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Is250 lexus11/30/2023 ![]() With the top down, the windshield frame shuddered a bit over broken pavement, but that’s a common characteristic in four-seat convertibles. On the flip side, it didn’t have the most rigid structure. Our IS 250C, which had the same 17-inch wheels, isolated road imperfections the sedan played up harshly. Thanks to distinct suspension tuning, the convertible rides blessedly softer. Believe it or not, you could probably get the IS to ride even worse: Options include 18-inch wheels and lower-profile tires, as well as a performance-tuned F-Sport suspension. The 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class ride decidedly better. Our editors agreed it’s uncomfortable, and that’s a sacrifice you don’t necessarily have to make. Wearing 17-inch wheels and P225/45R17 tires, our IS 350 sedan picked up all sorts of bumps, from slight expansion joints to sizable potholes. Lexus has some catching up to do.Īs a group, sport sedans ride firmly, but the IS sedan takes things to an extreme that could turn off many shoppers. (Incidentally, that’s not far off the C240, which hit the mark in about 8.2 seconds.) Among today’s entry-level sport sedans, the BMW 328i is quicker, and the turbocharged Audi A4 beats both. Weighing 375 pounds less, the rear-drive IS 250 sedan hits the mark in 7.9 seconds, Lexus says. Lexus quotes a zero-to-60 time of 8.4 seconds for the 250 convertible, which is pokey for a luxury car. With three people inside, our convertible needed the drivetrain’s full reserves to reach highway speed. Like the old Benz, the IS 250’s oomph from a stop is modest, though it’s better in the drivetrain’s Power mode - activated by a dashboard switch - which noticeably hastens accelerator and transmission response (at some cost to fuel efficiency). It reminded me of a Mercedes-Benz C240 - the cheapest six-cylinder Mercedes of its time, discontinued in 2006. Our test car’s pint-sized V-6 felt two cylinders short. The 204-hp IS 250 does offer a stick, and you’ll probably need it to wring the most out of the engine. Manuals might not sell well, but having one available would make the IS more attractive to performance enthusiasts. Most competing sedans offer one with their larger engines. Still, I wish the IS 350 had a manual transmission. One editor thought the automatic shifted a bit harshly sometimes, but most agreed it’s a responsive gearbox - not the usual pedigree from parent company Toyota. ![]() Aided by a quick-shifting six-speed automatic, the 306- horsepower IS 350 is a confident beast. It pulls strongly, sounds muscular and can generally overtake slower traffic whenever your right foot desires. Lexus’ direct-injection V-6 feels on par with the powerhouse six-cylinders in the BMW 335i and Infiniti G37. We evaluated two cars: a rear-wheel-drive IS 250C convertible and an all-wheel-drive IS 350 sedan.Įven carrying an extra 176 pounds of driveline, the all-wheel-drive IS 350 moves out. All-wheel drive is optional on the IS 250 and 350 sedans in previous years, it was optional only on the IS 250. The lineup’s high-performance IS-F sedan is covered separately on. Both are also available as a convertible, denoted by “C” in the model name. The car comes in IS 250 or IS 350 form, representing the size of each one’s V-6 engine. Lexus restyled a few elements on the IS for 2011, which you can compare with the 2010 model here. While the Lexus IS sedan performs well, it makes drivers give up ride comfort and roominess in ways that its competitors don’t. It does not, however, get there without a penalty. The gamble worked: The IS drives better than most of its Lexus siblings. To see what’s new for 2012, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.įor more than 10 years, Lexus has presented luxury shoppers an unlikely offering in the IS, a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan from a brand best known for cushy comfort. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. Editor’s note: This review was written in July 2011 about the 2011 Lexus IS 250.
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