5 Reasons the IS 300 is One of The Coolest Cars Ever

Great Bone Structure

The IS300 is a great car, no matter what you think about the aesthetic property this 4 door understated vehicle possesses. That’s because a lot of the basic properties that make a sports car enjoyable to drive are found underneath its skin. Front engine and rear wheel drive, the weight comes in right around 3,300-3,400 lbs and was even offered with a 6-speed manual J160 transmission. Seats are comfortable enough to go on a relative long trip and you can fit 4 of your friends with you on the journey. All is well and good so far.

2JZ-GE

Made famous by the MK4 Supra as well as the original Fast and Furious film, the 2JZ has become known around the world as one of the best straight-6 platforms to build a monster slayer out of. Well, Toyota happened to make a non-turbocharged version of this engine that can be mildly upgraded, called the 2JZ-GE and that’s the engine you can get in the 3.0-liter IS300. Add a turbo kit and you pretty much have a 4 door Supra on the cheap.

>>Join the conversation about the first-gen IS 300 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Huge Aftermarket

Because of the engine, this car kind of has an aftermarket following of people who want something different. You can find a lot of high-performance parts from coilovers to bushings that will provide ample improvement to an already good base platform. Everything from drifting to track days has been done with these cars, which makes them ideal for someone who wants to get into driving on the cheap. They’re great beaters that are pretty simple to work on and don’t cost an arm and a leg.

>>Join the conversation about the first-gen IS 300 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Low Key Fast

How many times has an IS300 driven by you that has made you stop what you were doing to gawk at it? Almost never. That’s a huge appeal of these vehicles to many enthusiasts: you get an engine that can do some damage without setting off alarms that scream “pull me over and write me a ticket.” By all means, this is a reserved car that flies way below the radar in day-to-day traffic. It’s a good looking car, but not too good looking. Definitely a perk. The one in this photo makes over 1,000whp by the way.

>>Join the conversation about the first-gen IS 300 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

You can Get a Wagon

2000 model years saw the AS300 come to market in the form of a wagon with the same 2JZ-GE six-cylinder engine. Since there is nothing cooler than a fast station wagon—let alone one with a 2JZ—this makes the IS300 one of the most versatile cars that has ever been made. You can get everything you want out of a car from one of these, without having to break the bank or pay big insurance premiums. If anything, Lexus needs to bring a car like this back. There is definitely room for their name in the cheap sport compact market.

>>Join the conversation about the first-gen IS 300 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

For help with do-it-yourself maintenance and modifications projects, check out our how-to section.