Lexus sedans deserve the love
Here’s a twin drive of two very good - if a little unloved - Lexus sedans. By Rob Maetzig.
Lexus New Zealand says more than 70 per cent of its sales are now SUVS, which is way ahead of the brand’s global SUV percentage, which is sitting at around 61 per cent.
Doesn’t leave much room for sedans, does it?
Last year 720 Lexus vehicles were sold in this country, and if the SUVS are taken out of the equation that means just over 200 of the sales were sedans and sportscars. That’s not much, considering the sedan lineup comprises IS, ES, GS and LS models. Oh – and there’s also a CT hatch, and RC and now LC coupes.
Just the other day we had a really interesting conversation with Lexus NZ’S senior general manager Paul Carroll who told of how Lexus is working to transform itself from being seen as conventional and conservative, to being seen as exciting and visionary. That’s why, he said, there is now a solid selection of models with the sporty F-sport specification, and hard-charging new vehicles such as the latest LC500.
While Carroll and his team will no doubt be perfectly happy to build Lexus sales by selling more SUV product to those customers who want them, I wonder if they feel just a little bit sorry for the sedans? I know I do. The latest models are the result of generations of improvements to the traditional three-box (bonnet, cabin, boot) design, and now it seems nobody wants them.
I suppose some of the Lexus sedans, such as the mid-sized ES and GS models and the larger LS, can be viewed as conventional and conservative.
But I don’t think those descriptions can be attached to the compact sedan, the IS, which always has been an exciting vehicle.
When the first version was launched almost 20 years ago, it was aimed fairly and squarely at the BMW 3-Series. Just like the German sedan it was rear-wheel drive and powered by an in-line six cylinder engine.
We’re now into the IS’ third generation, and the sedan is still rear-wheel drive. But technology has taken over things as regards powertrains, and today’s IS selection includes a 2.0-litre four cylinder turbocharged version and a hybrid. So – conventional and conservative? I don’t think so.
Down at the entrance to the selection there’s the IS200T, which as the name suggests is powered by the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine which delivers 180kw of power and 350Nm of torque – all the way from 1650rpm through to 4400rpm.
The version we drove was the F-sport which retails for $84,900 and gives the driver a few bits and pieces in the interests of sportiness, particularly Sport+ on its Drive Mode Select system which extracts more fun out of the engine and its eight-speed directshift automatic.
This car, like others in the IS range, has been made safer as part of a facelift. The model now has the Lexus Safety System Plus, which gives it such features as radar-based cruise control, automatic high beam, emergency city braking, and active lane departure. It also has a raft of standard luxury and infotainment features, and its heated and ventilated sports front seats are nicely bolstered for secure driving during enthusiastic motoring.
Our test vehicle was painted a red called Caliente, which is a Spanish word that translates to hot. Well – with the IS200T we wouldn’t go quite that far, maybe warm or enthusiastic are better terms. But the Lexus can scoot to 100kmh in seven seconds, and thanks to that turbocharging there’s no shortage of torque.
Up towards to top of the IS selection there’s the IS300H Limited, which combines a 2.5-litre in-line four with an electric motor via the Lexus Hybrid Drive system to offer up to 164kw of power and lots of instant torque. At the Limited level the $88,700 carries considerably more equipment than the standard IS300H.
During the few days driving this Lexus, I was reminded that Toyota has now sold more than 10 million Toyota and Lexus hybrids since the first model, the Toyota Prius, was launched in Japan in 1997. That’s a lot of vehicles, and Toyota estimates these vehicles have saved more than 29 billion litres of fuel and 70 billion
I found myself very impressed with this vehicle.
kilograms of CO2 emissions when compared to conventional petrol cars of similar size and driving performance. So is that exciting and visionary? Given that New Zealanders have purchased almost 10,000 Lexus and Toyota hybrids since their introduction in 2003, maybe it’s not so much, and maybe this IS300H Limited is more conventional and conservative.
But I found myself very impressed with this vehicle. It’s got such a lovely demeanour – a luxury compact sedan with all the accoutrements, and quiet and economical yet powerful performance. Personally I found this to be one of my drives of the year so far.
Both IS models have had some cosmetic changes as part of their mid-life facelift. At the front, the trademark spindle grille has been re-profiled, and there are narrower headlights and differently shaped daytime running lights. The vehicles also have new LED tail-lights and the alloy wheels have been changed.
As we said at the start, not that many New Zealanders will purchase the Lexus IS, primarily because SUVS rule the vehicle preference roost right now. Not only that, but this Lexus competes directly against some very good German compact sedans including the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-benz C-class and Audi A4. That’s a tough task in a competitive – and shrinking – market sector.