By Ewan Kennedy
LEXUS has taken some interesting new directions with its latest model, the new IS250.
Yet, thankfully, has stuck strongly to the original theme, meaning it’s still a sports sedan that is enjoyable to drive while at the same time providing all the necessary credentials for comfortable day-to-day travel.
A sports sedan in the true sense of that often misused term, the Lexus IS250 continues to challenge cars like the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C-Class.
However the chief engineer, Suguya Fukusato, who was in Australia for the launch of this important vehicle, denies that he benchmarked his car against those two German machines.
Rather he wanted to start with a clean-slate design using some of his long-held beliefs as to how a sporting sedan should be designed.
The IS250 follows the Lexus’s latest smooth theme, with a strong waistline that runs all the way from the boot and continues down the front guards, the guards having an independent appearance that almost separates them from the bonnet.
This waistline delineates high-set side windows that give the IS250 a most purposeful look.
At the same time these small windows reduce the amount of sunlight entering the car, a sensible feature for Australian summers.
The real changes are under the stylish skin.
Despite strongly promoting the use of a straight-six engine in the previous model, this time around Lexus has followed most other marques in going for a V6.
All Australian imports of the new IS have a twin-cam unit with 2.5-litre capacity.
This neatly straddles the 2.0- and 3.0-litre powerplants fitted in the just superseded Lexus IS series cars. It puts out 153kW, and an impressive 252Nm at 4800rpm.
The engine in the Australian imports is virtually the same as that used in European versions of the IS250 and we found it a little lacking in power and torque at low revs, but good over 3000rpm and sensational once it’s passed 4000 rpm.
This isn’t unusual on Euro cars and keen Aussie drivers have respected this engine type for decades.
It’s certainly no hardship to keep the IS250 engine in its best rev band by using the six-speed manual gearbox.
Indeed, this ‘box is arguably the best feature of a car that’s already crammed full of excellent engineering.
Being a rear-drive car means the IS250’s gear lever is close to the gearbox and the changes are slick and precise with a lovely metallic feel that’s a joy to live with.
Those wanting a transmission that does its own thing also get a six-speed unit.
The full automatic comes with tiptronic-type manual overrides and can be operated either through the floor shift or by steering wheel paddles.
The latter are large and easy to use, far better than the fiddly items fitted in many other cars.
Cabin space in the new IS series has been improved over the old, but the rear-drive layout isn’t kind to a desire for high-volume in any low-slung vehicle.
Though the new IS is slightly larger than the old, two six-footers sitting in tandem will have to compromise on legroom.
Other than that the interior is a pleasant place to be, with well-shaped seats and a design that carries strong sporting overtones.
In particular, the dials are large no-nonsense units and are shielded by a cowl that makes a strong styling statement in the manner of that used in the original IS200.
Steering is simply delightful with near-instantaneous response and excellent feedback.
Those who enjoy driving will simply love sitting at the wheel of a Lexus IS250.
There are two grades of suspension and we sampled both briefly on the press launch of the vehicle.
Some may find the firmer one a little on the harsh side on rough roads, others will find it more than acceptable.
However, the standard suspension already has plenty of sporting flair and only the hardest of drivers are likely to demand more than it offers.
The brakes are simply superb and pull the car up reassuringly from high speeds, with a nice meaty bite that suggests they stay fade free under just about any circumstances.
The new Lexus IS250 is offered in three distinct models with prices starting at $53,890 for the entry level IS250 and peaking at $78,500 for the Sports Luxury with Mark Levinson audio, woodgrain inserts in the trim and adaptive cruise control.
Because of this extended model range Lexus in Australia has chosen to discontinue the IS250’s larger brother, the Lexus ES300.
The ES300 was always the odd one out in the passenger car range, sharing many of its components with the Toyota Camry, while the others are all purely Lexus in their make-up.
RANGE
IS250: $53,890 (manual), $56,490 (automatic)
IS250 Sports: $67,400 (manual), $70,000 (automatic)
IS250 Sports Luxury: $78,500 (automatic)
