Lexus Turbo Four Replacing 2.5L V6

Lexus is preparing to cull an engine from its lineup in favor of a more efficient powerplant.

The Japanese automaker plans to replace its current 2.5-liter V6 engine with the new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the NX200t, which means the Lexus IS250 in the U.S. will soon come with a turbo engine according to a new report by Car and Driver. In the NX200t, the four-cylinder powerplant makes 235 hp, compared to the IS250’s current 204 hp output.

2015 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Lexus is also considering adding the turbo-four engine to the lineup of existing models that offers 3.0-liter engines, which means an ES200t and GS200t are possibilities in the future. Considering both models have competitors with similar outputs around 235 hp, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder offering in the luxury automaker’s lineup makes sense, not just for fuel efficiency but the possibility of more affordable models.