Lexus IS a contender
HE Lexus IS faces one of the stiffest challenges in motoring.
This premium grade, rear wheel drive exec mobile is styled to impress yet has to contend with those seduced by the belief that German engineering is best. In this luxury league BMW rules the roost followed by Audi and Mercedes-Benz – and none of their cars are duffers.
Neither is this Lexus, which is about to prove a point with an extensive mid-life makeover. A more aggressive design, extra technology and tweaks on the handling front make the new IS a genuine alternative to the Teutonic trio.
The strength of the IS is its hybrid powertrain which makes it low on emissions and high on performance which has great appeal to business users with an eye on economy and low tax charges.
Priced from £29,995 to £40,995 the 10 model IS line up may cost a little more than before but its high on equipment and still very competitive compared to the likes of a 3 Series, A4 or C-Class.
Emissions as low as 97g/km for an IS 300h sitting on 16-inch wheels equates to an official fuel return of 67.3mpg and in real world motoring it’s going average around 45 to the gallon with ease.
That’s not to be sneezed at in this echelon and for the new model Lexus has stiffened the suspension, improved damping and refined the feel of the steering to make it much more a driver’s car.
The IS 300h is smoother on the road than a 3 Series and the ride is more touring than track – a proper bit of luxury for which Lexus is famed.
The IS 200t may achieve 0 to 60 in seven seconds compared to 8.4 for the hybrid but its fuel return falls to 39.2mpg with associated CO2 figures of 167g/km.
That speaks for itself and we saw just 24mpg on the average fuel readout after a rural run in a top range F Sport 200t costing £38,995.
As well as adaptive cruise control the new IS comes with a good array of safety aids including pre-collision protection and the option of blind spot and cross traffic monitors placing it in the highest Euro NCAP bracket.
But that is all hidden away under the skin and the most striking part of the new IS is the frontal design which takes the impact of the Lexus trademark ‘spindle’ grille to a new level.
It’s a bold design which Lexus concedes will not be to everyone’s tastes but the effect is stand out under any circumstances. For those who dare to be different the IS offers plenty – a realistic alternative to anything from Germany, highly equipped and very competitive on all fronts.