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New Lexus IS 300h unveiled – Starting at R841,300

Lexus has unveiled which new 2021 IS sedans will be available in South Africa.

The cars will be available to pre-order from the first week of April and are set to “garner the attention of enthusiasts”, said Lexus.

“What’s new for South Africa is that for the very first time, Lexus has decided to launch IS as a hybrid-only model,” said the company.

The three models available will be the IS 300h EX, IS 300h SE, and IS 300 F Sport.

“The hybrid market has shown immense growth on a global scale in the past five years and the shift from diesel to alternative-propulsion vehicles is expected to keep growing at a rapid rate.”

Styling and features

Standard features on the new Lexus IS range include 18-inch alloy wheels for the EX and SE – and 19-inch wheels for the F Sport.

An electric park brake, a new 10.3-inch touch display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and a pre-collision system for the SE grade and F Sport featuring daytime/night-time pedestrian detection are also fitted.

Additional features include daytime cyclist detection, all-speed active cruise control and lane tracing assist – on the SE and F Sport – and rear cross-traffic alert and brake.

“This is in addition to smart entry and start, heated and power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, and 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound for SE and F Sport grades,” said Lexus.

“The top-spec models also come standard with satellite navigation, voice control, and LED headlamps with automatic high-beam.”

The SE and F Sport grades receive the new Lexus Safety System, too, which supports pre-collision warning, pre-collision brake assist, and pre-collision braking.

It is also the first Lexus to offer emergency steering assist, which is designed to automatically apply additional steering torque to assist the driver in manoeuvring within a lane around an unforeseen obstacle.

Power and drive

Lexus has built the new IS to have a more rigid body and has complemented this with lighter suspension components.

“The advanced double-wishbone front suspension now features lighter and stronger components,” said Lexus.

“This includes a new high-stress material for the coil springs, an upper control arm material change from steel to aluminium, a reshaped and re-engineered bound stopper to reduce shock, and wheel bolt fasteners for improved axle rigidity and reduced unsprung mass.”

The car also sports a wider track at the front and back, and is the first Lexus to be tuned at the company’s “purpose-built mini Nurburgring test facility” in Japan.

On top of this, the F Sport model receives anti-dive and anti-squat control, as well as roll-attitude control.

An Sport S+ mode then provides for tighter damping control during “spirited driving” in the top-end model.

Active Cornering Assist is also available on all models, which is designed to maintain the most ideal vehicle posture when cornering, said Lexus.

Power is delivered via a petrol-hybrid 2.5 litre CVT engine which delivers a total system output of 164kW.

0-100km/h is achieved in 8.7 seconds, with a top speed of 200km/h, while fuel consumption is a claimed 5.2 litres per 100km.

Local pricing

South African pricing for the new Lexus IS range is listed below.

  • Lexus IS 300h EX – R841,300
  • Lexus IS 300h SE – R899,800
  • Lexus IS 300 F Sport – R916,100

10 exterior colour options are available to buyers, with three of the colours – Solar Storm Red, Poseidon Blue, and White Nova – exclusive to the F Sport model.

The EX and SE also offer an additional two exclusive colours: White Quartz and Morello Red.

All IS models receive a 7-year/105,000km warranty and full maintenance plan, with service intervals set at 15,000km or every 12 months.

Lexus IS 300h – Photos

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