Lexus dropped a fresh update for the 2027 IS today, and it comes with a genuinely striking new color: Envious, a deep green exclusive to a new Special Appearance Package built off the IS 350 F SPORT. It’s a design-and-trim refresh rather than a mechanical one, but there’s a bigger story buried in the fine print — the IS lineup itself has been trimmed down to a single engine option for 2027.
Key Takeaways
- One engine, two grades. For 2027, the IS is offered exclusively as the IS 350 — the IS 300 and any other lower trims are gone. Just F SPORT Design and F SPORT, each available with or without AWD.
- New Special Appearance Package. Envious green paint, black 19-inch BBS forged alloy wheels, and a black NuLuxe/Ultrasuede interior with green stitching — built off the IS 350 F SPORT.
- 311 hp from a 3.5-liter V6, paired with an 8-speed automatic, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential on RWD models, and standard Adaptive Variable Suspension.
- Pricing starts at $47,545 for the IS 350 F SPORT Design and tops out at $51,845 for the F SPORT AWD; the 2027 model year arrives at dealers later this year.
The IS Lineup Just Got Simpler — and More Focused
The headline most outlets will miss: Lexus has quietly consolidated the 2027 IS down to a single engine. Every IS is now an IS 350, powered by the 3.5-liter V6 making 311 horsepower, split across two trims — F SPORT Design and F SPORT — each offered with rear- or all-wheel drive. There’s no longer a base IS 300 turbo-four in the U.S. lineup. Whatever you think about losing an entry-level option, it does mean every 2027 IS now comes with the V6, the 8-speed automatic, and (on RWD models) a Torsen limited-slip rear differential as standard equipment.
Envious: A Color Exclusive to the Special Appearance Package
The new Special Appearance Package is built specifically off the IS 350 F SPORT and centers on a color you can’t get anywhere else in the lineup: Envious, a deep, saturated green. Lexus pairs it with 19-inch black BBS forged alloy wheels — a genuine forged wheel upgrade rather than a badge-and-sticker package — and carries the theme inside with black NuLuxe-trimmed seats featuring Ultrasuede inserts, green contrast stitching, and satin chrome-colored trim accents. Buyers who want the standard IS 350 F SPORT Design without the green still get a long color list: Ultra White, Cloudburst Gray, Iridium, Caviar, Infrared, Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0, and Wind.
Inside, the cabin update leans on Lexus’s “Forged Bamboo” ornamentation on the center console and start switch bezel — real bamboo fiber pressed to create a layered “In-ei” shading effect — alongside a 12.3-inch Lexus Interface touchscreen and a matching 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. F SPORT Design models also gain a standard heated steering wheel for the 2027 model year, and every IS ships with a 10-speaker Lexus Premium Sound system as standard, with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson setup available as a factory option. Two USB-C ports sit up front alongside Gen5 Qi wireless charging, with two more USB-C ports for rear passengers.
Chassis and Safety: What Carries Over
Lexus frames the IS’s road manners under its broader “Lexus Driving Signature” initiative — part of what the brand calls its “Next Chapter” product philosophy, built around responsive, linear controls and confident handling. In practice, that means the IS keeps its sport-tuned Adaptive Variable Suspension, which continuously adjusts damping to balance daily comfort against sharper handling, plus Drive Mode Select for tuning throttle, steering, and transmission behavior from a relaxed Normal mode up to a sharper Sport S+ setting. Every 2027 IS also comes standard with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, bundling automatic high beams, Pre-Collision System with pedestrian detection, full-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert with steering assist, Road Sign Assist, and Proactive Driving Assist.
2027 Lexus IS Pricing
| Model | MSRP + DPH* |
|---|---|
| IS 350 F SPORT Design | $47,545 |
| IS 350 F SPORT Design AWD | $49,545 |
| IS 350 F SPORT | $49,845 |
| IS 350 F SPORT AWD | $51,845 |
The 2027 Lexus IS, Special Appearance Package included, is expected to reach dealerships later this year — Lexus hasn’t published a specific on-sale date or the package’s standalone price yet.
Recommended Product
If that Envious green IS lands in your driveway, a set of these fitted mud flaps is a cheap way to keep the rocker panels and that green paint free of road grime and winter salt — a set built for the exact same 2017-2026 IS platform underneath the new package.
Between the single-engine lineup and a genuinely distinct new color, Lexus is treating the IS’s final years before an eventual redesign as a chance to sharpen its identity rather than chase feature-sheet padding — a green paint job and forged wheels might be a small update, but it’s a confident one.
Would you spec the Envious green, or stick with a more traditional IS color? Let us know in the comments.
