Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
19 -21 City / 27 -30 HWY
Horsepower
204
Seats
4 -5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Timothy W
Sleek, modern luxury car with plenty of features.
Vehicle handles very smoothly. Interior design is sleek, comfortable and luxurious. The leather interior, dashboard design and great sound system all live up to the Lexus name. The engine is long lasting and reliable and maintenance issues are rare. With proper fuel, the vehicle gets great gas mileage as well.
accountCircle Lacy F
It is runs just as perfect as the day I bought it.
I have never had any issues with my car. I love it and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a new vehicle.
accountCircle Chrissy C
Love my Lexus! Most reliable & most luxurious ride.
Only con is the gas mileage. It is not horrible but it could be better. Rides like a dream & is a strong vehicle under the hood. I love my car. It has a backup camera. Comfortable front seating but does have limited leg space in the rear. Love the added shade in the back window. I would recommend 10/10.
accountCircle Victoria V
If I were to get another car, I would upgrade to a newer iOS
There are no real problems with my car. I had bought it used and the previous owner took good care of it. The vehicle has two different tire sizes, with the larger tires in the back. The car is smooth and accelerates quickly without lag. The seats have coolers and warmers. The car is not spacious, so I wouldn't recommend this as a family car.
accountCircle Tech Y
Lexus is 250 review of performance and features.
The Lexus is 250 sedan has a high quality interior. It also has high tech features, performance, and reliability. The small size and interior is comfortable. Also easy to handle and a reliable brand and company. It has reasonably priced maintenance requirement for a luxury car.
accountCircle Jane J
Maintenance is easy since it's a highly reliable car
Luxurious, heated and cooled seats, lumbar support, moon/sunroof
accountCircle Katrina S
Interested in a new AWD car. How about a Lexus is 250?
Vehicle is very comfortable. Reliable, has tiptronic transmission, abs braking system. Vehicle is very heavy, so when it snows car can be pushed around really easy if you do not have good snow tires. Heating and cooled seats, really no bad problems overall.
accountCircle Kim R
A simple Lexus is250 review how I feel about owning it.
I like style and performance of my car. It handles well and drives very smooth. I have had no major issues with my car and has been very reliable. It is also great on fuel mileage. I do not necessarily like the fact that I have to put in premium fuel because it is very expensive.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Rebecca A
It is not a family car. It is way too small.
It is too small. I do like the gas mileage. I do not like having to put premium gasoline in it. It is been very reliable. It has 106,000 miles.
accountCircle Gary T
This car has everything I was looking for...
I am very pleased with the car I own right now. It fits my style and is very comfortable. I recommend this car to anyone who enjoys a small car that is a bit low. It includes cool features as well. It also drives so smooth! Everything about this car so far has exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this model to of vehicle to anyone looking to buy a used vehicle.
accountCircle Connie V
My compact luxury car is perfect for a single person.
It is a nice driving car but it is compact. Not much room. It runs nice and is fully loaded just not big enough for me.
accountCircle Bayleigh T
My vehicle is a cute sporty car. The computer on the dash is also really awesome.
The seats are not that comfortable. The doors do not lock anymore. And the lights under the door are both broken and I am not sure how they broke. The seats are not that comfortable. The doors do not lock anymore. And the lights under the door are both broken and I am not sure how they broke.
accountCircle Chris O
My car has heated and cooled front seats which is nice is all weather conditions.
I like this car, but I feel that I am a little too tall to drive it at almost 6'. My legs come up right to the steering wheel when it is at its highest setting. It is hard to get my wallet out to pay for something. Other than that no complaints. It is a comfortable ride and has nice features.
accountCircle Amy N
The car is a very good luxury car to drive
The car is very well and drives smoothly. There is early any problems with driving the car. At times the car takes long to speed up
accountCircle mimi m
It's nice looking but doesn't corner that well. A solid, reliable vehicle.
My vehicle has nice features. A built in Navigation System that I never use. It is nice looking. Four doors and drives OK.

Lexus IS Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
4dr Sport Sdn Man RWD
204 HP 22 MPG 5 Seats
car
4dr Sport Sdn Auto RWD
204 HP 25 MPG 5 Seats
car
4dr Sport Sdn Auto AWD
204 HP 22 MPG 5 Seats
car
2dr Conv Man
204 HP 22 MPG 4 Seats
car
2dr Conv Auto
204 HP 25 MPG 4 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Lexus IS Owner Reviews

4.42
59 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 58%
4 stars 31%
3 stars 10%
2 stars 0%
1 star 2%
accountCircle Katie H on June 5, 2021
Sleek, reliable sports car.
I have had my car for three years. I have always had Lexus and Toyota products, and other than general maintenance, I have never had any issues with it. I prefer Lexus over Toyota, as the design is more appealing, but have found that both are incredibly reliable. The only reason for my 4 stars, is because I miss having an SUV. Other than that, I love the car! It is sleek and quick. The interior is made of quality and holds up to normal wear and tear. The drive is quiet and comfortable. Overall, I would recommend this car and Lexus as a whole to anybody inquiring.
accountCircle Natalie S on April 1, 2021
Love my car, but I could love it more!
I love my car, but I have had problems with it recently. My driver’s side door would not open with the remote, so that costed over $500 to fix. I am now having the same problem with a door in the rear. The back tires are a different size than the front tires, so you cannot rotate the tires ever. I wish it had a backup camera.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled James E.

Heated, cooled seats was the most important feature for me, luxury of the brand, smooth nice ride, always wanted a luxury car and Lexus had this majestical fit to it that I always wanted. I like driving it around.

likeFilled Timothy W.

It is one of the smoothest rides I have ever driven. It has a plethora of luxury qualities and features that make it enjoyable to drive. It handles and accelerates well. I love the all leather interior and the heated and cooled front seats. The touchscreen display makes it easy to switch between navigation, phone calls and audio features.

likeFilled Jasi Z.

It has an USB for music, it runs and drives very smoothly, and it is small so I could easily place it in my garage. I love that the car has a big screen to show the radio and it has a GPS built into the system.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled James E.

Very pricey, everything costs a lot. Already replaced 2 headlights and they were outrageous in price to replace them. Not even a cheaper option. It was either pay the higher amount or have no headlights.

dislikeFilled Timothy W.

The biggest con of the vehicle is the size and amount of space. Because I am taller, I cannot set my seat to a comfortable setting without making it impossible or at least uncomfortable for someone to sit behind me. Aside from space, sometimes the audio when switching from playing music on aux to receiving a phone call can be glitchy. Also the trunk space could be larger.

dislikeFilled Jasi Z.

It is too small for bigger sized people. It will not be big enough when I go on vacation with my family. The car is just really small and that is the only problem I really have with it. It is a beautiful car and there are not many problems.

Ranks #10 Luxury Small Cars by Owners

The 2012 Lexus IS has an average owner rating of 4.43 out of 5 which ranks it #10 of 16 other Luxury Small Cars.

1
car
4.75
2
car
4.61
10
car
4.42

Ranks #3 Luxury Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Lexus IS has a combined MPG of 30 which ranks it #3 of 16 other Luxury Small Cars.

1
car
42 MPG
2
car
31 MPG
3
Tie
car
30 MPG

Is The 2012 Lexus IS A Good Car?

Yes, I love it, I has taken me everywhere I need all these years since I got it, it is internal heating, it is motor, how fast it can go, this car is truly a dream.
Adrian G.
It is a great car - wonderful ride with all the bells and whistles. Love the smooth ride and the hardtop convertible.
Christy S.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Lexus IS?

I have had a few issues with it yes, but that seems to be normal from a car seven (almost eight) years old, like switching the swipers, continuously changing the oil, replacing the battery, those are... Read More
Adrian G.
It has been a great car, though lately has had some problems with the electrical system. The backup camera has started malfunctioning.
Christy S.

Is The 2012 Lexus IS A Good Value?

I believe nowadays is about 13,000 - 20,000 depending on it is condition, I think it is a good car to invest in, the few issues I mentioned earlier they're minor as in they only happen every few... Read More
Adrian G.
I paid $19,000 for it used. I think it is a great value because of the reliability that Lexus is known for.
Christy S.

Related Articles for 2012 Lexus IS

From the Vehicle History blog

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2008 Lexus IS Review: An Excellent Used Luxury Compact, but not Worth $10,000
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2007 Lexus IS Review: If Any 2007 Sedan is Worth $10,000, the Lexus IS is

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2012 lexus is250 oil type?

Answer: The 2012 Lexus IS 250 has a 2.5 L V6 engine that needs 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil in all temperatures. The difference between synthetic and conventional is that synthetic is man made using chemical compounds and...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Not Rated

Rollover

Side

Not Rated
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety