(By Tom Lohnes) – With the recent debut of the all-new Acura TLX, which has made a great comeback from a rebadged accord to a 5-series fighting sport sedan, the bar is now set pretty high for Japanese sedans. And what do you think of when a Japanese sedan comes to mind? Well, you probably think of a Camry but I think of a Lexus LS400. With that mark, Lexus has a new sedan coming out and it is not as big as an LS. Enter the 2021 Lexus IS.

With the new F30 generation of BMW 3-series out this year, Audi’s sporty A4 getting a refresh, and Mercedes updating their C-class, the new IS is in some tough competition right now. Offering a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 for the entry-level IS300 with 241 horsepower and a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 for the IS350 pumping out 352 horsepower, the IS is lagging behind BMW’s 330i with 255 horses and M340i with 382. What it doesn’t lag behind in though, is driving experience. Over the past few years BMW’s have gotten numb, and the Lexus will bring a new light into that segment, because it is rumored to be keeping its hydraulic power steering. Now, will this new generation have an ISF? Well, probably yes, but not as you think. With the LS500 having a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with 416 horsepower, that engine will likely find its way into an IS over the next few years.

Out of all of these sports sedans, the Lexus IS probably making the most sense to buy. It is made by Toyota, so chances are it will last you a while, and it is likely going to undermine the price of a 3 series by about $5,000.