The Lexus IS 2026 redesign is the third facelift for the sports car in this generation. The update changes the interior and front end to give it an open-mouthed look, and it also changes the handling and suspension. The IS500 was removed from the IS range, leaving only the IS350. The 2026 IS350’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine still makes 311 horsepower. UPDATE 12/30/25: Lexus has announced the prices for the 2026 IS line. The line now only includes the IS350 model. The F Sport Design with rear-wheel drive starts at $48,090, which is $6,260 more than last year’s IS300 base model. You can get all-wheel drive on the ’26 IS350 F Sport Design for $2,000. The IS350 F Sport is priced the same, and the base rear-drive model starts at $50,540. For a while now, there hasn’t been much clarity on the Lexus IS’s future. The current version of the durable, sporty four-door car has been in production for eleven years and has received two updates to make it look more modern. When an IS Ultimate Edition of the IS500 came out for 2025, we thought the old car had been replaced. Lexus has already said the IS350 will be produced for at least a little while longer due to another facelift. Luckily, we won’t have to mourn the loss of another sports car just yet. The 2026 IS looks a lot like the 2025 model from the side, but it has a new face and a grille that goes to the front edge of the hood. The trim determines whether any other exterior style changes will be made. The F Sport Design model features new 19-inch aluminum wheels, and the F Sport trim features red brake calipers and a new rear spoiler design. The 2026 IS’s color palette has been expanded to include a new Wind exterior color, which is a gray tone with silver accents. The inside of the IS has also been updated with new, more streamlined technology and materials. The 2025 model’s small 8-inch basic infotainment screen has been replaced by a better 12.3-inch one, and there is now a bigger 12.3-inch digital gauge panel in front of the driver. The vents are now triangular and more modern, and the temperature-control buttons and switches are in a single row under the main panel. Forged bamboo is used to decorate the center panel and switchgear, making the interior of the car look classier. Radiant Red is another choice for the inside of F Sport cars. The interior improvements include a wireless charging pad and two USB-C ports (one on the front and one on the back). You can also choose between a 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system or the regular 10-speaker Lexus Premium. It’s too bad the V-8 won’t be made anymore, but at least we don’t have to mourn the IS’s death yet. The IS500 and its 472-hp V-8 engine are now just a part of history. Starting in 2026, the Lexus IS will only be available in the IS 350 trim. The IS350, which is still alive, has a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 311 horsepower. It comes with an automatic transmission with either eight speeds for rear-wheel-drive versions or six speeds for all-wheel-drive versions. But there is good news for fans: the 2017 IS will get electric power steering and suspension changes, making it more responsive and improving how it feels when you turn. Lexus hasn’t announced the price or production plan for the 2026 IS yet, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the refreshed sport sedan showed up in stores by the start of next year.
