So I’m pretty new to the IS world. We purchased an IS 300 last summer after a hail storm severely damaged our Honda Accord. I noticed that the IS weighs about 400lbs more that my Accord despite being a much smaller car. It also weighs a bit more than the ES series. Is the additional weight solely due to the RWD layout or is it something else?

 

^^ I am not an expert but I would think that the platform and material used has a big part in teh weight, plus being a luxury car, they have a lot of features in them and that also plays into the weight of the car.

 

A lot of it is pure platform rigidity and just general beefiness. Lexus added quite a bit of strengthening to a lot of parts. It surely isn't a weak car.

 

Is it an IS 300 AWD? The AWD system adds 150 pounds or so compared to an equivalent rear-drive IS. But yes, RWD-based cars do tend to be somewhat heavier... they need a driveshaft that goes all the way to the rear axle, for one thing. Also I agree with others in the thread that the higher-quality materials used to construct the car's chassis and interior probably are the biggest reason for the weight difference.

 

a lot more insulation than any honda product will ever offer and what above said. driving an accord vs IS, you can feel how much more stable and stiff the chassis is (due to more welding, more metal being used to construct the frame, etc)