Lexus IS350 (XE20) review: the V6 sport sedan Bahrain buyers still trust
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The IS350 is the used sport sedan that rewards patience: find a facelifted (2011+) example with full service history and the 2GR-FSE V6 and eight-speed automatic combination is close to unbreakable, while the chassis still holds its own against much younger rivals in a straight line and through a roundabout. The known watch-item is the electric power steering pump on early cars, not the drivetrain.
Pros
- 306 hp 2GR-FSE V6 with a near-bulletproof drivetrain reputation
- Genuinely composed rear-wheel-drive chassis, still competitive against newer rivals
- Facelifted (2011+) cars add Pre-Collision System and an eight-speed automatic
- Strong Euro NCAP 5-star safety rating for its era
Cons
- Electric power steering pump on pre-facelift cars is a known watch-item
- Firmer ride than an ES or GS makes rough sections of road more noticeable
- Rear seat and boot space are compact for the segment
- Fuel consumption of a 3.5-litre V6 is noticeably higher than a comparable four-cylinder rival
Where the first IS300 was a firm-riding statement of intent, the XE20-generation IS350 is the car where Lexus worked out how to build genuine V6 performance into a sedan that still rode acceptably on Bahrain's daily roads. The 3.5-litre 2GR-FSE, shared with the contemporary GS and later the RC coupe, brought 306 hp to a chassis that was already sorted, and the result is a used sport sedan that has aged into one of the more trusted choices in its class.
The 2010/2011 facelift is the meaningful dividing line for buyers: later cars got a sharper front end, the eight-speed automatic replacing the original six-speed, and Lexus's first Pre-Collision System on higher grades. It is worth paying the premium for a facelifted car if the budget allows.
Reliability, with one caveat
The 2GR-FSE engine family carries the same reputation for durability as every other V6 Lexus built around it, and the transmission — six-speed or eight-speed depending on year — has no notable pattern of failure at normal Gulf mileages. The one item Bahrain workshops flag consistently on early (pre-facelift) cars is the electric power steering pump, which can develop a whine or intermittent assist loss; it is a known, fixable item rather than a reason to avoid the car.
On Bahrain's roads
The IS350 pulls hard enough in the mid-range to make merging onto the King Fahd Causeway approach effortless, and the rear-wheel-drive chassis stays composed through the tighter roundabouts around Seef and Juffair where a front-wheel-drive rival would understeer earlier. It trades some ride comfort for that — expansion joints are felt more than in an ES — which is the honest cost of the sportier tune.