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2001 - 2005 IS300 Definitive Changes List

62K views 95 replies 35 participants last post by  scsi 
#1 · (Edited)
2001 Model Year
  • New Models:
  • E-Shift IS300 introduced, no 5-Speed Manual option

    Exterior:
  • Four horizontal bars on front grille, emblem molded into grille
  • Chrome taillights only
  • Initial colors offered:
    - Auburn Sky Pearl (ASP)
    - Black Onyx (BO)
    - Diamond White Pearl (DWP)
    - Graphite Gray Pearl (GGP)
    - Imperial Jade Mica (IJM)
    - Millennium Silver Metallic (MSM)
    - Spectra Blue Mica (SBM)
    - Solar Yellow (SY)

    Interior:
  • Seating choices are Black Fabric and Black or Ivory Leather/Ecsaine
  • Optional Lexus Luxury Package includes:
    - Ivory Leather/Ecsaine Interior with Tan Piping
    - Black & Ivory instrument panel
    - Walnut Switch (door) Plates
    - Power Seats & Homelink
  • For all Black & non-Luxury Package Ivory interiors, black dash and center console with gray trim extending from above the lint tray down around the shift knob and also above the steering column and glove compartment for (this color matches the AC and radio knobs' trim)
  • Floormats Have Lexus "L" Emblem and read "IS300"

    Mechanical:
  • Underbody panels (plastic) prone to failure

    Other:
  • Tool tray in trunk (two-piece) constructed of styrofoam

2002 Model Year
  • New Models:
  • 5-speed manual transmission available on sedan
  • New SportCross 5-door offered (automatic transmission only), has 7.5x17" rear rims, foglights are much flatter
  • L-Tuned Edition available late 2002, includes:
    - L-Tuned body kit (full front bumper with round 55 watt fog lights, rear valance, side skirts, rear spoiler and carbon fiber-style grille)
    - L-Tuned 18x7.5" +42 rims in Silver or Gunmetal (Rays Versus Campionato SS7 with custom blue Lexus "L" center cap)
    - 225/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires
    - L-Tuned sport muffler & larger-diameter exhaust (60mm pipe diameter & 105mm tip diameter).Adds 8 hp over stock.
    - L-Tuned springs (1" drop, made by Eibach)
    - L-Tuned sway bars (Made by Eibach)(28mm front/17mm rear)
    - L-Tuned exterior and interior badging
    - L-Tuned floormats

    Exterior:
  • New exterior colors are:
    - Absolutely Red (AR)
    - Cibola Gold Metallic (CGM)
    - Crystal White (CW)
    - Electric Green Mica (EGM)
    - Intensa Blue Pearl (IBP)
  • Discontinued exterior colors are:
    - Auburn Sky Pearl (ASP)
    - Diamond White Pearl (DWP)
    - Imperial Jade Mica (IJM)
    - Spectra Blue Mica (SBM)
  • Tail lights receive smoked finish on the following five exterior colors:
    - Absolutely Red (AR)
    - Black Onyx (BO)
    - Electric Mica Green (EMG)
    - Graphite Gray Pearl (GGP)
    - Intensa Blue Pearl (IBP)
  • Three horizontal bars on front grille, down from 4, detachable clip-on emblem backplate
  • Grille color darkened from medium gray to almost black
  • Rear spoiler, optional on sedan, standard on SportCross, third brake light removed if spoiler is installed as a factory option

    Interior:
  • Front side curtain airbags standard
  • Optional Lexus DVD Navigation (pop-up screen & remote controls located between the front seats)
  • 6.5" speakers in door panels now have a chrome ring around the speaker grill
  • Auto-dimming electrochromic driver's side outside and inside (center) rearview mirrors
  • Compass in center rearview mirror for vehicles without DVD navigation
  • Front center armrest standard (Black or ivory leather)
  • Optional leather shift knob
  • Black dash/center console with gray trim no longer available
  • Floormats have Lexus "L" emblem and read "LEXUS" instead of "IS300"
  • Driver's side floormat now has two retention hooks to prevent sliding
  • Lexus Luxury Package discontinued
  • Optional Full Leather interior in ivory or black, trimmed with piping
  • Seat piping now standard with Leather/Ecsaine Seats
  • Two-tone Black and Ivory dashboard & center console now standard for Ivory interior vehicles with Full Leather or Leather/Ecsaine seats
  • Walnut Switch Plates now a stand-alone option
  • Standard fabric interior available in Ivory
  • Automatic climate control now switches A/C on and off

    Mechanical:
  • Overall height raised 0.6" (from 54.9" in 2001 to 55.5")
  • Minimum running ground clearance increased from 4.9" for 2001 to 5.3"
  • Spring rate increased for 5-speed manual
  • Optional Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) (Automatic transmission only)
  • Brake Assist
  • Steering revised as follows:
    - Overall Steering Ratio from 15.7:1 for 2001 to 14.5:1
    - Turning Circle decreased from 34.1' for 2001 to 33.4'
    - Turns Lock-to-Lock decreased from 3.25 in 2001 to 3

    Performance:
  • ECU programming update

    Other:
  • Tool tray material in trunk changed to plastic, now one-piece
  • Underbody panel (plastic) material changed; failures significantly decreased

2003 Model Year
  • New Models:
  • SportDesign edition sedan available, package includes:
    - 11-spoke 17" SportDesign rims
    - Thundercloud Metallic exterior color (Black Onyx and Graphite Gray Pearl also available)
    - Black pearl badging with Sport Design emblems
    - SportDesign front grille
    - SportDesign smoked gray fog lights, tail lights and headlights
    - SportDesign exhaust
    - Full leather Ash Gray interior (Black also available)

    Exterior:
  • New 7-spoke design for 16" wheels
  • 215/45R17 all-season tires available
  • The following exterior/interior combinations are discontinued:
    - Absolutely Red with Ivory Fabric
    - Cibola Gold with Ivory Fabric or any Black interior
    - Electric Green Mica with Ivory Fabric or any Black interior
    - Graphite Gray Pearl with Ivory Fabric
    - Intensa Blue Pearl with Ivory Fabric

    Interior:
  • Redesigned front cupholders

2004 Model Year
  • New Models:
  • SportDesign changes for 2004:
    - Alabaster exterior paint option (Thundercloud Metallic and Black Onyx carry over from 2003. Graphite Gray Pearl no longer available on SD)
    - 11-spoke wheels are Charcoal finished with TCM and BO exteriors, Silver finished with Alabaster exterior
    - Double-stitched Smoke Gray leather interior (Black leather w/Gray piping carries over from 2003)
    - Euro-tuned suspension on manual models

    Exterior:
  • Headlamp, fog light and tail lights available in smoked gray (same as Sport Design)
  • New exterior colors are:
    - Bluestone Metallic (BSM)
    - Indigo Ink Pearl (IIP)
    - Savannah Metallic (SM)
  • Discontinued exterior colors are:
    - Cibola Gold Metallic (CGM)
    - Intensa Blue Pearl (IBP)
    - Solar Yellow (SY)
  • New mist-type windshield washer nozzles
  • New design 11-spoke, 17" wheels available (no longer SportDesign exclusive)

    Interior:
  • Drivers seat two-position memory available with power seats
  • New storage compartment with retractable lid in center dash (vehicles without Navigation)
  • CD changer redesigned
  • Bright silver replaces dark silver on window switch plates, instrument cluster background, climate control dial rings, audio volume and tuner rings and steering wheel stitching
  • Black replaces dark silver on audio plate surround, A/T housing plate surround
  • New leather door inserts replace Alcantara on full leather interiors
  • Black Fabric interior no longer available with Graphite Gray Pearl or Absolutely Red exterior
  • Ivory Fabric interior discontinued
  • Imitation suede (Ultrasuede) for interiors now referred to as Alcantara (European name) instead of Ecsaine (Asian name)
  • Walnut Switch Plates now available only with full leather interiors
  • Scheduled maintenance indicator light
  • Speed-sensitive, shift-linked automatic door lock/unlock

2005 Model Year
  • Mechanical:
  • Limited-Slip Differential is no longer available with the manual transmission. (This actually took place during the course of the 2004 model year)

    Interior:
  • Black Fabric interior no longer available with Bluestone Metallic exterior
 
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#4 ·
Re: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 IS300 Definitive Changes List

ÜberPhLuBB said:
I do have a few additional questions. Did 2001s have an optional wood finish switch plate cover, or was it a 2002 addition? Also, if it was 2001, was it still available in 2002?

Does anyone know the stock Summer tires for 2001 and 2002+?

Also, were all-weather floormats always available, or were they a 2002+ addition?

Additional input is encouraged.
Good job. 8)

The 2001s had an optional wood finish switch plates that was also available in 2002. Off the top of my head, the stock summer tires for 2001 were manufactured by Goodyear or Dunlop (depending on availability), while the 2002s were equipped with either Dunlops or Bridgestone Potenza RE040s. As for the all-weather floormats, they were probably always available.

On a side note, the 2003 IS300s with the Navigation system didn't get the redesigned front cupholders. :(
 
#5 ·
My '01 had Goodyear Eagle GS-D summer only tires. I even got 33k out of them and I still had some meat left before the tire recall.


I liked these tires even though they are loud they griped really good and are cheap.
 
#7 ·
BossMan said:
Is the "New hood bulge" introduced in 2002 noticeable? I never even knew there was a change. I did a search but didn't find anything detailed about this change.
The 2001 IS300s have the same "hood bulge" as the '02s and later. The owner of a 2001 IS probably saw a 2002 IS in a slightly different hue (eg. SBM vs. IBP, DWP vs. Crystal White, or Imperial Jade Mica vs. Electric Green Mica) and it seemed more noticeable. If the vehicles are the exact same hue (ie. GGP, MSM, and Black Onyx for 2001 thru 2004), the "hood bulge" is the same.

There are several other questionable items in the "Definitive Changes List." For example, Bridgestone Potenza RE040s are not exactly "all-weather" tires. Additionally, IS300s equipped with factory navigation didn't get a compass in the rearview mirror. :wink:
 
#8 ·
Re: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 IS300 Definitive Changes List

ÜberPhLuBB said:
Once and for all, here are the changes between all model years. Large portions from jruhi4's post (with edits):

2001 Features:
- E-Shift only
- Both ivory and black interior have black dash/console, with light gray trim
the ivory interior dash was slightly different than the black interior dash, iirc, i believe the black interior dash had somewhat of a greenish tint to it and the ivory interior dashboard door cover was ivory. also, the 01 was available with lsd, had trac on trac off switch.

2001 Lesser Features:
- Four horizontal bars on front grill, emblem molded into grill
- Chrome taillights only
- Floormats Have Lexus "L" Emblem and read "IS300"
- Goodyear GS-D all-weather tires
my 01 which i purchased in june of 2000, came with bridgestone potenzas, which were recalled.

also, i could have sworn the material on the door was slightly different.

the 01 grill in addition to having 4 horizontal bars was also more greyish, the 02 grill is pretty much black.

pps the 01 drivers side floor mat had only one hook, which was changed to two in 02, allegedly because the mat was riding up and hit the accelerator causing the car to accelerate for apparently no reason. my 01 did accelerate uncontrollably a few times, like when i was approaching a stop sign and the car acted as if i had my foot on the brake and gas at the same time, while modulating the brake the car would lunge as soon as i released the brake, this happened about two or three times to my recollection, none of which resulted in an accident, none of which was the cause the floormat, one of which resulted in me getting a ticket as my car kept accelerating.
 
#9 ·
-Okay, all tire information has been removed because all different types of tires apparently came on all models of car, it just depended on availability. However, according the Bridgestone and Goodyear's websites, the GS-D and RE040 ARE all-weather tires, not summer only. Go figure.

-As for the hood bulge, I agree. There is no change. I was wondering why jruhi4 put that on the list. Now I have confirmation to take it off.
If there is a change, someone can provide pictures that show, without a doubt, there is a change. But I had never even heard of it until I read jruhi4's original list.

-2001 Ivory and black interiors were all the same. It wasn't until 2002 that Lexus made the two-tone dash/center console. 2001's had all-black dashboards, which continued black all the way down to the carpet. The entire center console was also black.

I'm pretty sure the "green" you refer to is the dark gray trim that extends from above the lint tray down around the shift knob. It can look green in some pictures.

If you or anyone else thinks the list is wrong, show some pics and prove it! =) I'm sticking with what I've seen in hundreds of pics here at IS300.net, which included several Ivory interior vehicles with full black dashboards.

-VSC was 2002 and up. LSD and VSC are two different things. So you're right, the '01's did have LSD. Mine has it too. But they didn't have VSC.

-The door trim, yes. 2002's have a chrome ring around the speakers. Added that.

-I don't believe the COLOR of 2001 vs 2002+ grills is different... I could be wrong (because I've only owned a 2001 and only seen a 2001 grill in person), but from the many many pictures I've seen I believe that they are identical in color. Again, any pictures to clear this up would be great.

Okay, now if it's not "difinitive," let's MAKE it difinitive! This is to be the be-all-end-all of change lists for the IS300.
 
#10 ·
First off, thank you, ÜberPhLuBB, for doing an EXCELLENT job of editing,organizing & updating my original post.

ÜberPhLuBB said:
-As for the hood bulge, I agree. There is no change. I was wondering why jruhi4 put that on the list. Now I have confirmation to take it off.
If there is a change, someone can provide pictures that show, without a doubt, there is a change. But I had never even heard of it until I read jruhi4's original list.
My "original list" is really a "cut-and-paste" from the Lexus Pressroom. They issue a press release for each model year. It shows the standard features, options, etc., and they use bold type for whatever's new for that given model year. The hood bulge was one of the "bolded" lines for 2002. Like you, I was skeptical when I saw it, but "cut & pasted" it just the same.

I have brochures for all four model years of the IS. I see a hood bulge VERY clearly in the 2001 brochure pictures. Hell, the p.1 photo on the 2001 brochure and the p.10 photo on the 2002 brochure are the same! Naturally, they photoshopped the 2002 3-bar grille, but, other than that & the size, they're the same pic. And the hood bulge looks IDENTICAL in both!

Bottom line: Lexus goofed. Excellent catch, guys! Thanks!
 
#12 ·
ÜberPhLuBB said:
The Chief said:
Additionally, IS300s equipped with factory navigation didn't get a compass in the rearview mirror. :wink:
Are you sure about that? Pics? Does the navigation screen show a compass instead?
From personal experience, I'm absolutely positive that IS300s equipped with factory navigation don't have a compass in the rearview mirror. The footnotes and/or disclaimers in the 2002 through 2004 IS brouchures also confirm this. :wink:

Unfortunately, the compass display is at the upper left corner of the navigation screen instead. Since it only shows which way is north, it's not as convenient as the compass display in the mirror; however, if someone can't figure out what direction they're heading with the navigation system, they're pretty lost. :lol:

 
#14 ·
the 2001 black interior is300s have an all black dash that has a slight green tint to it. the tan interior ones have the top half black and the bottom tan. im am almost positive about this as i have seen it myself, owning a 2001 sbm -bought in june 2000, we were here on .net waiting for the cars to be released in america and once they were, we were at the dealership almost every other day waiting for my special order to arrive.

its not green per se, its black, but has a green tint to it, in certain lights and angles you would see it.
and no it was not black all the way down, here is a pic of my 2001 is300 (RIP) after the tragic accident, where you can plainly see the ivory, also visable in the pic is the wood trim.



the grills are different colors, at least mine were.





dont second guess me boy, i was there and seen these things, you lookin at pictures, :wink:

btw hows the headrest?
 
#15 ·
Well I'll be damned... And you did personally buy that car NEW in 2000 with a two-color dash/console?

Are you sure about the green tint to the black consoles with gray trim? Can you show a picture for comparison?

Can you remove that first picture (of the interior)? It's wide enough to disrupt word wrap text on long bullets in the first post. Thanks.

Changes made (layout changed too).
 
#17 ·
irv_usc said:
thanh is right

ivory interior in 01 came with a two tone dash.. black with grey trim.

although the black part on mine is definitely NOT green tinted.

02+ doesn't seem to come like that anymore.
You're confused.

We know that 2001 black dashes have gray trim--check my first post.

Corleone said that his 2001 (purchased in June 2000) has a two color dash as seen in the picture. That is, black top and ivory bottom. Not black and gray.
 
#18 ·
ÜberPhLuBB said:
Well I'll be damned... And you did personally buy that car NEW in 2000 with a two-color dash/console?

Are you sure about the green tint to the black consoles with gray trim? Can you show a picture for comparison?

Can you remove that first picture (of the interior)? It's wide enough to disrupt word wrap text on long bullets in the first post. Thanks.

Changes made (layout changed too).
yeah, purchased with 14 miles on it in june of 2000. the green tint im pretty sure of, but alas no pics, for i didnt have a black interior car. i could be wrong, but at least id still be 2/3 yay!

resized pic to avoid sidescrolling.
 
#19 ·
correction for me: car was purchased july 1st, 2000- not june 30th.

also, not really a feature, but on 2001s, there was a pin in the drivers side door hinge, not sure if it was on the other doors, but this was problematic as quite a few is300s had the pin work its way up and cause a popping sound when the door was opened. this was replaced on 02 models as it is now a black plastic (?) hinge with no such pin.

on cars 02 and on that had factory installed spoiler with light, third brake light on trunk lid was eliminated. not very notable, i guess. and i think the grill was pretty much black, my pics i took last night were of dusty grills that have been sitting in my shed. i dont know why i still have them.

also there have been comments about the 01 hids being bluer, might want to look into that, maybe they changed the bulb or manufacturer? this one i do not know about.

sportcross also had wider wheels.

also of little interest, the trunk tray (the plastic thing that covers the spare wheel) was redesigned for 02. something like two pieces in 01 being styrofoam and the 02 having plastic and being one piece, and maybe the round tool bucket that sat in the spare tire is no more? my sister is borrowing my car and i dont remember about the 01 that much, its been awhile.

also, the underbody panel that covered the o2 cable that was recalled on 01s for breaking at the mounting point, that might have been redesigned as there aren't any cases of them braking off 02 cars, i think it may be a bigger piece now, meaning it covers other things too? maybe. and 02 exterior mirrors might be different, maybe due to the auto dimming, as carbon fiber mirror covers do not fit 02s? they might with modification, but i dont have any first hand with that.
 
#20 ·
-Never heard of the door pin problem--will look into it

-Spoiler information added (also about foglights)

-Sportcross wheels added (already knew about that, but I forgot when adding some things yesterday)

-HID blueness question--already being looked in to (01's being more purple than '02's)

-Trunk tool tray info added

-All of the underbody panels' manufacture material were changed in 2002, lots of 2001 underbody panels fall off, none in 2002 (Unless it was the result of an accident that was traumatic to the car)--added

I'm sure the mirror problem you had was isolated, there are no visible external shape changes to either mirror.
 
#21 ·
Some of the post is innacurate..

The 2001 model...

Black interior had 2 tone dash..
Ivory had all black, except for the ivory lower panels..

The 2004 headlights are NOT the same as the sportdesign heads from the 2003 model.

From 2002+ all the dash's were black. No more 2 tone trim.

on 2004 models, the door trim is NOT synthetic leather, its the same as the seats...
 
#22 ·
DonCorleone said:
here is a pic of my 2001 is300 (RIP) after the tragic accident, where you can plainly see the ivory, also visable in the pic is the wood trim.
Let me shed some light on this. DonCorleone's late,lamented 2001 IS has the Lexus Luxury Package, which is an item I added to the "2001 minor changes". My 2002 has the regular Ivory Leather/Ecsaine with the separate Wood Switch Plates option. Guess what, folks: His interior & mine are IDENTICAL. (Well, except for the transmission & the center armrest.)
 
#25 ·
DonCorleone said:
looking at the pic of my dead is ive noticed the speaker grill appears to be the same color as the door panel... hmm...
Are you referring to this entry from the 2002 "changes" list?:
-6.5" speakers in door panels now have a chrome ring around the speaker grill.
2001s didn't.
 
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