The Lexus IS Luxury Sedan: A Stealthy Exit from the Vietnamese Market

Since the start of 2024, Vietnamese customers have witnessed the disappearance of several car models, such as the Mazda BT-50 and the Toyota Yaris. Now, another vehicle has “vanished” from the product lineup – the Lexus IS.

It is unclear why Lexus removed the name IS from its product catalog on its official website. This could indicate that this luxury sedan has been discontinued in Vietnam.

With the IS gone, the Lexus brand in Vietnam is now left with 7 models: NX, RX, GX, LX, ES, LS, and LM. The price range for Lexus vehicles in the country will now be from VND 2.62 billion to VND 9.61 billion.

Previously, the IS was the most affordable Lexus model in Vietnam, with a price range of VND 2.13 billion to VND 2.8 billion for four versions. It was also the smallest luxury sedan in the Lexus lineup, competing with the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The Lexus IS was launched in the Vietnamese market in 2021 with a stylish and sporty design. It featured the brand’s signature “spindle” grille, square LED headlights with 3 projectors, L-shaped LED daytime running lights, connected taillights, dual exhaust pipes, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The interior of the IS offered a premium experience with leather upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats with heating and cooling functions, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker audio system, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Under the hood, the Lexus IS offered two engine options in Vietnam. Lower-end models were equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 241 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The higher-end version featured a hybrid powertrain combining a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor for a total output of 220 horsepower.

However, the Lexus IS lacked the advanced Lexus Safety Sense suite. Instead, it offered active cornering assist, traction control, hill-start assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, electronic stability control, and eight airbags.

In the first half of 2024, Lexus sold a total of 687 luxury vehicles in Vietnam. The brand has cumulatively sold 12,963 vehicles in the country since its launch.