In-depth reviews

Lexus IS 300h (2013-2020) practicality & boot space

Passengers are well catered for in the Lexus IS 300h; luggage, not so much

Overall rating

2.0 out of 5

Practicality & boot space rating

3.5 out of 5

LengthWidthHeightBoot volume (seats up)
4,680mm1,810mm1,430mm450 litres

There’s plenty of room for four to travel in luxury and style, but the underfloor batteries in the boot mean the Lexus IS 300h can’t match traditional rivals for luggage capacity.

Lexus IS 300h interior space, storage & comfort

The Lexus IS dimensions mean it’s very similar in size to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. So there’s all the space you’d expect up front, where superbly comfortable seats with a wide range of adjustment make travelling a very pleasurable experience. In spite of the swoopy roofline – Lexus calls it ‘long coupe’ styling, headroom is just about acceptable in the rear, too, although not as generous as more traditionally styled saloon rivals.

Still, it’s enough to make life pretty comfortable for two large-ish adults in the back, and while this is partly due to the latest IS having thinner seatbacks and cushions than its predecessor, it’s certainly not at the expense of comfort. However, very tall people will struggle for space in the back of the IS 300h, and a third person in the middle will struggle to put their feet down either side of a big central transmission tunnel. Up front, there’s plenty of storage, with a large box under the central armrest, decent sized door pockets and a glovebox.

Boot space

The IS 300h offers around 30 litres less boot space than its German rivals, with 450 litres playing 480 apiece for the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. All the Lexus trim levels get split-folding seats, though, and access to the boot is perfectly good.

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