How many miles can a Lexus IS 350 last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand IS 350, that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Lexus IS 350 lasts between 190.000 – 210.000 miles. An IS 350 needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.68 times per year, with a 9% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, IS 350 owners spend an average of $543 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles a IS 350 can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a IS 350 costs per year and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Lexus IS 350 Last?
First, we need to have a look at the Lexus IS 350 as a group. In order to do this, we went to autotrader.com and gathered the data of the 600 IS 350s that are currently for sale. From there on, we divided the sample group into groups based on the number of miles they had driven.
The results are displayed in the table below. What we can see from this is the fact that 3.33% of 350s that are for sale in the US market have a mileage of 150.000 or higher. By itself, this number doesn´t say a lot. However, we´ve written 100+ articles similar articles for different vehicles. From this, we know that a number between 3-5% is typically considered to be good. The IS 350 does score at the lower end of that range, but it´s still a good number nonetheless.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 3.33% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 8.83% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 38.51% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 49.33% |
However, there´s more to it than that. For example, we also see that a large percentage of IS 350s haven´t even crossed the 45.000 miles mark yet. This means Lexus has been selling a lot of new IS 350s in the past years which drags down the percentage of vehicles that did cross the 150.000 miles mark. Therefore, we have to do more research to come to a proper conclusion.
How Reliable Is A Lexus IS 350 Compared To Its Competitors?
One of the most important things that can tell us whether or not the IS 350 actually reliable is to look at competitors. The data from the competitors will give us a better understanding of the playing field, and we will be able to set benchmarks for the IS 350.
In the table below we´ve gathered data for competitors of the IS 350. Please keep in mind that we´ve written separate articles for every single vehicle in the table. Therefore, we´re confident in the results that we display below.
| Model | Sample Size | Expected Mileage | Highest Mileage |
| Lexus IS 350 | 600 | 200.000 | 230.000 |
| Acura TL | 877 | 255.000 | 330.000 |
| BMW 3 Series | 10.398 | 240.000 | 250.000 |
| Mazda 6 | 2.915 | 215.000 | 290.000 |
| Infiniti G35 | 331 | 220.000 | 250.000 |
| Audi A4 | 3.963 | 190.000 | 250.000 |
In the table above we can see that the numbers differ drastically between model years. For example, the IS 350 scores on the lower end of the range. The highest mileage we´ve seen on this model is 230.000 which isn´t staggering by itself. Overall, we expect the car to last around 200.000 miles.
On the other hand, there are the Acura TL and the BMW 3-series which score in the 240.000 – 255.000 range. That´s very respectable, especially for a luxury vehicle that tends to drive fewer miles than non-luxury vehicles.
The Lexus IS 350 is very comparable to the Infiniti G35 and Audi A4 in terms of the fact they´re all luxury vehicles. Overall we would say that the IS 350 is very average in terms of its potential mileage. It does seem there´re better options on the market at first glance.
How Reliable Is A Lexus IS 350 Compared To Other Lexus?
Furthermore, we also feel it´s important to compare the IS 350 to other Lexus vehicles. The reason for this is the fact that this will give us an understanding of how reliable the brand is as a whole and if there´re alternatives within the lineup of Lexus.
What becomes clear from the data below is that Lexus does seem to put up quite a strong performance as a brand. The ES 350 is definitely one of the best-performing vehicles in terms of lifespan. However, the RX 350, IS 350 and the LS and GS series all put up respectable numbers as well.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Lexus ES 350 | 5.133 | 162 | 3.16% | 290.000 |
| Lexus RX 350 | 7.292 | 281 | 3.85% | 250.000 |
| Lexus IS 350 | 600 | 20 | 3.33% | 230.000 |
| Lexus LS | 1.452 | 200 | 13.77% | 350.000 |
| Lexus NX (2015 onwards) | 3.624 | 15 | 0.41% | 200.000 |
| Lexus GS | 1.544 | 121 | 7.84% | 270.000 |
What´s interesting about this is that these strong numbers are coming from a brand that makes vehicles in the upper segments of the market. Typically these brands are known for delivering luxury vehicles that don´t last that long. However, the numbers in the table above suggest that Lexus is capable of putting up a strong reliability benchmark as well.
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
Another important aspect to discuss when talking about the reliability of a vehicle is how much you can expect to pay in annual maintenance costs. To gather this data we went to Repairpal.com and Caredge.com.
What we found is that you can expect to pay an average of $543 per year for maintaining an IS 350. This is a good number. For reference, typically you would have to spend $739 annually to keep a midsized luxury vehicle on the road. Therefore, the IS 350 does really well.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 2009 | $469 |
| 2010 | $481 |
| 2011 | $469 |
| 2012 | $545 |
| 2013 | $589 |
| 2014 | $625 |
| 2015 | $588 |
| 2016 | $536 |
| 2017 | $548 |
| 2018 | $450 |
| 2019 | $387 |
| 2020 | $313 |
| 2021 | $266 |
| 2022 | $236 |
What we can also conclude from this table is the fact that all model years of the IS 350 are putting up strong numbers. From this data, it does seem like there´s no model year that stands out in a negative way.
Owners’ Reviews Of The IS 350s Reliability
Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the IS 350. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Cars.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.
Overall, it does seem like owners are very positive about this generation of the IS 350. Positive points that are frequently mentioned are the luxury feel of the vehicle and its impeccable styling. However, we did notice there´s one main negative that´s often mentioned and that´s the power that the IS 350 provides.
The current IS 350 provides 311 horsepower which is plenty but it´s definitely a step down from the IS 500 which has 472 horsepower. The quote below sums up the sentiment about the IS 350 perfectly.
This car is super fun! Handles corners awesomely. Lots of power, slightly expensive but not too crazy. I feel like I would buy this car again but I would like the IS500 version in the future for a bit more power.
Source, 2021 owner
Lexus IS 350 Common Problems
If you´re in the market for an IS 350, you have to know some common problems that will occur on many of the units. In the subheading below, we´ve given you a solid summary of the problems. For a more extensive look, read this article about the problems of the IS 350 we wrote earlier.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
Third Generation Problems (2013 – Present)
Before we jump into the potential problems of the Lexus IS 350 we have to mention that there aren´t many to begin with. We looked at many trusted sources on the web, including the website of the NHTSA, but we can do very little else than conclude that the IS 350 is just a very solidly built car.
The most complained about model year is the 2014 one, and even that one only received 14 complaints on the website of the NHTSA. Furthermore, the 2013 one received 4 recalls but practically all model years after that received none or only one.
However, let´s still sum up what kind of recalls were issued for what model years and what other small problems you should look out for:
- 2013 – 2015 and 2018 – 2019 model years received a recall for a failing fuel pump that caused engine stalling (20V012000 or 20V682000)
- 2013 – 2017 model years are under investigation for faulty Takata airbags, not Lexus their fault. Investigation number EA21002.
- The 2013 model year received three recalls for faulty frontal airbags, as well as a recall for a leaking fuel diagram.
Also read: Types Of Gas A Lexus IS 350 Takes (Explained)
Is a Lexus IS 350 A Smart Buy?
Finally, we have to answer the question of whether or not the IS 350 is a smart buy or not. In terms of potential mileage that you can drive with the car we would say the IS 350 isn´t anything special. Yes, it still puts up a respectable 200.000 potential miles, but there´re competitors that simply do much better.
However, there´re certainly positive points as well. For example, maintenance costs are far below average which is going to make everybody happy. Furthermore, owner reviews are positive across the board except for the lack of power that the 3.5 V6 engine has in the current generation of the IS 350.
Finally, and this is an important one, the IS 350 is practically free of problems. Yes, there were some recalls here and there, but the fact that Lexus only receives a handful of complaints per model year on the website of the NHTSA is something we rarely see.
Therefore, it does seem that the IS 350 is a reliable vehicle. However, be aware that it will most likely reach the end of its lifespan at the 200.000 miles mark.
Lexus IS 350 Maintenance Schedule
If you want to keep your Lexus IS 350 healthy for a longer period of time, then you must have it regularly maintained. If your IS 350 is regularly maintained, you wouldn’t have to spend a lot on expensive repairs, and your precious Lexus will go a long way before finally going to heaven.
Before/On Every 10,000 Miles
- Before every 10k miles, you have to change the engine oil, preferably, before 7k miles to have the best possible performance and reliability.
- Brake inspections
- Tire pressure check
- Diagnosis for any check engine lights
- Oil filter replacement
- Check for any oil leaks
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- Power steering check
- Exhaust system check
- Transmission fluid level check
- Fuel lines inspection to make sure that there is no leakage
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Change fuel filter
- Flush and change hydraulic fluid
- Service fuel injectors
- Inspect the valve cover gasket, and replace it if necessary.
- Inspect the timing chain whether it’s in sync or not.
Note: If you regularly add extremely high-quality cans of petroleum to your gas tank, you can save some bucks on servicing internal components as the petroleum would do the cleaning job without needing to open anything.
You can look up the term Sea Foam or something similar to any other brand of your choosing, and by adding that to your tank, the internals of your engine will remain happy.
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Replace the spark plug if the spark is orange
- Rotate or replace the brake rotors as per requirement
- Clean the fuel system. But if you regularly use the sea foam, you can save some bucks.
- You might consider changing the timing chain at this point, as in most cases, by this time, the timing chain starts jumping, and that is not good, you will also hear a lot of rattles from the engine if the timing chain has lost its synchronization and has worn out.
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!