Used 2018 Lexus IS 350 for sale 

The 2018 Lexus IS 350 is available in two trims which are moderately priced. You can add more sportiness to your IS 350 by opting for the F sports variant, it offers sporty interior and subtle exterior features. Both trims get the same 3.5-liter making 311hp and the same drivetrain options as well. Here is what’s on offer.

Buying Advice

We would recommend buying the IS 350 in the standard trim. We say this because the F-sport adds a lot of sporty parts without the change in engine or drivetrain. Additionally, the same number of options are available including an F-sport package for the standard trim which you can add on if you like. 

The Lexus IS 350 is powered by a 3.5 liter V6 making 311hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. The engine is 5hp more than the previous year. There are two transmission options: the first is a 6-speed automatic which will direct power to all the wheels. The second is an 8-speed automatic which will direct power to the rear wheels only. 

The Cadillac ATS is the most powerful of the above, making 335 hp. Then comes the BMW 340i making 320hp, the Lexus IS 350 making 311hp, and the Infiniti Q50 making 300hp, the least power of the above cars.

2018 Lexus IS 350 Acceleration Performance

It jumps from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds and reaches the quarter-mile mark in 13 .9 seconds. It will then continue to its top speed of 143 miles per hour. This is the same for all trim levels of the sedan. 

The fastest 0-60 is by the BMW 340i setting a time of 4.8 seconds, followed closely by the Infiniti Q50 with a time of 5 seconds. Then comes the Lexus IS 350 with a time of 5.5 seconds, marginally ahead of the Cadillac ATS with a time of 5.6 seconds.

2018 Lexus IS 350 Ride and Handling

The ride by the Lexus is smooth, the suspension adapts to the bumps in the road nicely. In the F-sport variant, the suspension is much stiffer as to being more sportier but is still a smooth comfortable ride even on a not-so-smooth road. 

The steering on the standard variant is a bit light for our liking but is light enough for you for people to enjoy. The F-sport is sharper than the standard variant. When you put your foot down all you have to do is point the vehicle in a certain direction and it will follow. 

2018 Lexus IS 350 Braking Performance

The 2018 Lexus IS 350 comes equipped with 13.2-inch and 12.2-inch in the rear ventilated discs. The braking performance is quite good, as its brakes bring the sedan to a stop from 60mph in 112 feet. Whether you select all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive or the F-sport variant, the brakes will remain the same.

A margin sets the stopping distances. The BMW 340i has the least, with a distance of 109 feet. Then comes the Cadillac ATS with a distance of 110 feet, the Infiniti Q50 with a distance of 111 feet and then comes the Lexus IS 350 with a distance of 112 feet. 

Lexus is by all accounts more centered on performance than on conveying stellar eco-friendliness. It manages to pull 20 and 28 MPG in city and highway respectively and 23 combined.

The most combined ranges offered by the Infiniti Q50 of 460 miles. The next most range is offered by the Lexus IS 350 of 400 miles, BMW 340i of 395 miles, and the least range by a margin is offered by the Cadillac ATS of 384 miles.

The cabin has an upscale appearance, materials feel and look expensive with leatherette in the standard car and the F-sport getting leather upholstery in black with contrast stitching. With its extensive, crouched center console, multilevel dashboard, analog clock, and dual-zone air conditioning you could say it is a much pricier car than it actually is.

By stock, the front seats are bucket seats and the amount of lumbar support is adjustable. In the F-sport trim, the front seats are 10-way power-adjustable with power lumbar support for the driver and 8-way power-adjustable passenger seats. This trim also has heated and ventilated front seats for added comfort. 

2018 Lexus IS 350 Infotainment System

The infotainment system of the Lexus IS 350 features a 7inch VGA screen with the option of a 10-inch screen. The system has the basics including Bluetooth connectivity, voice command, real-time weather, SiriusXM Satellite Radio (subscription required), and a few more.

Some of the features are:

• 10-inch Display
• GPS navigation (optional)
• 10 speakers audio system
• 15-speakers Mark Levinson Audio system (optional) 
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Voice Command
• Real-time weather
• USB ports

2018 Lexus IS 350 Cargo volume

The Lexus IS 350 has a trunk volume of 10 cu-ft. This is big enough to hold your everyday items and a couple of suitcases in the trunk. The rear seats do fold down in the 60/40 configuration and open up space for you to hold more cargo.

The Infiniti Q50 has the largest trunk space of 13.5 cu-ft. Following this is the BMW 348 which has a trunk space of 13 cu-ft, the Lexus IS 350 with a space of 10.8 cu-ft, and then comes the Cadillac ATS with a trunk space of 10.4 cu-ft. 

Touching the line amongst embellishment and refinement, the IS's outside unquestionably puts forth a styling expression. Its spindle-shaped grille, emotional headlights, and strong body lines are indisputably Lexus. Its outline will overpower self-observers; the IS needs to be noticed.

Every IS highlights a power sunroof, exciting headlight, and LED indicator looking like eyebrows bent inwards when frowning. Deciding on the F sport trim additionally includes one of a kind front and back fascias and exceptional 18-inch F-sport 5-spoke wheels. Speaking of wheels, there is a spare wheel stored under the cargo floor.

In terms of dimensions, the Lexus IS 350 is quite similar to the above sedans in length, width, height, and even ground clearance. The difference is seen in the curb weight where the Lexus is in the middle, not the heaviest nor the lightest. 

The Lexus IS 350 has been given a safety rating of 5-stars out of a possible 5-stars by the NHTSA, with great scores. The IIHS has got high scores as well for the car and has awarded it the 2018 Top Safety Pick award. Now, Lexus does take safety quite seriously and equips the car with safety features, these include: 

• Collision Warning
• Around View Monitor
• Forward Emergency Braking
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Automatic High Beam Headlights

BMW 340i 4 vs Lexus IS 350

The BMW 340i is a well-rounded sedan, it is also marginally better than the Lexus in almost every aspect, with more power, better performance, and more space in the interior and trunk. However, the BMW 340i is also $8,000 more than the Lexus, which makes the Lexus with similar capabilities very attractive. 

Infiniti Q50 vs Lexus IS 350

The Infiniti Q50 is a good rival to the Lexus IS 350 as they have a lot of similarities. But, the Lexus does outdo the Q50 in many aspects, except for rear-seat space. The Infiniti Q50 is a bit cheaper than the Lexus IS 350 but, we would go for the Lexus.

Cadillac ATS vs Lexus IS 350

The Cadillac ATS is more powerful and is slightly higher priced than the Lexus as well. But, The Lexus does provide better range than the ATS and also more trunk space (marginally). However, the Lexus IS 350 does offer a lot of features as standard making this a much better option of the two.

The Lexus IS 350 is a well-equipped sedan with adequate power from a 3.5-liter engine, good ride, and comes with a lot of features including two drivetrain options. The F-sport is the sportier option, even though the ride is stiffer and the handling sharper, the car is as comfortable as the standard trim.