Lexus IS 250 2005 Review

What we liked
>> High standard equipment list
>> Excellent steering
>> Sharp looks

Not so much
>> Manual gearshift
>> Low-speed ride
>> Lack of rear bench and foot room

OVERVIEW
Japanese premium brand -- and top-shelf Toyota offshoot -- Lexus first challenged the staunchly Teutonic prestige and lower-luxury market kings in 1999 with its IS200. The straight-six IS200 took on the Germans at their own game, and the bigger-engined IS300 later upped the ante even further.

But, good as they were, neither car set the market alight, gaining cult status among young buyers who wanted something different rather than seriously troubling the thoroughbred marques Lexus had in its sights.

Now Lexus is back with a second-generation IS that's poised to deliver on the promise of its predecessors in a value-for-money package. And has the potential to give the German marques a serious shake.

The IS250 is new from its tyre treads to its rakish roofline and everything in between. Those new, sharper looks speak pure Lexus L-Finesse design philosophy. So much so, that this car shares many of its styling cues with its GS300 and GS430 stablemates. In profile, especially.

Like the GS Line cars, the IS250 delivers a relatively small glasshouse area -- with shallow side windows and front and rear windscreens -- together with a consequently higher waistline and short overhangs front and rear.

The stance is wedge-like in profile and aggressive front-on, with pumped front wheelarches and fat tyres which are different widths front and rear. The two exhaust pipes -- one on each side of the car -- look tough, too.

That wedgy profile -- ending with a subtle boot lip spoiler -- partly explains the IS250's impressive 0.27 Cd aerodynamics. The other major aerodynamic contributor is underbody shrouding -- including a unique stepped "floor" under the engine -- to help create downforce at speed.

Although the IS is available in other markets with a choice of two engine capacities, we get only the all-alloy, 2.5-litre quad-cam V6 (hence the name). Thanks partly to direct petrol injection and VVT-I (intelligent variable valve time) technology, it delivers 153kW of power at 6400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4800rpm. Mind you, that's high-octane petrol we're talking about.

Both the six-speed manual and paddle-shift sequential six-speed automatic transmissions on offer are new to Lexus in this model, and both are built by top Japanese supplier, Aisin.

Official combined city and highway fuel economy is 9.1 litres/100km for the automatic transmission models and 9.8 litres/100km for the six-speed manual.

FEATURES
Lexus has intentionally chosen a three-level IS250 marketing strategy, each level of which is well equipped for the money. It's a clever move, since the car's aforementioned opponents are notorious for offering pretty much no-frills cars with long option lists. Start ticking those options boxes, and the big-namers can quickly become budget busters.

The IS250 also brings with it a swag of Lexus-first features, including dual-stage front airbags -- among a total of eight 'bags, including segment-first front kneebags.

All three equipment levels -- IS250, IS250 Sports and IS250 Sports Luxury -- get Lexus' Smart Entry electronic key and Push Button Start system. Also new on all IS250s is data dot identification.

The entry-level, called simply IS250 gets 16-inch alloy wheels, IS250 Sports has 18-inch alloy wheels, while IS250 Sports Luxury get 17-inch alloys.

The IS250 and the IS250 Sports get a 13-speaker audio system, while the top-shelf IS250 Sports Luxury comes with a 14-speaker Mark Levinson 5.1 audio system, which includes DVD audio and video capability when the car is stationary.

The base IS250 comes standard with Vehicle Swerve Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC), and the choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with wheel-mounted shift paddles. Seats are full-face leather trimmed, and the fronts get climate-controlled heating and cooling functions. The only option is a moonroof with clever one-touch control.

The IS250 Sports grade adds a sports suspension package, metallic trim, sports pedals and scuff plates. Its sports-style seats are Alcantara-trimmed, again with heating and cooling. The moonroof is standard, as are adaptive high-intensity-discharge headlights and foglights, parking sonar, memory-equipped power tilt and telescopic steering column, three-way memory for driver and passenger front seats, and electro-chromatic mirrors.

The only IS250 Sports option is a $6600 combined pack of DVD, Satellite Navigation -- with so-called "Breadcrumb" function, which helps you retrace your route -- Bluetooth compatibility, rear-view camera with Rear Guide Assist, and the Mark Levinson audio system.

The IS250 Sports Luxury is available only with six-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes Active Cruise Control, Lexus's Pre-Collision system, premium full-face leather seats and interior bird's-eye maple woodgrain. Also standard are the features available in the IS250 Sports option pack.

COMFORT
Lexus says its leather trim is two grades higher than Rolls-Royce. And it certainly feels plush. As do the front pews themselves, in both leather and Alcantara trim. Lateral support works well on the move, too. We didn't get a chance to try the heating and cooling functions, unfortunately.

The rear bench seat is a different matter. Although adequate, cushion support is a bit disappointing, especially in terms of a lack of underthigh support. For anything other than short trips, head- and kneeroom will challenge 183cm-plus passengers, too. Lofty types also may well complain of a lack of foot room under the front seats.

The moonroof robs front headroom, too. Because dimensions all round are up on its IS200 and IS300 predecessor, shoulder room isn't a problem front or rear.

SAFETY
Big ticks for plenty of both passive and active safety features, even on the entry-level IS250. Passive safety highlights include eight SRS airbags as standard equipment, including that world-first twin-chamber front passenger 'bag -- that's said to "hug" the passenger in a crash -- driver and front passenger knee 'bags, front seat side TAP (Thorax, Abdomen and Pelvis) 'bags and full-length curtain-shield airbags.

IS250 Sports Luxury gets the radar-controlled Lexus Pre-Collision System (PCS) and two cruise control modes -- a conventional mode known as constant speed control, and Active Cruise Control (ACC) vehicle-to-vehicle distance control.

Active safety features include Vehicle Swerve Control (VSC), four-channel, four-sensor ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Lexus Brake Assist (BA) on all grades, and Adaptive Front Headlamp System (AFS) on IS250 Sports and IS250 Sports Luxury models.

Brakes are 296mm x 28mm ventilated disc fronts with two-piston aluminium callipers and high-friction pads. Rears are 291mm x 10mm solid discs.

MECHANICAL
Where the IS200 and 300 got a BMW-like straight-six, all three model levels in the IS250 range get the same 2.5-litre quad-cam alloy V6 with direct fuel injection and VVT-I (variable valve time with intelligence). Lexus says the fact that the V6 is shorter and lower than the previous inline six allowed its designers to set it further back in the engine bay for better weight distribution.

Transmission choice is six-speed manual or six-speed sequential automatic with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Ratios are close in both 'boxes but taller in the auto. Final drive for the manual is 3.583:1, and 3.909:1 for the automatic.

Suspension hardware is similar to that under the bigger GS300. The front uses double wishbones, with upper A-arm and lower L-arm, coil springs, monotube gas dampers and anti-roll bar. The rear is a multi-link set-up, with castor locating rod, coils, monotube gas dampers and anti-roll bar.

The IS250 Sports model gets its own, modified suspension set-up, with coil springs shortened by 13mm. It also gets a marginally-quicker steering gear ratio of 13.6:1 compared to 13.5:1 on the base IS250 and IS250 Sports Luxury.

The steering system itself is electrically-assisted rack and pinion with 2.9 turns lock-to-lock.

Brakes are ventilated discs up front and solid discs behind, both with single-piston sliding callipers.

COMPETITORS
The three-level IS250 marketing strategy also includes significant pricing. Especially when you consider the boots ‘n' all standard equipment levels.

Prices start at $53,890 for the IS250 manual. The automatic version weighs in a $56,490, and both prices fit fairly comfortably under the $57,009 luxury car tax threshold. The only option is the factory-fitted moonroof, at $1500.

The IS250 Sports with six-speed manual is $67,400, while the automatic version comes in at $70,000. The option pack is $6600.

The flagship IS250 Sports Luxury is $78,500.

In terms of four-door, six-cylinder-motivated competitors, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are the most obvious opposition, although Peugeot's 407 SV V6 ($55,990) gets a look-in, together with Renault's Laguna Authentique ($48,990), Privilege ($53,990) and Privilege LX ($57,990), Subaru's Liberty 3.0R ($50,990) and 3.0R Spec B ($53,990). And, if you're willing to drop a cylinder, Volvo's five-pot S60 SE ($56,950) and S60 AWD ($68,950) and right in the ballpark.

But even Lexus will tell you that it has the German marques squarely in its sights. Again, in terms of four-door, six-cylinder cars, Audi pitches its 3.2 FSI ($79,750) and 3.2 FSI quattro ($83,300). Mercedes-Benz offers its C240 Classic ($74,900), C240 Elegance ($79,700 and C240 Avantgarde ($78,900). And, of course, BMW -- the German marque that's obviously the benchmark for Lexus in terms of the IS250 -- has its iconic 3 Series cars, starting with the five-speed manual 320i at $52,500 and climbing through 325i ($74,500) and 330i ($96,500).

What the IS250 brings to the table in the prestige and lower-luxury market segment is improved looks, performance and, importantly, high levels of standard equipment. If you're shopping in these segments, the best advice we can give you is to think carefully -- and resort to your calculator -- as you tick those options boxes. Then drive the Lexus...

ON THE ROAD
The recently-launched next-step-up GS300 and 430 Lexus twin were roundly criticised for being too clever, with what some pundits considered too-intrusive electronic driver aids. We expected the new IS250 to deliver a similar driving experience. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised.

The steering boasts similar electro-assistance to the GS Line cars but is well-weighted and nicely responsive to driver inputs. Ditto the double-wishbone/multi-link suspension, which -- in the base IS250 manual and top-shelf automatic Sports Luxury versions we drove -- delivered compliant ride quality in all but low-speed, broken bitumen driving.

No complaints about roadholding, either. On the Sports Luxury's 225/45 R17 and 245/45 R17 Dunlop P-Sports especially, in our opinion the sports-calibration suspension IS250 is right up there with the German sporting sedans.

The combination of precise steering, handy throttle response, well set-up suspension, intelligent gearing and decent brakes is hard to argue with.

As you'd probably expect, it's quiet inside the cabin, although there's relatively muffled but decidedly sporty engine note under acceleration.

Speaking of which, Lexus makes few performance claims for the IS250 apart from 0-100km/h in 8.4 seconds, which is pretty impressive -- and well down on Wheels magazine's most recent 10.3 seconds for BMW's 320i. Again, according the Wheels' figures, the IS250's claimed 8.4 seconds is even half a second quicker than Audi's turbocharged A4 1.8T.

The large, wide-angle side mirrors take some getting used to but are well worth having when you're up to speed with them. And the rear-view camera is a huge bonus in the real world of tight carparks and snug street parking.

If we have any real complaints about the new IS250 they're centred on the quality of the six-speed manual gearshift. For our money, it was the one thing which let down the Lexus's otherwise fairly bulletproof drivetrain. Although it couldn't be described as sloppy, the shift didn't feel as "rifle-bolt" precise as we'd hoped for. Combined with the high centre console -- which means you need to lift your left elbow high, then reach down to the shifter -- it was the one flaw in a car which in most other respects looks to be all class.