Lexus IS vs Nissan GT-R: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Lexus IS burns about $2,900 of fuel annually against $4,000 for the Nissan GT-R. That $1,100 yearly gap compounds to roughly $5,500 over five years and $8,800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Lexus IS leads in both cycles — 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway against 16 and 23 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Lexus IS is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI, SIDI), the Nissan GT-R with 1 (3.8). Across 52 recorded Lexus IS configurations and 9 for the Nissan GT-R, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Lexus IS is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Nissan GT-R with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Compact Cars and Subcompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Lexus IS emits 345 g/mile of CO2 versus 472 g/mile for the Nissan GT-R. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.