Lexus IS200T vs Toyota Corolla

What's the difference?

Peter Anderson road tests and reviews the new Lexus IS200t F Sport with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Long ago, the Lexus IS overtook the LS as the most recognisable Lexus on the road. With strong, angular styling, sharp pricing and spec against the Germans, and a 2.0-litre straight six engine, it seems like Lexus sold a million of them and only one of them has broken down irretrievably and is now being used to prop up the Harbour Bridge, such was its solid build quality.

Explore the 2016-2017 Lexus IS Range

Lexus IS 2016 review | first drive video
Lexus IS300h 2016 review | snapshot
Lexus IS350 2016 review | snapshot
Lexus IS200t Luxury 2017 review | road test
Lexus IS350 Sport Luxury 2017 review | road test

Hell, Lexus was even able to hide for a while that it was a rebadged Japanese Toyota Altezza, partly because Toyota didn't do funky rear-wheel drive sedans outside of Japan. The IS took the brand into many more homes than the ES or GS could ever hope to because it looked like it was a Lexus.

We're now three generations and one facelift into the IS and the big selling IS250 is no more, replaced some time ago by a 2.0-litre turbo four and renamed IS200t. You can now get an F Sport version, too, just like you can buy an Audi with S Line or a BMW with M Sport.

That turbo engine hopefully addresses one of the problems with the entry-level IS sedan - it was always a little on the slow side...

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time. 

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.