u/jpiw6

Swapped the chrome “IS 500” badge on the trunk for a black one to match the rest of the trim. Happy with how it turned out.

I’ll rate myself a 3.5/5 for workmanship haha. The two 0s are slightly different widths. Yikes.

I just used a hairdryer and some fishing line. Took about 5 minutes.

The matte black wheels turn bronze after about 400 miles lol

Went on a 400 mile one-way road trip today. I left the house with black wheels

Any tips from the group? Are there brake pads y’all like?

I’m not really usually one to detail my car very often. I usually get it detailed when I get my oil changed.

This is the IS 500 ultimate edition with the bigger Brembo brakes.

Been looking forward to my first road trip in the IS, and it did not disappoint! Got another one next week.

Finally got a chance to let the engine breathe on some windy roads. Pure joy.

Quick review notes:
- fun
- the seat is super comfy even after 4+ hours nonstop
- the engine roars are so fun in the upper rpms
- even in sport s+ mode most of the way, I was able to get 24 mpg. Super nice bonus
- it is almost too effortless to get up to 90+ mph
- steering wheel feels nice, however I would prefer a little bit stiffer response. There are moments where it feels a little floaty. Someone suggested stiffer LCA bushings so I’ve got RC F OEM bushings waiting to be installed
- ML easily drowns out any road noise

Thought the sun was hitting just right as I was getting gas. Around 7:45pm sunset.

Bonus last photo: saw a 26 IS 350 in Wind as I was pulling out to head home!

For those with the Ultimate Edition, yall know there’s a hump in the trunk for the larger spare to accommodate the larger brakes.

I saw a thread on club Lexus about an aftermarket spare, but I’m gonna risk it with no spare for a while.

Materials: 1 sheet of hardboard + jigsaw + 2 pieces of foam.

I traced the spare tire cover and cut it out with a jigsaw. Placed two pieces of foam to support the board. Fits nice and neat!

And since I already had the all weather trunk mat, I didn’t need to match the carpet color.

Now I have full trunk space again for those Costco runs!

Car: 2025 IS 500 Ultimate Edition in Wind w/ Red + Black interior

Just crossed 1000 miles yesterday! Got it all washed and cleaned. Finally, I can see the black rims - They’re kinda nice it turns out! The brake dust was making it look bronze lol

The mudguards are from Franks Custom Kreations. Size: standard width for both front and rear. Very tastefully designed by frank tbh. Link in comments. Fits 21-26 IS.

I drove on some gravel on the way home so my tires are dirty, and the pollen is inescapable!

Have had tons of smiles in my first 1k miles.

We were both stuck in construction traffic for about 10 minutes. They were a few cars ahead of me.

Lexus sure knows how to do silver!

Anyone know which silver variant this is?

I forget the term for the phenomenon, but ever since joining the IS party back in November, I see so many around town! This particular silver one is in my neighborhood!

Took the family on a 7-hour road trip (one way) to the beach this week! First trip that long in the TX. Wanted to share some highlights and quick review of the TX 500h as a road trip vehicle.

2026 TX 500h in Wind Chill Pearl.

Primary highlights:

- plenty of comfortable space for two toddlers + two adults + cargo
- half the third row was down for two suitcases + two duffle bags + one foldable wagon + trunk organizer + shoes
- averaged 28.2 miles per gallon for the entire trip
- only had to fill up twice, 400+ miles per tank. Total distance driven was around 900 miles. Got home with about 150 miles of range left.
- road noise was minimal for the most part, especially compared to our previous 2024 Highlander and 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. No comparison.
- both kids napped like babies in their car seats + built in window shades up
- my wife had plenty of room even with rear facing car seat behind her
- my wife had to climb in the back a few times and had plenty of room to maneuver, especially with the rear center drink holders removed
- not applicable since we have car seats but I discovered that the rear seats have both cooled and heated seats! Will be good when the kids are older.
- dual climate control came in handy. I was hot and my wife was cold.
- The powertrain on this thing has been quite impressive! Has some great getup when needed.
- turn radius is wildly nimble for such a huge vehicle
- adaptive cruise control is solid except for the constant “drivers eyes are closed” alerts. Only happens to me and not my wife haha. So it’s my Asian eyes + glasses combo specifically. Edit: you can turn this off! It’s called “Driver monitor alert”

The lowlights:

- driver seat is not super comfortable on the 500h. I got a cushion on Amazon and it made it 100% better. No more back or thigh issues.
- the huge 22” wheels and low sidewalls on the tires caused some rough riding when the interstate was bumpy. I would definitely swap for 19” or 20” wheels with bigger tires if available.
- the tachometer doesn’t have the rpm numbers unless you’re in sport mode. Seems silly. Edit: this is adjustable in the infotainment!

I’ve seen some questions lately from people asking “should I get the TX”. Short answer: yes.

Nuanced answer: if you’re moving around 4+ people AND cargo, absolutely yes. Best in class. If it’s just you plus one or two, the GX or even RX should have plenty of space.

From a build quality perspective, the TX feels very similar to 2026 versions of the RX and GX inside. I drove the RX for a week recently (as a loaner) and test drove the new GX. None of them scream “super luxury” like the 2010s Lexus with the wood accents. All three have lots of plastic with little bits of suede in places.

Let me know if I’m missing anything!