car?
No. $116 a month to commute. Class median $107.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $116
- Median of 103 sedans
- $107
- Highway mpg
- 30 mpg, top 57% of 101
Is the IS a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 5.3 in clearance, 56.3 in tall | 5.0 to 5.5 in clearance, 56.5 to 58.1 in tall | 59 | No |
| Front headroom | 38.2 in | Median 38.7 in | 97 | No |
| Turning circle | 34.2 ft | Median 37.3 ft | 96 | Yes |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the IS a good off-road vehicle?
No. 5.1 in clearance. Top 101% of 125 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- 300 AWD, 5.1 in
- Cohort
- 125 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the IS worth the money?
Yes. Priced 4% below cars like it.
- Price, 300 RWD
- $38,560
- Predicted price
- $40,149
- Gap
- -$1,589 (-4%)
- Model error
- 16% median, 291 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2020 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the IS a good buy?
No. 12 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
Cheapest 8 shown.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS 300 RWD | $38,560 | 13.3 cents | 10.8 cu ft | 241 hp |
| Buick Regal Sportback FWD | $25,370 | 12.3 cents | 31.5 cu ft | 250 hp |
| Nissan Altima VC-T SR FWD | $29,750 | 11.0 cents | 15.4 cu ft | 248 hp |
| Toyota Camry TRD FWD | $31,170 | 12.8 cents | 15.1 cu ft | 301 hp |
| Honda Accord Sport 2.0T Auto FWD | $31,510 | 12.3 cents | 16.7 cu ft | 252 hp |
| Kia Stinger GT-Line RWD | $33,090 | 12.8 cents | 23.3 cu ft | 255 hp |
| Chevrolet Malibu Premier FWD | $33,370 | 12.3 cents | 15.7 cu ft | 250 hp |
| Subaru Legacy Limited XT AWD | $34,195 | 11.9 cents | 15.1 cu ft | 260 hp |
| Ford Fusion Titanium FWD | $34,450 | 12.8 cents | 16.0 cu ft | 245 hp |
Compared with 557 trims of other makes, sedans, 2020.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree