Engine choice
The first couple of years saw the IS equipped with just a single engine, a 2.0-litre straight-six offering 153bhp. Smooth and refined, it was a decent performer, with manual examples capable of 134mph and 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds. The downside was unexceptional fuel economy that claimed to achieve 29.1mpg combined, although it wouldn’t take much for that to tumble towards the low-20s, which didn’t impress those used to the diesel frugality of rivals.
In 2001, Lexus introduced the IS300, powered by a 211bhp 3.0 straight-six, which certainly improved outright performance. Unfortunately, this was coupled to an automatic transmission only, resulting in an underwhelming 26.1mpg and 256g/km of CO2.
For the second-generation, the petrol model – now badged IS250 – utilised a brand-new 2.5-litre chain-cam V6 with direct injection and VVTI variable valve timing. Achieving 204bhp, manual models cracked the 0-60mph sprint in 8.1 seconds and managed an improved 28.3mpg and 231g/km, those figures improved slightly by choosing the efficient six-speed automatic.
The really big news was the arrival in January 2006 of the IS220D, featuring an all-aluminium 2.2-litre diesel engine offering 175bhp and 400Nm of torque. A four-cylinder, common-rail unit, it boasted Lexus Clean Diesel Technology to reduce NOX and particulate emissions, and managed a combined 44.8mpg. Improvements came in November 2008, when the diesel emissions dropped from 168g/km to 163g/km, improving again shortly afterwards to 148g/km.
In March 2010, the petrol V6 became slightly more efficient, with bigger changes saved for later that year when it became Euro 5-compliant, as did the diesel when the IS220D was replaced by the IS200D. Now with 148bhp and fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), economy and emissions were 55.4mpg and 134g/km respectively. However, the diesel had been phased out by early 2012.