The Lexus IS has been discontinued in South Africa, bringing an end to a legacy that dates back 27 years.
As first reported by Cars.co.za, the IS has been pulled from Lexus South Africa’s website, and the company has since confirmed that the model has been pulled from the proverbial shelf.
Lexus explained that the decision was made in response to shifting expectations from its buyers, as sedans have waned in popularity over the past few years.
“We can confirm that the Lexus IS has been discontinued in South Africa and this reflects the significant shift in customer preferences away from traditional sedans towards SUVs,” it told the publication.
“For us, this means aligning our product offering with market trends, particularly the strong demand for premium SUVs, as seen with the introduction of the Lexus GX locally last year.”
The GX is, of course, the Lexus equivalent to the Toyota Prado Adventure SUV, and both vehicles have proven to be a massive success for their respective brands in South Africa.
Sedans have long been a cornerstone of the luxury car segment, with the IS standing as a rival to other big names like the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and BMW 3 Series.
However, all of these cars have seen a gradual drop in demand as the current SUV craze extends into every facet of the modern automotive landscape.
The decision to axe the IS mirrors BMW Group South Africa’s decision to put an end to the production of the 3 Series at its Rosslyn plant in Gauteng a few years ago.
Instead, BMW opted to produce the X3 SUV, citing the enormous global demand for such vehicles for the pivot.
As for the IS, the decision to send the sedan off to farm upstate isn’t without reason. Sales of the Lexus dwindled to double-digit figures in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In contrast, Bloomberg reported in January 2026 that the GX is shattering records for the brand in countries around the world, with more than 360,000 orders in the US alone.
It highlighted that 2026 is shaping up to be a breakout year for Lexus, due in large part to the fact that more than 80% of its roster now consists of crossovers and SUVs.
South Africa is no exception to this trend, as the GX is the best-performing model the brand has seen in a long time.
The downside is that sedan enthusiasts are saying goodbye to more and more options, as the ES is now the sole remaining Lexus sedan in South Africa.
The IS is not being discontinued worldwide, mind you, as an updated version is scheduled to make its global debut in the near future, but this version will not be coming to our market.
It marks the end for a nameplate that traces its roots all the way back to 1999 with the launch of the first-generation models.
The second-gen units debuted in 2006, and the third-gen models have been with us since 2013.
Lexus going electric
The newest Lexus to touch down in South Africa is the RZ – the brand’s first fully-electric vehicle.
Another crossover, the RZ marks the start of the premium brand’s transition towards an electric-first lineup.
“Electrification is no longer positioned as an alternative powertrain; it now forms the very foundation of the Lexus driving experience, shaping everything from platform architecture to driver engagement,” said the company.
It is currently available in three specifications – the EX, SE, and F Sport – and a fourth range-topping unit, the F Sport Performance, will be added in the near future.
All versions make use of two electric motors paired to a high-capacity battery, which provides a range of between 450km and 500km.
The RZ is the first electric car sold by the Toyota Group in South Africa, though Toyota plans to launch the bZ4x to its catalogue later this year.
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