Lexus IS 350: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
The Lexus IS 350 has 15 model year(s) in the federal index and no scored complaint record yet, so this page carries the catalogue entry and the years we hold rather than a verdict.
Lexus IS 350: which years to avoid
Across 10 scored model years the Lexus IS 350 ranges from 76/100 in 2011 to 92/100 in 2024 — a 16-point spread, so which year you buy matters.
Safest years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
How the IS 350 changed, run by run
The federal record falls into 3 stretches of years that behave alike. A redesign shows up here as a step in the complaint rate that then holds.
2011–2015
Mean score 84/100. 14 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2018–2019
Mean score 88/100. 3 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2022–2024
Mean score 90/100, about 1 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Visibility more than anything else (2 complaints).
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,830 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 92 | BUY | $4,230 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 88 | BUY | $4,392 | 5 | 0 |
| 2022 | 91 | BUY | $4,519 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,640 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,530 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 87 | BUY | $4,670 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 | 90 | BUY | $4,810 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,100 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,240 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 90 | BUY | $5,680 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | 90 | BUY | $5,720 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 84 | BUY | $5,660 | 0 | 3 |
| 2012 | 80 | BUY | $5,950 | 0 | 5 |
| 2011 | 76 | BUY | $6,290 | 0 | 7 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
IS 350 sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the IS 350 on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Lexus IS 350
Across every IS 350 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Visibility2 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Glass, wiper or defogger repair$490–$1,200
- Structure2 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
- Fuel/Propulsion System2 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Engine2 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Suspension1 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle$780–$1,580
- Service Brakes1 complaints across all IS 350 years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Lexus IS 350 years to buy?
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2024 at 92/100, on 1 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Lexus IS 350 problem?
2 of the complaints filed against the IS 350 across all its model years sit in the Visibility group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04