Lexus announces the discontinuation of the IS in Japan

It’s the end of the line for the third-generation Lexus IS. After an entire decade, the rear-wheel drive coupe will be sunset in the automaker’s home country of Japan in November 2025.

If you visit the Japanese site of the model, you will be greeted with a message that reads:

“IS500 / IS300 End-of-life notice

Thank you for considering our vehicles. The IS500 / IS300 will be discontinued in November 2025.

Sales will end when the order reaches the production volume by November.

Depending on the time of consideration, there may be packages that have been discontinued. Please contact your LEXUS dealer for more information.”

For some context, Lexus has discontinued the V6-powered IS350 in Japan for a good while, leaving only the four-cylinder IS300, the hybrid  IS300h, and the fire-breathing IS500 as the only available variants in its home market.

Only a few regions still sell the IS, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, and its biggest market, the United States.

All IS models are sourced from the Tahara plant in Aichi, meaning that while the announcement is currently meant for the Japanese market, the halting of the production line in November means that the rest of the world will follow suit.

While the market for rear-wheel drive luxury sport sedans has been dwindling, the IS has always been one of the last bastions for the segment, especially for offering both a naturally aspirated V6 and V8. We can only hope that the successor in mind will retain its fun-to-drive nature.

Photo by Sam Surla