Though the latest Lexus IS hit the market in South Africa as recently as last year, the hybrid-powered sedan has already been handed a few minor updates…

Lexus South Africa has announced a handful of small updates for its IS sedan range, which launched locally in the first quarter of 2021 and today remains a hybrid-only affair.

As before, the Japanese saloon – which counts German stalwarts such as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 among its direct rivals – is available in three specification levels: EX, SE and F Sport. Pricing now starts atR924 200 and runs through toR1 016 100.

Each derivative uses the same IS 300h powertrain: a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor and a small battery. Driving the rear wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT), this hybrid set-up’s peak system power comes in at 164 kW (Lexus doesn’t list a total torque output, though the petrol engine makes 221 Nm).

Courtesy of this hybrid arrangement, the IS 300h boasts a claimed combined fuel consumption figure of 5.2 litres per 100 km, along with a 0-100 kph sprint time of 8.7 seconds and a maximum speed of 200 kph.

Lexus South Africa says the latest updates are part of its “plans to leverage its existing dominance in the hybrid-electric market” as it seeks to “expand its share even further”.

The IS 300h has ditched its blue Lexus badge in favour of a standard black version.

So, what’s new with the IS? Well, the changes are fairly minor. The exterior hybrid badge, for instance, has been removed, as has the blue hue previously used on the Lexus logo. Inside, the start button colour has been changed from blue to gun metallic.

Finally, the flagship F Sport trim level has gained a sunroof (this item was previously available as standard only in the SE grade), a move Lexus SA suggests was made in a bid to cater to customer requests.

As a reminder, the IS range offers oodles of standard kit, including 18-inch alloy wheels (or 19-inch items in the case of the F Sport), a 10.3-inch touchscreen system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), electrically adjustable front seats (with a heating function) and a 10-speaker audio system (or 17-speaker Mark Levinson version for the SE and F Sport models).

The SE and F Sport versions furthermore boast all manner of active safety systems, along with satellite navigation, voice control and LED headlamps with automatic high beams.

How much does the Lexus IS cost in South Africa?

Lexus IS 300h EX – R924 200

Lexus IS 300h SE – R988 500

Lexus IS 300h F Sport – R1 016 100

A 7-year/105 000 km warranty ships standard, along with a maintenance plan of the same length (with 15 000 km service intervals).

Related content

Lexus UX 300e ‘under study’ for SA

Lexus ES enhanced for 2023

Lexus NX (2022) Specs & Price

Buy a Lexus IS on Cars.co.za