The IS 300 returned for its fourth year in 2004. Conceived as a sport sedan, the IS was also the entry-level Lexus. So price combines with performance: a car with similar road manners to high performance GS, but priced lower than the ES. Unfortunately, sales of the IS had started to fall, as many reviewers continued to question its value in class verses the BMW 3-Series.
Changes for 2004 included only minor exterior trimming: new wheel design, new headlights, and darker trim around both the headlights and taillights. Inside, a memory function was added to the driver seat. The same 3.0 liter straight six power plant returned, making 215 horsepower and providing 218 pound-feet of torque. All ISs were rear wheel drive, but they were available with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. This was the last year that a limited slip differential would be available with the five-speed.
Many driver issues dealt with the interior being too Toyota-like. The focus of the IS was performance, but many owners felt that Lexus luxury had suffered because of it. The far more expensive GS series had a blend of sport and luxury, but the entry-level IS's fixtures and layout was often compared to the Corolla S. The Japanese luxury automaker had walked the line between sport and luxury with both the GS sedans and SC coupes, usually tipping towards luxury. However, the IS was a unique Lexus, and it embodied their continuing attempts to find new drivers.
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