Hi James,

Yes, the 2016MY is the latest generation of Lexus IS, which is the third generation. The first generation was built from 1998-2005 (and was also known as the Toyota Altezza in its native Japan), with the second generation arriving in 2005. That was replaced by the current car in 2013, which was facelifted in 2016 for the 2017MY – so the only difference between a 2015 and 2016 Lexus IS could be that the latter is a late ’16 model with the restyled lights (front and rear), different front grille, larger 10.3-inch infotainment screen and revised steering wheel.

Lexus normally works on a seven-year product cycle and is currently updating the larger GS into the all-new ES model, so it’s more likely that the fourth-generation IS will not appear until 2020 – although it could sneak a 2019 launch. The 300h, 300h Eco and S-Design are just trim levels of the same car, meaning you get various different accoutrements, depending on which model you go for.