First drive: Lexus IS 350 is better in every way
It’s a rare day when a manufacturer turns a group of journalists loose in prototype versions of an upcoming production model. Lexus did just that by allowing several autojournalists to evaluate seven disguised, next-generation IS prototypes. The object was for us to validate what chief engineer, Junichi Furuyama, already knew: the new IS takes an enormous step forward over the current car.
For me, the old IS was a bit too soft to be considered a true performance car, especially when competing against the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and MercedesBenz C-Class. But the new IS will have little trouble hanging with the segment’s very best.
Looking past the camouflage, the new car earns the Lexus Spindle grille and LED daytime running lights. The interior was equally heavily camouflaged, but it was obvious the cabin will mimic its larger GS sibling, complete with the dash-mounted screen to the right of the central cluster.
The location and angle of the steering wheel has also been tweaked to improve the driving position. This and the new deep-dish style front buckets held me in place when the IS was pushed around a rally cross-style circuit.
The more substantial work starts with the body structure; it’s longer (75 millimetres), has a wider wheelbase (up 70 mm) and wider (12 mm). The longer wheelbase means the IS’s rear leg space now rivals that of the larger GS. Likewise, the platform has been strengthened — improving both ride quality and handling by giving the new suspension a stronger base of operations. The steering has also been refined to deliver a sharper on-centre feel and better straight-line stability.
The vehicle tested was an IS350 F Sport, whose variable dampers make a real difference. The key is the Drive Mode Select system, which offers Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+ modes.
The best mode proved to be Sport+. It not only makes the throttle and transmission changes, it alters steering weight and ratio and the damper settings — for the best of both worlds.
Furuyama says the benchmark for the new IS was the previousgeneration BMW 3-Series and believes the new IS350 surpasses the present 3-Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He’s not wrong.
Testing proved the IS350 to be noticeably crisper. The steering is much sharper and it turns in with more authority. The improvements were made all the more noticeable on the rain-soaked skid pad. There was very little body roll and less understeer when the IS was pushed as far as the conditions permitted.
An important upgrade for the IS350 its new eight-speed transmission (the IS250 retains the previous six-speed box). It makes for a noticeably faster launch, much stronger mid-range will also have mean better fuel economy.
The next-generation IS will make its debut at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in January. Full specifications, content and pricing will be available at that time.