2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport with Handling Package Review (with Photos!)
The challenge: bring Lexus comfort and craftsmanship to the small sports sedan. Now, 25 years of enthusiast and expert feedback has shaped a model that leans hard into its sporting identity. How’s the IS holding up for 2026—and what’s ahead for 2027?
Highs: Eye-catching exterior, comprehensively updated interior, available Handling Package is worth the extra spend.
Lows: Modest rear-seat legroom. EPA-estimated 22 MPG. Irritating “sport” sounds (thankfully optional).
Verdict: A cautious series of updates and refinements over the past 25 years has made the Lexus IS 350 a competent play with personality.
The model to get: IS 350 F Sport AWD with the Handling Package.
Getting In: 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport
It’s worth remembering that Lexus was only a decade old when the IS debuted in Europe in 1999. The brand made a splash with the LS 400 and ES 250, aiming directly at Mercedes-Benz with quietness, smoothness, and meticulous finish (made iconic with the champagne-glass advertisement).
With success, expansion followed: the LX 450 arrived in 1996 and the RX 300 in 1998— elevated elaborations on a successful template. But then, the IS: The smaller Lexus, but faster. More nimble, but still stable. The IS represented a side of an equation that was still being written: how a luxury brand could be more engaging from behind the wheel?
While our test car was a 2026 IS 350 F Sport AWD, the third generation of the IS technically debuted for 2014 before receiving a substantial update for 2021. The 2026 refresh takes the 2021 update further with tightened exterior styling, a comprehensively re-designed interior, and new technology and handling packages..
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport Exterior Design
Front view of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Over its quarter of a century, the silhouette of the IS has stayed remarkably consistent. It wears its athleticism with pride: a low hood, narrow headlights with a striking signature, and a broad dark grille putting the emphasis on width. The bodywork gathers tightly around the wheels, with dark trim defining the edges. The 2026 model feels active and in use, even when stationary.
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
In its 2014-model first drive, Car and Driver noted the spindle grille and F Sport’s black mesh. Today’s treatment pulls that familiar theme closer to the pavement, but within proportion.
From the lower front-quarter angle, the grille reads as a wide field between sharply drawn outer openings, both designed to bring in as much air to the engine as possible. Red brake calipers extend the contrast beyond the bumper. An upswept sculptural line through the rear quarter dances with the lines of the hood in an inverted way, like wind moving through fabric. A steeply-raked windshield is proportionate to the detail, altogether remarkably poetic.
Side Profile of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
The side view reinforces that deep contour that passes through the doors, with windswept lines and extra wide planes above the rear fender, giving the IS a strong stance. The car is attractive but less formal than many of it’s competitors. It looks fast. It looks nimble.
Lexus’ prevailing design language makes creases particularly legible— a high belt line emphasizes a sense of being “in” the car rather than “on top” of it (as in the GX 550).
Headlight detail on the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Taillight detail on the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
There are clear references to Lexus’ past design eras, reaching as far back as the GS 300 at the rear quarter and the wide C-pillar.
Moreover, while the early IS and GS models had two big red circles as part of the lighting scheme, the newer IS opts for a potent strip of light that zooms across the back of the vehicle, resolving in a sculptural way.
Contrasting side mirrors of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
F Sport side badge on the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
What’s the difference between IS 350 F Sport Design and F Sport?
F Sport Design gives the IS a more understated sporting look. For 2026, its 19-inch wheels have a Dark Gray finish, while Black Metallic cabin trim keeps the interior relatively restrained. For 2027, new black-and-machined wheels introduce bright contrast; a heated steering wheel also becomes standard on F Sport Design.
F Sport makes the same bodywork look more assertive. Dark Gray wheels draw attention to our car’s red brake calipers; inside, stronger seat bolsters, aluminum pedals, and Satin trim give the cockpit a more overtly athletic character.
Lexus’s 2026 Special Appearance Package pairs Hakugin Matte White paint with a White/Black interior and black BBS forged wheels, limited to 350 cars. For 2027, the Special Appearance Package brings Envious green paint, black BBS forged wheels, and black NuLuxe seats with Ultrasuede inserts and green stitching—again limited to 350 cars.
2026 Lexus IS 350 Interior Design
Front Cabin of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Inside the IS, a tactile experience reigns. The “capacitive touch everything” trend never quite reached this corner of Lexus. Instead, physical controls remain central to the cabin and driving experience. That’s not to say things are out-of-date: the visual and technological refresh arrived for 2026 brings larger displays, a revised dashboard, and new trim.
Black upholstery, contrast stitching, and a chunky center console make the space feel closely arranged around the driver without abandoning the passenger. The steering wheel is comfortable in the hand with a metallic lower spoke.
The passenger side is organized into horizontal layers, punctuated by a thin red accent light. Soft touch materials can be found in high-touch areas. Small details like padding at seat edges keep cellphones and other devices from falling into the cracks.
Front Cabin of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Motortrend’s 2001 review lingered on the original’s chronograph-like gauges and aluminum pedals. Today, the information appears on two separate 12.3-inch displays: the fully-digitial instrument cluster behind the wheel and navigation and multimedia in the center. Everything is within reaching distance, while eyes can stay on the road.
The most substantial changes sit directly in the driver’s view. For 2026, a larger touchscreen replaces the smaller multimedia screen, and a full digital cluster replaces the distinctive moving instrument ring.
Climate Control in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Silver-edged toggles sit beneath a strip of temperature display for hands-on climate control The switches give this frequently used part of the dashboard a clear structure. Muscle memory learns fast. It is a useful continuation of a longstanding strength. Even back in a 2017 F Sport test, Car and Driver welcomed the audio knobs and climate buttons.
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport Driving Modes. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Snow, traction-control, and brake-hold buttons are conveniently clustered near the drive mode selector. This cluster gives the IS’s adjustable character a physical location in the cabin (more on what those drive modes actually do, below). Wireless phone charging and USB-C ports are just beyond.
The trim is worth a closer look. Lexus calls it Forged Bamboo: natural fibers produce the mottled shading visible around the controls. Its pattern offers a different texture from straight-grain wood or uniform metallic trim. Its attractive, but we’d love to see carbon fiber here.
What is Forged Bamboo?
The Forged Bamboo trim incorporates natural bamboo fibers, giving the console a mottled pattern quite different from traditional wood grain, with a distinctive pearlescent sheen.
NuLuxe in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Perforated NuLuxe upholstery and smooth outer bolsters (upgraded on the F Sport trim) and contrast stitching give the black interior definition. Even this combination is plucked from favorable history: the front seats’ support and padding earned praise in Car and Driver’s 2014-model comparison. F Sport’s heated and ventilated front seats bring comfort equipment expected of a Lexus.
What is NuLuxe Upholstery?
NuLuxe is Lexus’s synthetic upholstery. In this black cabin, perforated inserts, shaped bolsters, and stitched edges create the variation in texture. The leather-trimmed steering wheel is a separate material specification.
Rear Cabin in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
In terms of rear comfort, the IS gives its front occupants the more generous accommodation; the rear bench feels clearly part of a small sedan, with the roof and console setting clear boundaries around it. The transmission tunnel takes some of the middle passenger’s already limited space. Nonetheless, the rear space isn’t unusable: Lexus lists 32.2 inches of rear legroom. On a longer drive, my rear passengers made no complaints.
The center armrest includes retracting cupholders. Front seat backs provide storage pockets. Rear air vents sit at the end of the console with two USB-C charging ports.
Trunk/Boot in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
The trunk is quite practical: a carpeted load floor, 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, and a Lexus-branded mat. The 2026 IS 350 F Sport AWD includes a compact temporary spare tire on a steel wheel beneath the trunk floor.
2026 Lexus IS 350 Technology and UX
Lexus has historically lagged in terms of infotainment and digital experience, maybe as part of its resistance to trend-chasing (the IS 350 still came with a CD player as late as 2021). Car and Driver’s test of that model also criticized the outdated inclusion of the directional cursor controller touchpad that came with most Lexus models, even after touchscreens had arrived in that same car.
Lexus Interface in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility let the driver bring a familiar phone interface into the car, but Lexus’ proprietary Interface (introduced in 2022) has made it to the IS for 2026.
Mark Levinson Sound in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
The standard audio system has 10 speakers, while the optional Mark Levinson system has 17, pumping out extraordinary and balanced sound.
Lexus Interface in the 2026 IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt
Frankly, Lexus Interface is extremely easy to use, with huge tap targets and a high-contrast user interface that’s easy to navigate with most nested menus only two taps away. For those privy, Toyota vehicles share a nearly-identical interface, but why shake a stable tree— the system works.
After a few days of using both interfaces, Lexus’s Interface UX is arguably better than Apple’s CarPlay (which I’ve long sworn by as superior to any OEM). The integration with the car’s features and overall driving experience pushes it through, far more restrained than BMW’s bazaar of apps, enhancements, and capabilities and performantly superior to Jaguar’s laggy computer.
That said, Interface has a growing menu of connected services, some of which require a subscription. Drive Connect bundles cloud navigation, the Intelligent Assistant voice system, and live-agent Destination Assist, while also enabling Traffic Jam Assist on equipped cars.
The Go Anywhere plan is quite encompassing: it combines Drive Connect with Remote Connect’s app-based starting, locking, and vehicle checks for $15 a month.
Music Lover pairs integrated streaming with Remote Connect for $15 a month, while Premium combines all three services for $25 a month, with separate music-provider subscriptions required.
Trial periods matter before paying: our 2026 test car’s window sticker includes a three-year Drive Connect trial. Lexus lists a three-month Drive Connect trial for the 2027 IS.
Lexus IS 350 Safety, Driver Assistance, and On-Road Driving
Driver’s view in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
A full suite of safety features is table stakes in today’s automotive landscape, and that is true at practically any price point. The differentiation comes with how a manufacturer blends the default settings of these features. In the case of a sports sedan, the mix becomes even more challenging: safety settings that are too invasive can unintentionally downplay the vehicle’s full capability while too loose invite poor driving that affects the overall experience. Every 2026 IS includes Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, also retained for 2027, with a lengthy list of capabilities:
Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Lane Tracing Assist
Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
Road Sign Assist
Proactive Driving Assist
Automatic High Beams
The Lexus IS 350 F Sport’s default setup is solid: just enough assistance to make a great driver feel like a superhero and an average driver feel a little more confident. The settings bring extra guidance, but still require full driver engagement.
For when cornering and blasting off isn’t the play, the IS can take some of the effort out of a long commute with standard adaptive cruise control that just works with adjustable speed and following distance, while Lane Tracing Assist helps keep the car centered in its lane.
Driver view of the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Our car’s Technology Package adds Traffic Jam Assist, allowing hands-free assistance with steering, acceleration, and braking in certain freeway congestion at speeds up to 25 mph.
However, Traffic Jam Assist requires an active Drive Connect trial or subscription, and the driver must keep watching the road. Remember those connected services through Interface? We’d recommend subscribing to Go Anywhere only if Traffic Jam Assist could be useful on your regular commute.
Engine in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
In terms of raw power, the 2026 IS 350 F Sport features a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The 2026 drivetrain choices are an eight-speed automatic with rear-wheel drive or, as on our car, a six-speed automatic with AWD. That V6 and those transmission choices carry into 2027.
Start Stop Ignition button in the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
The Lexus IS has plenty of power for our taste and usual use with easy overtaking and RPMs that settle down at cruising speeds. It’s in those acceleration moments that the IS 350 F Sport feels especially potent, with stable suspension that feels bumps but doesn’t dwell on them.
F Sport: Where the Handling Package Fits
Gear shifter and drive mode controls 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport. Image: Ben Schmidt.
The heart of the IS 350 F Sport lies within a familiar gear shift (complemented by wheel-mounted paddle shifters) and the drive-mode controller, with expanded modes supplied by our car’s optional Handling Package (the standard modes are Normal and Sport).
Normal mode balances everyday responses, while Eco mode softens accelerator sensitivity and moderates climate-control demand (verdict: negligible impact when when hypermiling).
Sport S mode sharpens the powertrain’s response and changes the transmission’s shift programming while Sport S+ brings more aggressive steering and adaptive-damper settings into the equation.
Custom mode lets the driver mix priorities across a range of areas including powertrain, suspension, steeting, and air conditioning. We could generally detect differences between the mix of settings.
Unfortunately, some modes pipe drone-like “sport sounds” through the speakers. Passengers complained about the sound (especially in the back seat where its amplified to a comical degree). Mercifully, the setting can be disabled via Interface.
The optional Handling Package brings new dimensions to the drive modes and, for us, one of the biggest reasons why the F Sport is worth it.
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
When the new 2014 IS 350 F Sport beat the BMW 335i M Sport and Cadillac ATS 3.6 in Car and Driver’s comparison, its composure over uneven roads and through corners helped secure the result.
It was genuinely invigorating to switch to the advanced modes after getting through a snarl of stop-and-go traffic or jumping into the back roads after extended highway driving. The Handling Package pushed the effect to the edge.
What does the F Sport Handling Package add?
For the IS 350 F Sport AWD, the Handling Package adds F Sport-tuned Adaptive Variable Suspension and Eco, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+, and Custom drive modes. It is a distinct equipment choice within the F Sport trim.
The Adaptive Variable Suspension continually adjusts damping to balance comfort with body control, and the effect is evident: the IS managed to keep its itself stable and precise even as we’d blast through straightaways or dart out of corners.
Rear quarter view with F Sport Design contrast spoiler on the 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Worth noting: rear-wheel-drive IS 350 F Sport models equipped with the Handling Package also gain a Torsen limited-slip differential to help put power down through corners.
Trim Levels and Pricing
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport AWD badge. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Lexus offers both the 2026 and 2027 IS 350 in F Sport Design and F Sport trims, each with rear- or all-wheel drive.
2026 F Sport Design RWD: $46,895
2026 F Sport Design AWD: $48,895
2026 F Sport RWD: $49,345
2026 F Sport AWD: $51,345
Lexus has increased prices for 2027 by $650 for F Sport Design and by $500 for F Sport.
Conclusion: The 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport in Infrared. Image: Ben Schmidt.
At the New Jersey leg of Lexus’s Legacy Tour celebrating 25 years of the IS, an owner-photographer documented preserved early cars alongside track builds and elaborate customs.
The range of personality was impressive, and Lexus’ understanding of the IS as a cultural icon felt like a full-circle moment for a car so defined by its receptiveness to reactions and feedback. The IS has become something people wanted to keep, gather around, and develop.
If this 2026 F Sport represents Lexus’ latest exercise in refining its comfort, equipment, and chassis, it’s flexing some very impressive muscles.
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport AWD Specifications
2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport AWD in Infrared with F Sport 19-inch alloy wheels with Dark Gray finish. Image: Ben Schmidt.
Model: 2026 Lexus IS 350 F Sport AWD
Color: Infrared
Engine: Naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 (311 hp, 280 lb-ft)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
Drivetrain: All-wheel drive
Wheels: 19-inch F Sport alloy wheels
Upholstery: Black NuLuxe-trimmed, heated and ventilated F Sport front seats
Equipment: F Sport Handling Package with Adaptive Variable Suspension and Sport S/S+ and Custom modes; Triple-Beam LED headlamps; power tilt-and-slide moonroof; Mark Levinson 17-speaker premium audio; power rear sunshade; premium paint; Technology Package with Front Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Change Assist, and Traffic Jam Assist; accessory package with trunk mat, key gloves, cargo net, and wheel locks.
Displays and connectivity: 12.3-inch Lexus Interface touchscreen; 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster; wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; wireless phone charging.
Cargo capacity: 10.8 cubic feet
Fuel economy: EPA-estimated 22 MPG combined (19 city / 26 highway)
Base MSRP: $49,950
Options and accessories: $5,698
Delivery, processing, and handling: $1,295
As-tested price: $56,943, including delivery, processing, and handling.
Explore the Lexus IS at www.lexus.com.
The Lexus IS has spent a quarter-century refining an ambitious brief: bring Lexus comfort and craftsmanship to the small sports sedan. A mix of enthusiast and expert feedback has informed the IS’s existence.