2006 Lexus IS250 Reviews

Later, the Mercedes C-Class was also in Lexus’s sights as Mercedes quietly moved it from the boring sedan into the sporty sedan segment.All Lexus are immaculately finished inside and out in a tradition that has been with the marque since day one in 1989.The quality of materials and workmanship not only makes the car a delight to look at and sit in, but also makes for high level reliability.Interior space is good for a rear-drive car, but the little Lexus has less room than a front-wheel-drive of this size would have.Try the back seat for size if adults will be frequently using it.The quality of materials and workmanship makes the car a delight to look at with high level reliability.In its earlier iterations, it’s possibly best to regard it as being a two-plus-two rather than a four-seater for adults.Later models are better but still nothing special.That’s for the sedans, the IS hardtop convertibles, launched in July 2009, are very tight in the back seat, as is generally the way in this class.The first Lexus IS generation used straight-six engines, for smoothness; and rear-wheel drive for precise handling balance.Later it changed to V6 powerplants to free up space at the front.Power for the IS200 originally came from an engine with a capacity of just 2.0 litres, hence the ‘200’.While many praised the car others said it didn’t have enough grunt to match the chassis so a 3.0-litre IS300 was introduced in 2001.Splitting the difference is the IS 250, (yes, 2.5 litres) which replaced both the 200 and 300 with the introduction of the second generation IS Series in 2005.The third generation Lexus IS retained the 2.5-litre V6 in uprated format and added a 3.5-litre V6, to the lineup.Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F.Things became interesting in the powerplant field with the introduction of a hybrid powertrain, the Lexus IS300h, in the gen-three car in July 2013.This time around the engine is a four-cylinder petrol 2.5-litre assisted by an electric motor.The ‘300’ indicates the hybrid provides the sort of performance normally requiring a 3.0-litre unit.After years of competing only against the mainstream models of BMW and Merc, Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F in October 2008.With a 5.0-litre V8 engine and semi-race suspension, steering, brakes and serious aerodynamic enhancements it’s something right out of the ordinary from a Lexus point of view; deliberately so, the Japanese marque really wants to make a statement.Note that the Lexus F shouldn't be confused with the Lexus F Sport, which is a far tamer model, sold from 2010, with the same engine output standard IS 250 or IS 350 on which it is based, but with uprated suspension, steering and brakes, as well as a sportier look in body details.Spare parts and servicing are reasonably priced for a car in this class.Lexus dealers are fairly limited in number, particularly in rural areas, though that situation has changed in recent years as major country cities are now being serviced.Some senior Toyota technicians are trained in most aspects of the car. Toyota is, of course, the parent company of Lexus.Insurance is generally moderate in price for a car in this price and social class and we haven't noticed any worthwhile variation between the major companies in normal premiums.Look for damage to the bodywork and the interior trim and remember the car should be close to immaculate in all areas.If not it may have been mistreated by an uncaring owner.During your test drive check for anything out of the ordinary in the way the car drives, sounds and feels.Look over the complete vehicle, preferably with the owner’s handbook in front of you, these are complex cars.At the very least, test each of the functions on the stereo, climate-control, windows and door locking.Make sure the engine starts virtually instantaneously, idles so smoothly that you can barely feel it and doesn't hesitate when accelerated.The automatic transmission should operate almost imperceptibly and not hold onto any gears unnecessarily.A manual gearbox should be smooth and light not baulk on any changes, no matter how fast you make them.Unless you’re very confident in your technical ability it’s silly not to call for a professional inspection.Don’t rush into specific details of a car when checking it out - rather do an overall walk around to get a big-picture of its condition.

Yes, it's disappointing that Lexus did not opt for a larger engine when it consolidated the IS200 and IS300 into one model.And yes, if you look closely, some parts are branded Toyota (everyone knows it's really a Toyota under the skin).But having said that, it still stands as one damn fine piece of machinery that can hold its high in more fancied company.The IS250 has by default become Lexus's entry level model with the demise of the rather ugly, bloated and front-wheel drive ES300.Prices for the car start from just under $54,000 rising to $78,500 for the whole box and dice before on-road costs.More than anything else the IS250 marks a turning point for Lexus with its distinctive coupe-like styling and a strategic move away from straight six power plants.It has evolved into a car in its own right, rather than some BMW copycat, compact in dimensions but certainly no 3-Series clone.The 2.5-litre Quad Cam V6 develops 153kW of power at 6400rpm and 252Nm of torque at 4800rpm, with variable intake and exhaust valve timing, replacing the previous 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre straight sixes.This compares with the IS300's 157kW of power at 5800rpm and 288Nm of torque at 3800rpm.You can see the difference lies mainly in the torque figure and the way both power and torque are developed higher in the rev range.It gives the car less low down grunt but this is partly compensated for by a switch to a six- speed tranny, with its wider spread of ratios.The smaller IS200 meanwhile developed a lack lustre 114kW of power at 6200rpm and 195Nm of torque at 4600rpm.So, why didn't Lexus opt for a larger, more powerful engine?Well, it argues that the new car delivers significantly better fuel economy while providing higher levels of performance, safety and comfort as well as lower levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).The alloy 2.5-litre V6 is 33kg lighter and shorter than the superseded 3.0-litre six, so it can located further back in the car for better weight distribution.It is matched to either a six-speed manual or six-speed sequential automatic that allows the driver to change gears like a manual.Our test vehicle was the Sports model with optional six-speed auto. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, adaptive xenon front lights, sunroof and sports pedals.Fuel economy for the auto, an important consideration in these times of rising fuel prices, is rated at 9.1 litres per 100km, better even than the manual at 9.8.In fact, the new model achieves eight per cent better fuel economy than the previous 2.0-litre car and 14.2 per cent better economy than the 3.0-litre six.Premium unleaded is recommended and we got 8.2 litres per 100km from the 65 litre tank.IS250 is available in three different grades: IS250, IS250 Sports and IS250 Sports Luxury.It's jam packed with technology but fortunately it doesn't get in the way of the drive experience.The car is 175mm longer, 75mm wider and 5mm higher than the previous model.Drive is to the rear wheels with double- wishbone front suspension, multi-link suspension replacing rear wishbones and electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering.It has a longer wheelbase and wider track than the previous model and the Sport rides 13mm lower, with different front and rear tyre sizes _ 225/40 front and 255/40 back.Some motor noters have found the stability/ traction control system intrusive, but we like the way it kicks in progressively, allowing the driver to keep feeding in the power, even in fastest, wettest sweeping bends.The auto also includes steering wheel- mounted gear change paddles, but they are not fixed to the steering column and not to our liking.The white on black instrumentation is sharp and easy to read, but lacks a digital speed readout.Eight airbags are standard, including driver and front passenger's knee airbags.Active safety features include Vehicle Swerve Control (VSC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Lexus Brake Assist (BA), with adaptive front headlights on Sports and Sports Luxury models.We're a big fan of Lexus sound systems in general and the IS250's does not disappoint, with a 13-speaker premium system standard.

The Lexus IS250 is a case in point. Lexus strives for its own vision of perfection: benchmark noise, vibration and harshness levels, quality of the highest order, technology at the cutting edge. These are targets the company is becoming increasingly adept at achieving. Yet for all that, Lexus cars are rarely involving.Often their brilliance is in the manner of a sublime personal aid, making certain all runs smoothly while keeping the recipient composed and unruffled ... and a step removed.Not so the IS250. From first glance the little Lexus looks the goods. There are business-like lines aplenty in the compact styling, yet overall the impression is of balance.It is this impression that flows through to the behaviour of the car. The previous model's well-loved straight six makes way for a lightweight 60-degree V6, which, it is claimed, both lowers and balances the car's centre of gravity. The 2.5-litre double VVT-i (variable timing on both inlet and outlet) engine produces a handy 153kW at a free-spinning 6400rpm with a very usable 252Nm of torque. Much of the car's appeal and character is the fact that drive is to the rear wheels. In the Sports Luxury test car that drive is through a six-speed Aisin-supplied automatic with a set of shift paddles sitting behind the sports wheel.In full automatic the car tends to be a little on the dozy side, with the engine mapping getting to the top gear as quickly as possible and staying there with grim determination.Use the manual shift option whenever you can — it has a huge fun factor and is really the only way to make optimum use of the car's mid-range torque. This is a car that must be stirred, not shaken. When it is, the IS250 has both poise and punch in abundance. The use of speed-sensitive electronic steering assistance keeps the feel nicely weighted with feedback an improvement over the usual lightweight Lexus offering. It is not benchmark, and feedback can be a little on the reserved side, but it is sharp and a huge improvement over the previous offering.The suspension architecture — double wishbone front and multi-link rear — is not unique, nor even particularly unusual.It is, however, well sorted and produces a nice balance between ride comfort and sporty capability. Body movement is well damped and isolation from the shortcomings of Sydney's roads is at the better end of the scale - even when the IS250 is pushed.The foot-operated park brake, used on the automatic models, is not a personal favourite. Throughout the cabin, quality and luxury is underscored at every turn. The upgraded leather in the Sport Luxury is superb, while the 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system is one of the best in the market.For front-seat passengers the feeling is one of being encompassed, for those in the rear it may be a little less enthralling.In true Lexus style the IS250 comes with eight airbags — including a knee bag — as well as stability and traction controls.The keyless entry and push-button start are a nice luxury touch as are the heated and cooled seats, climate-control airconditioning and Lexus Encore post-sales privileges program.So does the full experience of the IS250 fulfill that initial promise of magic? Sadly, no. But there are moments — enough of them to have the European big boys in a sweat.

The Toyota off-shoot was established in the early '90s to sell luxury vehicles in the United States, hence the name: Luxury EXport to the US.The brand was so successful, they began exporting to other countries, including Australia, and last year it became a separate brand in Japan.Lexus carries with it the reliability of the Toyota brand and has become known for its low cabin noise, with Hyundai even using the GS model as its benchmark in that category in its new Grandeur sedan.Over the past couple of years, new styling has helped Lexus overcome its boring looks and confront the stylish German marques head-on with products such as the GS, which is a stylistic cross between the gorgeous Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Audi A6.Lexus sales for 2005 were 6005, almost 1000 up on the previous year, which puts it about 1000 ahead of Audi, but still a long way off BMW (15,910) and Mercedes-Benz (17,661).To truly tackle the Germans that dominate the luxury market with their sporty compact sedans, Lexus needed a quality competitor.The previous Lexus IS200 small sedan was too doughy at 114kW, beating only the BMW 320i four-cylinder, some Audi A3s and the Benz C180 K for power.The IS300 was a genuine contender with a beefy 157kW, which put it close to the 325i and better than some V6 C-Class models and all four-cylinder A4s.But they lacked sparkle both in the styling department and driving dynamics.The two-model range has now been swapped for the one-model, three-spec IS250 line.Power is slightly down to 153kW, but it's not all just a power game, otherwise you should try a Subaru Liberty GT.Driving dynamics in the new IS250 are now far better and styling is a quantum leap forward.British TV motoring show Top Gear named the 3 Series as its ugliest car of the year so, in the styling stakes, the compact Lexus with bulging muscular wheel arches has a head start.I recently drove the IS250 Sports Luxury, which is a real honey. And finished in white pearl paint that resembles the inside of a clam shell, it highlights those muscular bulges. In the sun, it is gorgeous beyond belief.Inside, you are cocooned in a high-sill, low-seat, high-dash, low-roof cabin that can be a bit claustrophobic, especially in the rear behind the high head restraints of the front seats.However, you are surrounded in luxury with a touch of sportiness. There is plenty of tasty woodgrain, the simple-to-use touchscreen Satellite Navigation and on-board computer, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, active cruise control, and the best stereo on four wheels — the 14-speaker sound system designed by Mark Levinson.The Sat Nav screen also shows images from the reversing camera, a feature which should be in every car and SUV, and is now available in all Lexus models except the big LX off-roader, but it is coming.The new Sat Nav also features a recording function called "bread crumbing" which can find its way back on a route it has previously taken.Add all these features to the comparable German car and watch the price go through the roof.The sportiness of the cabin is in the six-speed auto with paddle shifts on the stylish saddle-stitched leather steering wheel. This feature is available only in the Sports Luxury model.But it is in the driving dynamics that this car now competes with the Germans.The Sports Luxury model does not have the lowered suspension of the Sports variant, but takes corners flat with a neutral balance.If pushed hard, the rear-wheel-driver shifts weight to the back under that creamy on-demand torque before the driver aids, including swerve control, come into play.The steering is sharp, responsive and precise. So precise it takes a little getting used to, especially around suburban "traffic calming" chicanes.Ride is smooth, without being plush. If you hit a sharp bump, you will feel it, but it won't upset you or the car, even in a brisk corner.The GS and IS models are now taking on the Germans at their own game — style, power and driving dynamics — and the LS460 luxury saloon will complete the sedan passenger range makeover when it arrives later this year.Then Lexus will become a serious consideration on the luxury shopping list.

Ultimately, it fell short on cabin space, outright performance and a manual gearbox that was nowhere near good enough.Even so, it was good enough to outscore the all-new BMW 3-Series with our judges and picked up points for design, value, equipment and driving enjoyment.No matter how you score it, the new IS250 is the best thing yet with a Lexus badge.Its style and techno tweaks will give it showroom appeal to the thirtysomethings who are expected to dominate sales.The starting price of $53,890, just below the critical luxury tax cut-off that is essential with many leasing customers, makes sense.You can spend closer to $80,000 on a new IS, but the starter car is expected to dominate sales in Australia.The IS250 comes after Lexus first entered the compact prestige class in the 1990s with an IS200, which was too small and gutless to stand out in a field dominated by the 3-Series BMW.But this time around the brief was different.The IS was set for a best-in-class development. And that meant 500 individual targets for everything from safety to comfort and equipment."This car is brand new, and my child. The new IS is most like me," Sugayo Fukusato, one of the first Lexus-specific engineers, says proudly.And that's good news because he drives a Porsche 911, rides a one-off mountain bike and has a costly custom-made sound system in his home.The result is a V6 engine, rear-wheel drive chassis with big brakes and fully-independent suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, tilt-and-slide steering adjustment, six airbags, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and "light sabre" pointers on the instruments.Lexus lists a total of 18 IS250 models, from the basic car to a Sports Luxury model with automatic transmission.The flagship comes with all the fruit: leather seats, a moonroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, six-speed auto gearbox and Mark Levinson sound system.But Lexus does not have the IS350 sold in America. It says the car cannot be certified for local sales, though that could be a stalling excuse to get the 250 out of the blocks and leave space for the 350 — and eventually the IS500 with V8 power — to slip in above the current car.The new IS has definitely killed the Camry-cloned GS300, which looks anything but special in the current Lexus family. The new baby Lexus is a top drive. It is much tighter, more together, and more rewarding than the earlier IS.It even felt good after the Audi S4, which is one of the best cars we have had through our test garage in a while.The IS is responsive and youthful, two things BMW has lost with the growth and extra refinement in the latest 3-Series.The German car is still very, very good but falls short of the Lexus when you want to play.Not that you have to flog the IS to enjoy yourself.Our test car, admittedly with all the gear and that $80,000-ish price, had almost everything you could want in a new car: great sound, top-drawer quality, plenty of luxury touches.But the basics are the best. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the touch-change paddles for the automatic gearbox are well placed and made, you can get the wheel where you want it, and the dash is clean and user-friendly.The car could still do with more rear-seat space, even though it's better than the original IS and there is room for two adults, but the cabin is an excellent place.The IS250 also gets along pretty well, though its V6 engine needs encouraging to give its best. It's not a stop-light star, and taxis can take it, which is a big failing.Lexus says 153kW is plenty for the car, but its the torque — only 252Nm in a heavy car — that lets it down, even with the six-speed gearboxes.The manual change is plain awful, with too much slop in all directions, and we would recommend the IS only as an auto.But it is easy to talk up its ride and handling, which is as good as anything in the class: more responsive than the 3-Series, more taut than an Audi A4, and more youthful than a Benz C-Class. And it makes a twisty road fun.The car is just about neutrally balanced, with great turn-in and feel through the steering, which makes it easy to push.It also has great brakes, and the paddle-change auto gives you plenty of options and a gear for every situation.Lexus set tight targets for the new IS and got a bullseye on most of them.It is a terrific car that will do a lot better than the original and make life much, much tougher for the Europeans and more enjoyable for owners.The best Lexus yet is a top car and a responsive drive, but only with an automatic gearbox.79/100