When Lexus revealed the new IS, we saw that the company previously known for less exciting style actually had some daring and risque DNA in their toolbox all along.
Up front, the IS got an aggressive version of the brand’s now familiar spindle grille and bold headlamps with the LED daytime running lights separated. It’s a look that didn’t sit well at first, but it’s starting to grow on me.
Another interesting styling element is a character line that twists its way along the lower rocker into the tail lamps, creating a well tied together ¾ view. It’s sporty and aggressive, yet remains elegant enough to have a place on a Lexus.
Lot 51: 1961 Volkswagen Beetle Ragtop
The cabin continues the design theme which began in the larger GS and LS sedans, with a horizontal dash layout and a sweeping flat console that creates a tee effect. The cockpit is laid out snug with all controls easy to reach.
Materials are of a high quality and as expected with Lexus, the switchgear feels precise. The sport steering wheel has a nice thick leather rim and paddle shifters, even in the IS 250 entry point. The instrument cluster is crystal clear in its delivery of important information too.
From the driver seat the console mounted puck is one of the top in the business for operating the infotainment system in easy of use and intuitiveness. The small screen mounted in a large screen hole is a little bit of a let down, giving the perception you didn’t spend enough.
Our tester had the optional leather seats and genuine wood trim, but I found that despite being from real trees, this wood looks remarkably fake. I’ve been in cars with fake wood that looks far more genuine and rich.
There’s a console mounted knob for drive modes ECO, Normal and Sport which allows you to adjust the response and feel of throttle, steering and transmission shifting. Part of our Luxury Technology Package was heated and cooled seats as well as memory driver settings.
Rear seat space is plentiful despite the compact sedan status of the IS. Head room and knee room are both more than adequate. The zipper seams for the front seats are however visible to rear seat passengers which is an odd detail in this price range.
On the plus side, our optioned Mark Levinson premium audio system with its 835 watts and 15 speakers with Dolby 5.1 surround knocks your socks off with its sound quality. And as stated before it’s easy to use on the go with the console mounted puck or dash mounted knobs.
Under the hood is a smooth and refined 2.5 liter DOHC V6 engine with 204 horsepower and mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. While it doesn’t match the power of the larger 3.5 liter V6 available, I found it offers up plenty of fun.
The engine offers up a playful spirit and the automatic transmission is a driver’s friend when in Sport mode. It offers crisp downshifts on braking and holds your gear for you when you are going from curve to curve. It’s a hoot to drive when you discover how taut the chassis is for a base model.
I can tell you that when using the transmission in manual mode via the paddle shifters or the console shifter, it’s as responsive as they come both for upshifts and downshifts. Combine this follow your orders persona with a solid chassis and I think this car is a winner.
The best part of the IS-250 is that it’s rated by the EPA at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, with 24 mpg combined due to its smaller engine. In our week of testing even including the hot-shoe driving you just watched we averaged 27.5 mpg for our week on a tank.
For a more in-depth report and photo galleries see our review at GasMiler.com
