2012 Lexus IS F Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Lexus IS F overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 IS F, and includes Lexus IS F safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Lexus IS F is the brand’s answer to genuine sports cars like the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. This four-door, four-passenger, rear-drive sedan builds on the impressive IS 250/350 foundation by adding a powerful V8, a more capable chassis, and enhancements including aggressive bodywork and sport seats.

Lexus’s first true sport sedan, the IS F, races into 2012 with its potent V8 engine and a few superficial tweaks. Outside, the most aggressive of all IS models sports redesigned alloy wheels and the option of Nebula Gray Pearl paint, while the IS F’s standard black interior is now available with red accents.

In an effort to lessen overall weight and maximize performance, some sport sedans are available in stripped down versions that are short of even basic convenience features.

The 2012 Lexus IS F is not one of those cars. And, frankly, with a beastly engine that helps the IS F reach 60 mph in less than five seconds, it doesn’t need to be.

As a result, buyers are treated to amenities like a two-tone leather interior, aluminum trim, power-adjustable and heated front sport seats with memory settings for the driver, a moonroof, and a 13-speaker audio system with XM satellite radio service, a USB port, Bluetooth audio compatibility, and a six-disc CD changer. The list of standard goods also includes 19-inch alloy wheels, auto-leveling HID headlights, a lower body kit and other exterior modifications, heated mirrors with integrated turn signals, a push-button ignition system, and a universal garage door opener.

As you might’ve assumed, items such as a navigation unit are reserved for the options column. This touch-screen system, which provides real-time traffic and weather information on a 90-day trial basis, can be operated via voice control, is coupled with a rearview camera, and includes Bluetooth hands-free calling capability as well as Lexus’s SafetyConnect telematics technology.

Among the 2012 IS F’s other available upgrades are parking sensors, headlight washers, intelligent cruise control, and a 14-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound audio system.

Visually, there’s no denying that the 2012 Lexus IS F is the brute of the IS lineup. Thankfully, the muscular appearance is backed up by some serious grunt under the hood. That’s where you’ll find a 5.0-liter, direct-injection V8 accompanied by a posse of 416 horses and 371 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a manual mode directs output to the rear wheels, which are joined together by a Torsen limited-slip differential.

Lexus suggests the 2012 IS F can sprint to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, and can continue to accelerate until reaching an electronically limited top speed of 170 mph. That kind of performance requires keeping the hammer down and, unfortunately, is not the best way to match EPA estimates of 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

The IS F’s strong powertrain is complimented by a sport-tuned chassis with oversized stabilizer bars and an electric power steering unit that is made more responsive when drivers activate the available Sport mode.

With big power comes the need for big brakes, which, in this case, are engineered and provided by Brembo. The physical components are part of an overall antilock braking system that includes electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.

Of course, there’s more to the 2012 Lexus IS F’s safety battalion, such as stability control; front, front-side, side-curtain, and front knee airbags; and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) technology with Normal and Sport settings. Lexus has also equipped the IS F with Safety Connect, an in-car communications system that alerts emergency personnel in the event of an accident or collision.

Crash-test scores for the IS F were not available when this article was originally written, and because of the V8 engine and revised front styling, it is inaccurate to transfer crashworthiness ratings for the standard IS Sedan to the IS F model.

Shifting to the reliability front, the verdict is out on the IS F. Consumer Reports hasn’t given a thumbs up or down for this sportier variant, but if the reliability of historical IS models holds true for the F variant, trouble is unlikely to come knocking. J.D. Power and Associates hasn’t made predictions for the 2012 IS lineup, but last year was expecting these Lexi to provide much better than average dependability over time.

In the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 APEAL Study, Lexus IS owners reported so much love for their cars that the model was named the Most Appealing model in its class.

The 2012 Lexus IS F may not be the fastest among luxury sport sedans, but it does exist as a very compelling alternative to long-time class leaders like the BMW M3 and Audi S4, especially if dependability and long-term cost of ownership are concerns. That being said, those German-bred competitors offer a level of polished and refined driving dynamics that the relatively new IS F doesn’t completely match.

By Thom Blackett