2019 Lexus IS

Lexus IS

Lexus’s IS sedan has always played the outsider in a segment obsessed with badges and spec sheets, and that’s still true today. You’re up against the BMW 3 Series, C-Class, and Audi A4, all of which you’ll spot every five minutes on William Nicol or the M3. Not so much with the IS — just four used examples are listed anywhere in South Africa, with prices from R239,900 up to R489,500. That’s a massive spread, and it screams that condition and trim vary wildly. No new stock available at all, so buyers are locked into the used market. Powertrains include the IS 200T’s 2.0-litre turbo petrol and the hybrid setups in the IS 300h EX and IS 300 Hybrid, both starting around R449,500. Gearboxes are automatic, with the odd dual-clutch thrown in depending on year and variant. Most used IS sedans you’ll see are 2016–2021 models, averaging just below 99,000 km. That’s a lot of mileage for a car that’s nudging half a bar, especially when rivals’ buyers are famously picky about odometers. Still, the IS 200T EX at R239,900 looks like solid value on paper at least, especially if you pack smart and play the long game. Lexus’s interiors are a real highlight here, because they’ve stuck to physical controls and proper materials — no fiddly haptic sliders or endless touchscreen menus, which is what the IS should have been from the start. The hybrids suit Joburg and Cape Town perfectly; you actually see the fuel savings in stop-go traffic, not just on spec sheets. The catch? With just four cars on the market, buying an IS is less about choice and more about patience.