This article includes independent illustrations for a hypothetical Lexus IS Sport Cross made by Instagram user sugardesign_1 and is neither related to nor endorsed by Lexus.
Despite being outsold by SUVs by a huge margin, wagons retain a lot of fans around the world for their low-slung design and practicality. Lexus is one of the automakers without any wagons in their current lineup but that didn’t stop independent designer @sugardesign_1 from creating renderings of a Lexus IS Sport Cross.
The result looks rather realistic since the designer – known for his love for wagons and shooting brakes – did a great job in incorporating the current Lexus design language in his 3D model. Besides sharing the front end and a large portion of the profile with the IS sedan, he retained the rear bumper, full-width taillights, and integrated spoiler while adding a new hatch with a longer roof and an inclined rear glass. The sculpted profile looks rather fitting to the five-door silhouette with an extra window at the back. Furthermore, the renderings feature an F Sport visual package with glossy black accents and larger diameter wheels complimenting the design.
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The IS 350 emblem at the back suggests that the fictional model is fitted with the 3.5-liter V6 producing 311 hp (231 kW / 315 PS) and 280 lb-ft (379 Nm) of torque. Power can be sent to either the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic or to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic. What would be nice is a more practical variant of the IS 500 F Sport Performance with the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine producing 472 hp (352 kW / 479 PS) and 395 lb-ft (536 Nm) of torque.
Some of you will remember that this is not the first time we see a wagon variant of the IS. Lexus built the first-generation IS Sport Cross between 2003 and 2005 but unfortunately, the bodystyle variant didn’t get a successor and the next two generations were exclusively offered as sedans. The latest iteration of the IS was launched in 2020 with significant upgrades over the third-gen model that was introduced back in 2013.
The current status of the market makes a wagon variant irrelevant since Lexus is now focusing on SUVs and its fully electric future. However, most competitors of the Lexus IS are offered in both sedan and wagon bodystyles, including the BMW 3-Series Touring, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate, the Audi A4 Avant, and the Volvo V60. Since the renderings are pure fiction, in an alternate universe the Japanese model could compete with an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sportwagon.
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