Lexus IS350 sport with V6 engine

Car with a luxurious design and use the V6 engine has very good performance. Has a 8 speed automatic.
The exterior design of Lexus with a perfect head lights that look sharp. Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese who is from the Toyota Motor Corporation. Lexus IS350 sport is able to compete with the BMW 3 series.

OVERVIEW

"The third time's the charm," or so they say. And for Lexus and its third-generation IS sedan, perhaps never a truer word. Where the original IS had character and the second generation added quality, this new model builds on both and also fills the gaps between. It's in a tough fight, the IS, particularly when lined up against the incredibly capably Euro-opposition. In Germany, they've been building sporty, luxurious mid-sizers for generations. So, with a flash set of F Sport runners strapped on, we put Lexus's latest sporting sedan to the test.

INTERIOR

Quality: No matter what you touch, the finishes in the IS interior are first rate. Everything feels solidly constructed and the carbon-metallic finish to the interior finishes augments the F Sport's sporting ambience.

Its close to being brilliant, but for a few small oversights. The panel above the centre vents bows slightly, the finish on the audio and climate controls differs where it shouldn’t and the hard panel around the starter button should probably be a soft touch-point.

Comfort: The grippier, lower seats of the F Sport offer a firm grip, should you get excited though bends, but aren’t difficult to climb into nor out of. There’s also a broad range of electric adjustment (but they might be a touch firm for some tastes.

In the rear, there's decent legroom, but headroom can be a bit tight. Clearing the C-pillar requires a bit of attention and shorter passengers may feel robbed of a view out.

Seating for four is no problem, but that's where the IS draws the line. Adding a centre rear-passenger isn’t as practical due to that position’s higher seat and centre tunnel intrusion.

Equipment: Standard IS range features include dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, Bi-xenon headlamps, proximity key with push button start, heated and power-folding wing mirrors, cruise control, power-adjustable front seats, sat-nav and reversing camera.

The IS 350 F Sport also gains an electrically-adjustable steering column, blind-spot monitor, sports seats, auto dimming mirrors, sports-styled bumpers, 18-inch alloy wheels and an LF-A inspired reconfigurable instrument cluster.

Standard audio consists of an eight-speaker Pioneer system and includes navigation, Bluetooth, and auxiliary connection from two USB ports. It also features Lexus Enform, a connectivity system that uses the driver's mobile phone data-connection to search for nearby petrol stations (and their fuel prices), up-to-date weather info and also nearby restaurants or stores.

Storage: Boot space measures 480 litres, and can be expanded via 60:40 folding rear seats.

That’s a match for the BMW 3 Series, five litres more than a C-Class but ten litres down on an Audi A4 - and there’s ‘goose-neck’ hinges to be mindful of too. In the cabin, storage spaces are limited. The glovebox and console are a decent size, but door pockets are slim and additional oddments storage is absent from the interior.

ON THE ROAD

Driveability: In the luxury mid-size market, Lexus has had to aim high to keep its head above water.

Each of its competitors now offer superb sporting sedans at the top end of their respective ranges. But the IS 350 is up to the challenge, particularly in F Sport trim.

The 3.5 litre V6 is a carry-over from the previous model, but with 233kW at 6400rpm and 378Nm at 4800rpm there was arguably little need to change it unnecessarily. The transmission has been upgraded though, to an eight-speed auto. With an open stretch of road the IS 350 will happily bound to the horizon, whipping to its redline while firing off crisp gear changes, particularly when in Sport and Sport + modes. It's a rapid car in any language and makes a nice rorty note from that willing V6 when put to the whip. Select Normal or Eco modes though and the whole package becomes gentler for daily commuting. An incredibly tight turning circle also means the IS in a joy in tight quarters. It may not feature a self-parking system but the IS 350 is a breeze to park (though the swooping C-pillar can make over-shoulder visibility a touch tricky). One severe issue we did find was that despite the multi-ratio gearbox, the IS 350 struggled with urban fuel consumption. Around town the trip computer showed consumption of mid-17s and after extended freeway running our average of 12.2 l/100km was still far beyond the claimed 9.7 l/100km.