Similar yet wonderfully different
Two Lexus IS F Sport cars, one hybrid and one V6. Which is the better one to drive? Damien O’Carroll finds out.
Lexus recently gave its erstwhile BMW 3 Series/ Mercedes-Benz C-Class competitor a refresh, with a new body on the old platform. We take a side-by-side look at the two faces of the IS with the grunty V6 IS 350 and the frugal IS 300h, both in top-spec, F Sport guise, to see which one is the better drive.
On the outside
There’s quite a lot different on the outside of the new IS, although you mightn’t pick it at first glance, even though that ‘‘quite a lot’’ is ‘‘everything’’.
Yep, the IS is all new on the outside, and while that is harder to pick in photos, in the metal it is a strikingly sleeker car than it was previously, despite packing all the expected Lexus design cues, such as the brilliantly sharp lines and an even larger ‘‘spindle’’ grille. If you aren’t a fan of the latest design trend for massive grilles, then just keep walking. . .
With both cars being F Sport models, there is little visual difference between them, aside from wheel design. Both sport a more aggressive front bumper and a gloss black surround on the spindle grille.
Depending on your feelings on large grilles the IS is a sharp looking thing, particularly so in F Sport guise.
On the inside
Less is changed on the inside. The interior is largely carried over from the last model, which means that although it is still a modern, aggressively styled thing, it does feel a bit old in comparison to other Lexus models.
Again, little is different between the two F Sport cars, aside from the colour scheme options, that is. The 300h packs a rather bold two-tone black and red interior that, I kinda liked.
This appreciation for the wilder nature of the hybrid’s interior was probably heightened by the blandness of the 350’s black on black with black wood interior that, although still pleasant, lacked the visual punch the angular interior design deserves. Plus, it felt quite old man-ish. . .
While showing its age a bit now, both ISs still proved to be exceptionally pleasant and superbly comfortable things to be in, regardless of colour.
Under the bonnet
Now here is the real meat of thing and where the biggest differences lie.
Where the 300h gets Toyota’s venerable 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine hooked up to an electric motor and battery, the 350 packs the silky smooth 3.5-litre V6 that has done service in many, many Lexus and Toyota models over the years.
Both are proven powertrains, so we largely know what to expect from them and both behave largely as expected.
The V6 is the powerhouse of the pair, with its more muscular 232kW and 380Nm, but the hybrid actually proves to be the more drivable overall, packing its lesser torque and power (164kW and 221Nm) down in a more usable place rev range.
Although the V6 has a handy turn of top-end grunt, it is oddly slow to wind up, building its power in a surprisingly leisurely fashion from a standing start and when up and running. This slightly languid approach to gathering revs isn’t helped by the transmission having an obsession with being in as high a gear as possible at all times, meaning that it still takes its sweet time to shuffle down through the gears when you jam the throttle down.
The hybrid avoids all of this by having, um. . . a CVT. Which isn’t ideal, I know, but it does make perfect use of the hybrid powertrain’s handy low and midrange torque for an utterly seamless and smooth driving experience.
Around town, the hybrid simply has it all over the V6.
On the road
Out on the open road, however, it is a different story. Here, both are wonderfully well sorted and superbly compliant, with a fantastically wieldy, chuckable quality that only a properly tied down RWD car can provide.
The IS has always masterfully blended a comfortable ride with sharp handling, and it remains the case.
Higher in the revs is where the tables turn to the 350’s favour. The V6 emits a wonderfully evocative howl as it finally gets into its sweet spot in the revs.
Once up and running, the 350’s V6 is a slick and powerful delight, particularly if you keep it in the right place revs-wise using the paddle shifters.
Of course, this is also where it falls apart for the 300h, with the smooth and seamless serenity giving way to a slightly strained drone.
Keep the stereo turned up to drown it out and the performance on hand is rather good though, and the lighter nature of the hybrid powertrain means the 300h’s front end feels a fraction more responsive, too.
But it’s still not enough to stop the 350 from claiming open road honours.
Verdict
So which version of the IS is the better drive? As you may have guessed, that depends on what you want from your IS. And where you want to drive it.
If you want superbly slick and seamless around town driving, with all the torque and power stacked in the right place for urban running, with sporty styling and sharp handling (and a very frugal nature as a bonus) then the IS 300h F Sport is a no-brainer – smooth and satisfying to cruise around town in, things only get particularly CVT-ish when you get up in the revs.
On the other hand, if high in the revs is where you prefer to live, and you want a traditional rear-drive sports sedan with a silken-voiced six-cylinder howl, then the IS 350 will be well worth the extra $15K it asks over the hybrid.
However, for the majority of buyers, we reckon the IS 300h will make a far more satisfying thing to live with on a daily basis.
And you can buy a used Mazda MX-5 with that $15K you will save for some open road thrills anyway. . .