The Verdict
Worst problem area
Fuel System
Fuel System leads by volume: 3 of 10 complaints (30%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed held steady at 10 in both 2019 and 2020.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 10
- Recall campaigns
- 0
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $3,200–$3,700
- Combined MPG
- 21–24
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 Compact Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 3,000–3,500 | 3,200–3,700 | 3,200–3,700 | 3,100–3,500 | 3,100–3,850 | |
| Combined MPG | 22–26 | 21–24 | 21–24 | 22–25 | 20–25 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 19–22 / 26–32 | 19–21 / 26–30 | 18–21 / 24–30 | 19–21 / 26–31 | 17–21 / 25–31 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 345–410 | 360–412 | 363–422 | 357–407 | 356–451 | |
| Complaints filed | 9 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 5 | |
| Recalls issued | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2020 Lexus IS have?
No NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Lexus IS?
Fuel System: 3 of 10 NHTSA complaints (30%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Lexus IS get?
EPA rates it 21–24 MPG combined across 4 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Lexus IS?
EPA estimates $3,200–$3,700 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (4)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 18 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 422 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.5L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 20 mpg | 28 mpg | 23 mpg | $3,350 | 388 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S6) | 6 | 3.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 19 mpg | 26 mpg | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 422 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Compact Cars | 21 mpg (high) | 30 mpg (high) | 24 mpg (high) | $3,200 (low) | 363 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls
No recalls have been issued for this model-year.