A Truly Sporty Lexus

Author's Rating:

Pros: Lots of standard features, silky smooth engine and transmission, great exterior and interior design.

Cons: Backseat space is relatively small.

The Bottom Line: 
Lexus IS 250/350 is truly an impressive vehicle and you really cannot go wrong with it. Test-drive it on some windy road and you will fall in love with it.

Author's Review
Let me start out by noting that often times, the experience and views on any vehicle is somewhat subjective and each person has his or her own taste. Having said that, I have certainly test driven many vehicles that compete with this IS series of Lexus.

Please note that when I compare Lexus IS 250/350 to the BMW 3-series, it is assumed that I am comparing IS 250 to BMW 325, and IS 350 to BMW 330. Unless otherwise noted, I have mostly focused on the rear-wheel versions.

Vehicle Design
The new 2006 IS 250/350 is beautiful curved and designed in a way I would paradoxically call absolutely gorgeous in a plain kind of way. There are not too many distinctive design elements that you can point your finger at, but it is subtly curved at all the right places and impeccably proportioned in every way. Being designed to compete with the BMW 3-series, the new IS now has a much more aggressive stance than ever. It has a very short over-hang from the front wheels to the bumper with the entire vehicle leaning forward as if it is ready to unleash all its power under the hood.

While it is hard to top the beautiful exterior of the IS 250/350, the interior of this vehicle is just every bit as refined as the exterior in a welcoming sense. It definitely has a comfortable and luxurious feel to it in a way that adheres to the Lexus brand image.

If you are planning on having passengers in the backseats often, it would be suggested that you check out the backseat space. Given the exterior dimension and the fact that the front seats are roomy, it should not come as a surprise that the backseat space is relatively limited comparing to a full-size sedan, though it is probably more than okay for most people.

Engine
I had the opportunity to drive a couple of different models of the Lexus IS 250/350 series. I realize some reviewers have said that IS 250 is underpowered. I am not sure I would agree with that assessment. I pushed the IS 250 hard and never felt the lack of power or torque throughout its entire RPM range. The transmission is silky smooth. If you want to save a few thousand bucks, certainly the IS 250 is more than what you are ever going to need. (If you are used to driving a true muscle car like Corvette or BMW M3, then you will feel IS 250 is underpowered but it is far ahead of most V6’s on most sedans you will find). Keep in mind that I am not comparing technical specs here but the feel of driving an IS 250.

The IS 350 is of course much more powerful. I suppose if you test drive the 350 first and then 250, then you will notice the difference in how much the engine can power the vehicle, but for everyday driving and highway passing, if you opt for IS 250 instead of IS 350, you will not miss the power. The difference is akin to BMW 330i vs. BMW 325i (which are now both 3-litter engines except one has 3-stage combustion and the other one has 1-stage combustion). If you can afford it, I would consider going with IS 350 instead of IS 250 but you won’t miss what this car has to offer with IS 250.

Handling
Clearly the Lexus IS series has BMW 3-series in sight as the target. To that extent, the rear-wheel driven model of IS 250/350 has proven itself successful. The IS handles extremely well in acceleration and more importantly, cornering. Cornering, breaking, and then re-accelerating with IS is an absolute joy. The breaking is fast, responsive, and exact. The steering is precise with no noticeable under or over steering. It is every bit as good to handle as the BMW 3-series except I had the distinct feel that with the BMW 3-series, I could “feel” more of the texture of the road through the steering wheel than I could with IS 250/350. Now, that is something subjective and people feel differently about which one they prefer. In any case, this is an amazingly responsive and agile vehicle.

Value
I have read reviews saying IS 250/350 is expensive. That may or may not be true depending on what you are looking for. Keep in mind that there are not that many options on the 2006 Lexis IS configurations. Most niceties come standard. If you equip a BMW 3-series with all the things that come standard on IS 250/350, then clearly you get more for your money with IS as the BMW. Now, if you just want an absolutely plain BMW 3-series with no options, it is entirely possible to for you to get a BMW 3-series at a price that is less than the Lexus IS. Remember, at the base level, a BMW does not come with power seats or leather where as the Lexus comes standard with just about every possible feature there is.

In other words, feature for feature, you can get more with Lexus IS 250/350. The question is if those are the features you are looking for and the value of these features to you.

Other Competitors
Clearly I feel BMW 3-series is a competitor of the Lexus IS 250/350. There are other noteworthy vehicles in this market segment that is getting crowded. Infiniti G35 is another worthy competitor as well as the Mercedes C-class, though the Mercedes C-class is more of a compact sedan than a true sports sedan. Audi A4 is yet another worthy competitor that has perhaps a less eye-catching exterior but an equally impressive interior.

Sports sedan is a good market segment with many wonderful choices. The difference in vehicles from the previous model of Lexus IS to the now 2006 Lexus IS 250/350 feels more like a jump of two generations rather instead of just one generation. That is how far the Lexus IS 250/350 has improved.

Lexus IS 250/350 is truly an impressive vehicle and you really cannot go wrong with it. Test-drive it on some windy road and you will fall in love with it.