What are the best years of the Lexus IS300?

Among its newer years that came out Worthy, away from any Maybe or Pass year, the 2019 Lexus IS300 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year of the Lexus IS300 at the same age. A year few people bought can look the same. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Which Lexus IS300 years should I avoid?

The 2001 and 2002 Lexus IS300 are the years to avoid: Pass years come first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA against a typical year at the same age. 2001 came out Pass. 2002 came out Maybe. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Have any car inspected before you buy.

How do you decide which Lexus IS300 years are best?

Each model year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA are held up against a typical year of the Lexus IS300 at the same age, never against another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar. A year with at least 5 complaints and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 times when most are about costly parts such as the engine) is Worthy, unless its complaints about costly parts alone reach 2.5 times a typical year's, or the years on both sides of it came out Maybe or Pass. A Maybe or Pass on its complaints needs enough more of them to rule out chance. The best years named are the newer Worthy years with the fewest complaints for their age, never right next to a Maybe or Pass year, and the years to avoid are the Pass years first, then the Maybe years. The newest 2 model years are too new to judge. Complaints are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Best and worst Lexus IS300 years to buy

Every model year, judged against the others.

Best and worst IS300 years

Look for 2004, 2005 and 2019. Skip 2001. Careful with 2002.

Best years

Of the newer years to look for, the ones with the fewest owner complaints for their age. A year few people bought can look the same.

2019

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Every year at a glance

4Worthy
1Maybe
1Pass
3Not judged

2001, medium confidence, Pass35

Newest Worthy years

The most recent judged years that came out Worthy, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year.

Worthy
7 vs 3 typical

Lightest for their age

Other Worthy years with the fewest owner complaints against a typical year at the same age, none right next to a Maybe or Pass year. A year with few sales can look the same.

Every Worthy year of the IS300 we would point to is in the newest ones above.

Think twice

Judged years that came out Maybe or Pass: more complaints than a typical year, more about costly parts, or inside a run of problem years.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

How we judge a year

Each year’s owner complaints, held up against a typical year of the IS300 at the same age. Popular cars collect more complaints just by selling more, so a year is never compared with another model. The typical year leaves out years that were high themselves, so a run of bad years cannot set its own bar.

Worthy: At least 5 complaints, and under 2 times a typical year (1.2 if most are costly parts).
Maybe: 2 times a typical year or more, with at least 15 complaints. Or 2.5 times a typical year’s complaints about costly parts, with at least 25 of them. Or 1.2 times, with at least 25, most about costly parts. Too many to be chance each time. A year with a Maybe or Pass year on each side is Maybe too: it sits inside a run of problem years.
Pass: 3 times a typical year or more, with at least 25 complaints, too many to be chance.
Not judged: Too new (the newest 2 years), too few complaints, or too few to tell a real problem from chance.

Every rule, in full

Gathering every model year from NHTSA. The first look at a model can take a little while.

Best and worst IS300 years

Look for 2004, 2005 and 2019. Skip 2001. Careful with 2002.

Best years

Of the newer years to look for, the ones with the fewest owner complaints for their age. A year few people bought can look the same.

2019

Years to avoid

Pass years first, then the Maybe years with the most owner complaints against a typical year at the same age.

From owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Only years old enough to judge. Still have any car inspected.

Year	Verdict	Owner complaints	Top problem area
2019	Worthy	7	Wheels and tires
2018	Not judged	6	Fuel system
2017	Not judged	2	Suspension
2016	Not judged	3	Brakes
2005	Worthy	16	Body and frame
2004	Worthy	29	Body and frame
2003	Worthy	34	Body and frame
2002	Maybe	45	Body and frame
2001	Pass	35	Cruise and speed control

Best and worst IS300 years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Newest Worthy years

Lightest for their age

Think twice

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Best and worst IS300 years

Best years

Years to avoid

Every year at a glance

Newest Worthy years

Lightest for their age

Think twice