YearToAvoid

2021 Lexus IS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

33/100

#11 most-complained of 16 IS years

The 2021 Lexus IS has 2 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 33 out of 100 — #11 highest of 16 IS model years. Complaints report 1 crash.

Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22.5
19.5 city / 27 hwy

Top 2021 Lexus IS problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other2 (100%)
2021 Lexus IS complaints: complaints filed per month1Dec 2023May 2025
2 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2023 to May 2025; peak Dec 2023 (1).

2021 Lexus IS recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2021 Lexus IS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
22.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,550
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2021 compared with other IS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2019No verdict72022
2020Good406022
2021No verdict332022.5
2022No verdict274122
2023Caution605022

All Lexus IS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Lexus IS a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2021 Lexus IS ranks #11 of 16 among IS model years (Complaint Index 33/100). It has 2 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
Does the 2021 Lexus IS have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2021 Lexus IS in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Lexus IS?
EPA rates the 2021 Lexus IS at 22.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.