Toyota’s Underrated Lexus IS 350 Cousin Makes 314 HP But Skipped America
America got the Lexus IS 350 and GS. Japan got a Toyota sedan with rear-wheel drive, the IS 350’s 3.5-liter V6, and no official ticket to U.S. or European showrooms. That alone makes this forgotten cousin worth a closer look.
Toyota rated its strongest regular-production version at 318 PS, roughly 314 hp, while Japan-side listings can sit around $8,000–$15,000 FOB. For fans of older Lexus performance cars, the bargain gets tempting fast. Then come the import rules—and electronics and parts that aren’t as Lexus-like as they look.
The Lexus IS 350 Connection Brings About 314 Horsepower
The engine connection is where the Lexus resemblance gets serious. The 3.5-liter 2GR-FSE V6 also powered the contemporary Lexus IS 350, and Toyota lists the Japanese sedan at 318 PS at 6,400 rpm with 380 Nm, or about 280 lb-ft, of torque. Converted, that is roughly 314 mechanical horsepower.
Underneath, the family resemblance spreads across the chassis. Toyota’s history identifies a modified twelfth-generation Crown platform, placing 2,850 mm between the axles, with double wishbones controlling the front wheels and a multilink arrangement working at the rear. That hardware ties it to the wider rear-drive family associated with the Lexus GS. But shared architecture doesn’t mean identical suspension tuning or the same driving experience.
Compare that with a Lexus GS 350 F Sport and the temptation is obvious: the engine and suspension layout look familiar enough to invite assumptions. But the resemblance can disappear when the parts catalog opens. The Lexus’s equipment, refinement, and handling setup don’t automatically carry over, and neither do bumper brackets or electronic modules. Check the exact model and part number before pricing a repair around its better-known cousin.
Before That Lexus Link Came A Long Toyota Family Story
The story goes back to the Mark II, introduced in 1968. Western buyers knew part of that family as the Cressida; Toyota’s British archive describes the European Cressida as a rebadged third-generation Mark II. Even if those badges mean little today, the idea is familiar: one Toyota name faded from Western showrooms while its family kept moving forward in Japan.
That next chapter arrived in November 2004, not 2005. The old inline-six formula gave way to direct-injected V6s, with a 2.5-liter 4GR-FSE making 215 PS and a 3.0-liter 3GR-FSE producing 256 PS and 314 Nm. The names changed, but the family-sedan role never simply disappeared.
Rear-wheel-drive cars used a six-speed automatic, while first-generation AWD versions had a five-speed. The smaller V6 also links this family to the Lexus IS 250, though it gives up the larger engine’s output. The later generation moved both drivetrains to six-speed automatics.
The Toyota Mark X Is Lexus’s Unexpected Toyota Cousin
And here it is: the Toyota Mark X. The X120 ran from 2004 to 2009, but the X130 arriving on October 19, 2009 brought the real fireworks. Toyota dropped the old 3.0-liter option and opened the door to the Lexus IS 350-related 3.5-liter V6. In the 350S, that meant 318 PS, or roughly 314 hp, under a Toyota badge America never officially got.
The regular second-generation 2.5-liter made 203 PS and ran on regular gasoline, while the 3.5-liter required premium. Six-speed automatics covered the regular range, including AWD 2.5-liter versions, and the redesigned sedan still packed a useful 480-liter trunk. This wasn’t a one-trick performance special. It mixed real sedan practicality with hardware familiar from Lexus.
Toyota gave it a proper send-off in 2019 with the 2.5-liter 250S and 250S Four Final Edition models before production ended that December. Those farewell cars weren’t 3.5-liter versions, and the “2025 Mark X” listings seen in some markets are rebadged Crowns, not a factory revival of the Mark X. The Mark X ended its run after two generations.
Beyond The Bargain Price Lies A Surprising Import Catch
Before the price seduces you, check the JDM electronics. Toyota offered G-BOOK navigation and integrated audio on some cars, and the differences between Toyota and Lexus go deeper than upholstery. Shared V6 hardware does not guarantee matching infotainment, wiring, control modules, or body fittings, so confirm part numbers before buying replacements.
A pre-purchase inspection should also cover water-pump leaks, oil consumption, and service history. Carbon buildup needs an engine-specific check: the smaller V6s use direct injection, while the 3.5-liter 2GR-FSE adds port injection through D-4S. The temptation is real, though. Export listings can sit around $8,000–$15,000 FOB Japan; Nikkyo advertised a 2012 350S G’s for about $12,500 FOB with 71,789 km. Freight, insurance, taxes, and compliance costs still stand between that number and your driveway. Get a written landed-cost quote.
When Americans Can Import One
For Americans, NHTSA’s 25-year exemption starts from the vehicle’s manufacture date. The earliest 2004 cars begin qualifying in 2029; the 2009-on 3.5-liter cars start in 2034. A seller’s model year is not enough, and the anniversary does not fall on January 1 for every car. EPA rules and state registration remain separate checks; EPA’s age-based route also expects the engine to remain in its original configuration. Buyers elsewhere need to confirm their own import requirements.
That is the cruel part: the Mark X can look tantalizingly close while the calendar says otherwise. But once the paperwork finally lines up, America gets a shot at the rear-drive, Lexus-related Toyota sedan it never received new. Try not to want one after that.
Sources: Toyota, Lexus, Nikkyo, NHTSA, EPA
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