Compare the2023 Lexus ISVS 2023 Toyota Camry

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The IS’ optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Camry doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The IS has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Camry’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the IS has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Camry.

Both the IS and the Camry have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus IS is safer than the Toyota Camry:

	IS	Camry
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	162	289
Spine Acceleration	28 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	438 lbs.	752 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	35 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The IS comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Camry’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the IS 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Camry. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Camry ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The IS’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Camry’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Camry isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

Engine

The IS has more powerful engines than the Camry:

	Horsepower	Torque
IS 300 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	241 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	260 HP	236 lbs.-ft.
IS 350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	311 HP	280 lbs.-ft.
IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8	472 HP	395 lbs.-ft.
Camry AWD 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	202 HP	182 lbs.-ft.
Camry 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	203 HP	184 lbs.-ft.
Camry XSE AWD 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	205 HP	185 lbs.-ft.
Camry XSE 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	206 HP	186 lbs.-ft.
Camry 3.5 DOHC V6	301 HP	267 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the IS 300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the Toyota Camry 4 cyl.:

	IS	Camry
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	15.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.6 MPH	90.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The IS has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Camry AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 14.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The IS has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Camry FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 15.8 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the IS’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Camry:

	IS	IS 500 Performance	Camry	Camry TRD
Front Rotors	13.1 inches	14 inches	12 inches	12.9 inches
Rear Rotors	11.7 inches	12.7 inches	11.06 inches	11.06 inches

The IS’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Camry are solid, not vented.

The IS stops much shorter than the Camry:

	IS	Camry
70 to 0 MPH	159 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the IS has larger standard tires than the Camry (235/45R18 vs. 215/55R17).

The IS 300’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Camry LE’s standard 55 series tires. The F Sport Design’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Camry XSE/TRD’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the IS 300 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Camry LE.

Suspension and Handling

The IS offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Camry’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The IS has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Camry doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The IS’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (54% to 46%) than the Camry’s (59.5% to 40.5%). This gives the IS more stable handling and braking.

The IS 350 F Sport handles at .93 G’s, while the Camry XLE pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The IS 500 Performance executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the Camry SE (25.2 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the IS’ turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Camry LE’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The IS AWD’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Camry AWD SE/XLE/XSE’s (35.4 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

Chassis

The IS is 6.7 inches shorter than the Camry LE/XLE, making the IS easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the IS’ trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Camry’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The IS’ standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Camry TRD doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the IS offers cargo security. The Camry’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the IS is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Camry. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The IS has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Camry doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 49% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the IS, the optional memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat (memory seat optional for the front passenger), steering wheel position and outside mirror angle. The Camry doesn’t offer a memory system.

The IS’ standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Camry doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The IS’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Camry does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The IS’ power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Camry’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The IS’ optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Camry’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the IS’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Camry’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the IS offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Camry doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Camry doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The IS’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Camry and aren’t offered on the Camry Nightshade/TRD.

When the IS with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Camry’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The IS’ optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Camry offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The IS offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Camry TRD doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The IS has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is not available on the Camry TRD.

Both the IS and the Camry offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the IS has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Camry doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the IS is less expensive to operate than the Camry because it costs $109 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the IS than the Camry, including $38 less for front brake pads, $25 less for a fuel pump and $176 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Camry isn’t in the top three in its category.

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