How weird is it driving a Lexus with three pedals? Not nearly as weird as driving one with a pronounced exhuast warble or a short shifter. But if you buy a Lexus IS 250
and order up the full contingent of "F-Sport
" add-ons you can get all three of those features, plus Bilstein shocks, lowering springs, sway bars, a free-flow intake, larger brakes and 19-inch forged alloy wheels.
With a starting price of $31,000 the IS 250 represents a viable value in the entry-luxury category, though it's not a particularly sporty sports sedan. Lexus hopes to change that by offering a full line of F-Sport accessories, but after driving this rolling F-Sport catalogue I remain unconvinced. Pricing, with all of the above-listed upgrades, comes to $45,000. So equipped the IS 250 F-Sport feels almost as good as a base G35 sedan...which feels almost as good as a BMW 335i. And $45k gets you a 335i with both the Premium and Sport packages.
The primary issue I had with this IS centered on the transmission. The F-Sport short shifter wouldn't go into second gear without griding unless I shifted it like an old lady, and clutch engagement felt too abrupt. After being subjected to 5,600 miles at the hands of automotive journalists it's likely the transmission wasn't in the best of shape.
But that doesn't explain the still-somewhat-tippy body roll or mediocre seat bolstering (for comparison, the Mazda 6 I drove last week offers as much, or more, comfort and lateral support). And with 204 horsepower coming from the 2.5-liter V6 the IS 250 simply doesn't live up to the "Sport" part of F-Sport, even with the upgraded intake and exhaust.
The IS line has always left me a bit confused. Since leaving the "Altezza" platform it's never been as sporty as it should be, despite the rear-wheel drive layout. Steering feel and body roll put it well off the pace of segment leaders like BMW and Audi. Yet it also doesn't offer the rear-seat space of a G35 or TL, which hurts its luxury claims.
Unfortunately the F-Sport bolt-ons don't effectively address either issue, while bumping the price to unrealistic levels. If I were making a short list, this one wouldn't be on it.
By ahightower
on August 28, 2008
06:16 AM
Wow, tippy body roll with Bilstein shocks, lowering springs, and sway bars? That's too bad.
By chavis10
on August 28, 2008
06:27 AM
What the hell was Lexus thinking with this non sense? They cannot be serious.
By technetium99
on August 28, 2008
06:35 AM
>>>The IS line has always left me a bit confused. Since leaving the "Altezza" platform it's never been as sporty as it should be, despite the rear-wheel drive layout.
Karl: The real question should be why you still expect Toyota (and thus Lexus) to be able to make a true sports car. Toyota has never understood what makes sports cars special. They just flat out have never got it. Remember, this is the company that spent millions of dollars researching this "soul" that Americans claim good cars have, and the result, the first Toyota with soul, was the Avalon. The last two generations of Supra were decent tourers (as was the Soarer aka Lexus SC300 & 400) and the first MR2 was just a happy mistake. Look at the last generation when it was finally a true Toyota.
Bottom line: Toyota, in all its divisions, makes appliances, not cars with soul. Never has. Never will.
By dougtheeng
on August 28, 2008
06:52 AM
I always liked the exterior of this vehicle - I think the picture above does not do it justice.
Then I sat in it...and I just hated the claustrophobic layout. Maybe its because I'm 6'2", but I could never drive this car because I could never be comfortable.
When I look at the demographic I see driving this car (from my observations on the road, not any published statistics), the type of people I see driving it to not strike me as the "sports sedan" crowd. What I'm trying to say is that I don't see most of the customers for the IS as going to a dealership specifically for a sport sedan. I think once at Lexus, this "sport" option is pointed out. I'm guessing the owners of this are not cross shopping with G35s or 335s.
By banovsky
on August 28, 2008
07:04 AM
@technetium99: I think you've been misguided as to Toyota's sports car prowess. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_motorsports)
I agree that lately they haven't been setting things alight, but they have more culture and respect around one 20-yr-old car, the AE86 Levin/Sprinter Trueno (Corolla GT-S here), than some manufacturers have across their whole model range. M!
By mrryte
on August 28, 2008
07:08 AM
Quote from dougtheeng:
"I always liked the exterior of this vehicle - I think the picture above does not do it justice.
Then I sat in it...and I just hated the claustrophobic layout."
Same here. And heaven forbid if you have adult passengers in the rear seat....8-O
The IS250 is a nice entry-level luxury compact; but the lack of both space and sportiness is just kills its value. And considering the pricing of the 204hp IS250 F-SPORT at $45K, no one will seriously give the car a second look with the 2009 330hp G37 Sedan about to be released in mid September.
BTW, does Lexus offer the IS350 with a manual yet? If not, the IS F-SPORT will be DOA.
By rascal99
on August 28, 2008
07:50 AM
The IS, along with the TSX, is one of those cars I really WANT to like, but I just don't. I have test driven both and neither were very impressive from a sport sedan perspective. As technetium99 mentioned above Toyota/Lexus just doesn't get what makes a car exciting. You can put track shoes on a pig and guess what...it's still a pig.
By iskch
on August 28, 2008
08:20 AM
I think Toyota - Lexus is finding that the "X" generation that were Driving Civics, Integras, Eclipses and Subies are not going to spend money on floating - numb cars like the LEXUS cars. Fixing the IS-250 with a F-sport package for $ 45K is not going to cut it with them.
By blackadder5639
on August 28, 2008
09:29 AM
Like some of the other guys here, I've always liked the IS' exterior styling. The interior looks good too, but I've not sat in one before....
I was hoping the IS250 manual would be a good alternative to the 328i and G35 sportinesswise.....so I'm disappointed at this performance. $45k for this car isn't worth it: I'd get a 335i or a CTS!
"Yet it also doesn't offer the rear-seat space of a G35 or TL, which hurts its luxury claims...."
Karl, I disagree. I think a luxury car doesn't have to be spacious. It doesn't even need to be powerful. It just has to offer prestige and luxury, which I would think the IS250 does. The 1-series, 3-series (before the current models) haven't been particularly spacious cars.
By Karl Brauer
on August 28, 2008
09:40 AM
"The 1-series, 3-series (before the current models) haven't been particularly spacious cars."
Agreed, but at both of those cars were SPORTY.
Sporty but cramped? Okay. Spacious/luxurious but not sporty? Okay.
Cramped AND not sporty? WTF?! And for $45K? WTFx2!!
By blueguydotcom
on August 28, 2008
10:08 AM
blackadder,
And the 3 series interior space compared to the IS is cavernous.
The IS has nice lines on the outside but its interior is tight. Really tight. And boy is it a bland ride - sort of a Bucik with sporty shocks.
By 1487
on August 28, 2008
10:19 AM
the base engine on this car is a disgrace for a $30k+ luxury car.
By hondacura4
on August 28, 2008
02:05 PM
Im assuming the F-Sport accessories are dealer installed? This would certainly explain the high price as I can get a 335i 6MT sedan EXACTLY the way I want it for $44K and some change and that comes with much better performance and 4 years of free maintenence.
Assuming this is a dealer installed package, Lexus should have offered this package directly from the factory which would save the consumer a bit of money. The package is similar to what Mercedes, BMW and Audi offer with their AMG Sport, ///M Sport and S-Line packages yet they dont hurt the pocket nearly as bad as the IS250 F-Sport. Nice try Lexus but come with something better and CHEAPER.
My father is a Toyota/Lexus product planner so Ill try to sap some information about this package as he hasnt mentioned it.
By tcolberg85
on August 28, 2008
05:23 PM
I like the idea of the IS250. I don't mind a merely "adequate" engine. I like the idea of a sporty, well-handling car that will offer a reasonable level of luxury and ergonomics during the week. Except Lexus doesn't seem to have that.
Fifteen-thousand dollars in add-ons for "almost"? Ridiculous. Maybe if it were still in the low $30s. Hell, an R32 sounds like a better alternative to this F-Sport IS250.
By mozzz77788
on August 28, 2008
05:43 PM
I really liked the Altezza one (love the cute nickname) it was so sporty and hot, and instant tuner classic. Too bad it was out for such a short time.
By carlisimo
on August 28, 2008
06:02 PM
TEIN Flex coilovers probably won't reach $2,000 and can be installed over a weekend. If you never adjust your dampers, you can get your springs and dampers for under $1,000. Get sway bars to match, for a couple hundred. Intake and exhaust for maybe $1,000. Screw the rimzzzz, just get good tires for $500. The end - you've got an IS 250 "sport." It's no Altezza, but it'll do. And the rear seats won't be any worse than a previous-gen 3-series.
The new rumor is that Toyota's killing the um... LA-F, was it? The supercar. I hope the reason isn't that it lost on the Nurburgring. A Toyota supercar doesn't have to be all that fast, imo, as long as it's a nicely appointed GT with a special interior and some sportiness. Lexus can do that.
By ne1butu2
on August 28, 2008
06:04 PM
FORTY-FIVE-THOUSAND... for a 204hp Toyota??? For a car that is so mediocre in every way, that is just idiocy. My initial thoughts were that this car appears to be about fifteen thousand dollars too expensive. But based on the engine, it's about twenty thou too much. Toyota has some serious balls.
By louiswei
on August 28, 2008
08:14 PM
This car is so pointless...
First of all, just to improve the performance one doesn't need ALL of the F-sport parts. The only thing that are needed are:
- Sway bars (I got mine for $400)
- Springs + shocks (around $600 for both)
and
- Intake (I got mine for $300)
Maybe
- Front brakes (around $1,500)
Then find a reputable and trust-worthy private mechanics to install them for you so you won't get ripped off by the stealership.
So let's recap:
$31k + $400 + $600 + $300 + $1,500 + $600(labor) = $34,400.
How much is a base 335i or 328i again?
By louiswei
on August 28, 2008
08:51 PM
Also, Karl, you need to stop drinking the BMW kool-aid. I don't care what your butt tells you about the steering feel and "excessive body roll" the only reputable way is to pit this F-sport IS250 and a 328i sport on a track like Street of Willow. Personally I'll trust the cold hard fact of the lap times than anybody's butt-meter no matter how "professional" that person is.
Just in case that you forgot, here's the quote from Edmunds IL's own IS250 article:
"The X Package improvements also translate to the track, as our slalom test confirms. Although it's down over 100 hp on the IS 350, the IS 250 is nearly 4 mph faster through the cones with a 70.4-mph result. This is blazing speed, and it puts the IS 250 ahead of the BMW 335i, not to mention about a half dozen very capable sports cars."
Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Followup/articleId=121228
Excessive body roll? What?