Compare the2025 Toyota CamryVS 2025 Lexus IS

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. UAOMJ-W8VWV 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/06/27

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Toyota Camry achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Lexus IS has not been tested.

The Camry’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The IS doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Camry and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Camry is safer than the Lexus IS:

	Camry	IS
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	183	220
Neck Injury Risk	29%	35%
Neck Stress	305 lbs.	429 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	389/418 lbs.	599/675 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	268	282
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	24.3%	41%
Neck Stress	121 lbs.	152 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	336/348 lbs.	399/459 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Camry is safer than the Lexus IS:

	Camry	IS
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	100	142
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	127 lbs.	203 lbs.
Hip Force	239 lbs.	406 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
HIC	206	293
Hip Force	589 lbs.	650 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Toyota Camry has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The IS has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Camry for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the IS (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 5 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Camry’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Camry’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the IS’ camshafts. If the IS’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The battery on the Camry is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Camry’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The IS’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Camry gets better mileage than the IS:

			MPG
Camry
	FWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/50 hwy
		SE/XLE/XSE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	48 city/47 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/49 hwy
		SE/XLE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/46 hwy
		XSE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	44 city/43 hwy
IS
	RWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
		5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
	AWD	350 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Camry’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The IS doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Camry’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The IS doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Camry uses regular unleaded gasoline. The IS requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Camry higher (6 out of 10) than the Lexus IS (4). This means the Camry produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the IS every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Camry has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The IS doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Camry stops shorter than the IS:

	Camry	IS
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	117 feet	Motor Trend

Chassis

The Toyota Camry may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 250 pounds less than the Lexus IS.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Camry a Mid-size car, while the IS is rated a Compact.

The Camry has 9.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the IS (99.9 vs. 90.2).

The Camry has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 5.8 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

Cargo Capacity

The Camry has a much larger trunk than the IS (15.1 vs. 10.8 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Camry XLE/XSE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The IS doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Camry and the IS have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Camry is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The IS prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Camry’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The IS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Camry has standard extendable sun visors. The IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Camry has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Camry as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lexus IS isn't recommended.

The Toyota Camry outsold the Lexus IS by over 15 to one during 2024.

See Available Inventory