Lexus IS 350 F Sport 2011 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $71,800
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Moonroof $2500
Crash rating: Five-stars (ANCAP)
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 9.4
CO2 emissions (g/km): 223
Also consider: BMW 335i; Mercedes-Benz C-Class

About our ratings

It wasn't until the day before we handed back the Lexus IS 350 F Sport that the small Japanese sport sedan suddenly made sense. Once yours truly found the time to take the Lexus for a brisk drive redemption was at hand. Literally.

Is it seemly to fall in love with a transmission? The six-speed automatic in the Lexus was flawless. It shifted rapidly but smoothly; never letting you know what it was doing by miscue. It just went about the job and handed you the right ratio for any circumstance. Plus the transmission would hold gears at the redline in sport mode, with the driver using the paddles.

The engine complemented the transmission, of course. It was refined at all times, but really hauled in the higher rev range, partly explaining why it seemed lacklustre initially -- most drivers won't find higher revs on freeways or in the suburbs. While it didn't offer the thrilling straight-six engine note of BMW's 335i, nor was it tinny-sounding or anemic. There's a pleasant though subdued bass note when the throttle is opened up.

With the driver using a lot of throttle and the needle straining for numbers above '5' in the tacho, an orange ring of LEDs lights up to let you know you're not driving in an eco-friendly, fuel-efficient way. It may not have been intended to have this effect, but it's something else to help the adrenaline pump a little faster.

Paired with the Bridgestone Turanza tyres (225/40 at the front, 255/40 at the rear), the firm F Sport suspension setup proved to be an absolute boon in press-on driving. Nary a sign of body roll was there, but nor did it skate in the corners -- handling was simply superb.

If one is a hoon at heart, this is one car -- within the bounds of the stability control system's oversight -- that will allow power slides to be induced and maintained with a progressive squeeze of the accelerator pedal. Very few cars can hold a tail-out slide with the same ease and consistency as this particular variant of the IS 350. Chapeau to the suspension engineers and their drivetrain counterparts... The boffins have got it so right.

On a low-friction surface, turn into the corner early, dab the brakes and the tail would be stepping out before the apex. Without being provoked, however, the car progressively widened its line on the exit from a corner as moderate power was applied. Obviously the best results were obtained by changing the engine mode from normal to 'power', facilitated by a toggle switch on the dash. There was a snow setting for the engine as well, but even our screwy summer weather didn't warrant that.

Brakes felt dependable and strong. They weren't quite as well calibrated in 'soft stops' as the Brembo brakes fitted to two FPVs driven a week earlier, but remember this: the Lexus is actually cheaper than the two Ford Performance Vehicles.

If there were one element of the IS 350 F Sport's dynamics that didn't quite gel with the rest of the car, it was the electrically-assisted steering. There was some feedback there and we had no complaint with turn-in, but it just lacked some of the meatier feel that hydraulic systems provide, even in the locally-built Falcon and Commodore.

Driven like the semi-prestige/luxury sedan it is, the IS 350 F Sports is very quiet and composed. At freeway speeds the tyres emitted a soft rumble, but there was nothing else to impinge on the driver's serenity -- no wind or drivetrain noise.

Fuel consumption for the week rose to around 11.7L/100km over an equal mix of open-road driving and suburban commuting. During the final day it lifted to 12.4 with some heavy use of the right foot.

There were some packaging details about the car that really impressed: Comfortable but supportive seats, for instance, and the fold-in exterior mirrors.

 If the interior resembled a high-end Toyota's -- and the Lexus is exactly that, in fact -- the quality was certainly there. The doors closed with the solidity of a much larger car, interior trim meshed together properly and the trim materials were respectively soft and durable where required. Nothing felt cheap.

So with all this going for it, why did the IS 350 F Sport leave us unimpressed for the first few days? Let's start with the ride quality. Granted the suspension has been specifically tuned for driving enthusiasts, but surely even the most ardent track-day enthusiasts would tire of that kind of suspension tune in a daily driver.

The ride may have been hard, but power delivery seemed fairly soft from first impressions -- especially against the relentless torque and driveability of the BMW 335i. Performance needs to be wrung out of the Lexus, not just drawn out.

Interior packaging was not especially roomy, compared with the Mercedes C-Class -- and particularly once the optional moonroof was factored into the equation. Luggage capacity was limited, headroom was marginal -- both front and rear -- and rear-seat legroom was barely adequate for teenagers. The driving position was compromised by lack of reach adjustment in the steering, too little in the way of setback from the pedals in the seat adjustment and a cramped footwell with the transmission tunnel encroaching from the left.

In a car with a rising waist, thick C pillars and low roof, a reversing camera was welcome, but ultrasonic parking sensors and acoustic guidance would have been appreciated also.

As already mentioned, the general style of the IS 350's interior is a little too close to that of a high-spec Toyota. Wiper and indicators stalks were nicely damped, but the latter don't provide a two-stage/lane-change facility and the rain-sensing wipers were minded to do their own thing -- sweeping the glass some times, but not others.

In the centre fascia, the infotainment touchscreen was blindingly bright for night driving. Indeed, the screen brightness was so distracting that the reviewer turned it off altogether while driving at night. It would not switch to a black background, despite that option being selected in the setup menu.

The IS 350 F Sport definitely isn't greater than the sum of its parts -- but that's due to some of its parts actually being very good indeed. Packaging remains the car's principal downfall. Everything else is forgivable -- and taking into account its aggressive pricing and value -- perhaps the Lexus would make a better account of itself without the optional moonroof for a start...?

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi