2015 Lexus IS 200t Review – IS Finally Gets The Engine It Deserves
The skinny: Other than now having a turbo 2.0-litre four under the bonnet, and a new eight-speed automatic shuffling power to the rear wheels, not much has changed with the new Lexus IS 200t.
Except for the way it drives. This is a far better Lexus IS; that 2.0-litre turbo transforms its performance... and without killing fuel consumption.
The interior, typically Lexus, is as serene as a church, richly comfortable and fastidiously trimmed and finished. Not so good is the mapping of the selectable drive modes - 'Normal' is a tad conservative - but gripes are few. The new entry-level IS, might now be the best in the range.
Vehicle Style: Medium luxury sedan
Price: $57,500 (IS 200t Luxury) to $76,500 (IS 200t Sports Luxury)
Engine/trans: 180kW/350Nm 2.0 turbo petrol 4cyl | 8sp automatic
Fuel Economy claimed: 7.5 l/100km | tested: 8.0 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Lexus Australia continues its foray into turbo technology with the arrival of its first turbocharged RWD model, the IS 200t.
Packing 27kW more power and 98Nm more torque than the naturally-aspirated IS 250 that it replaces, the new Lexus IS turbo four-door is intended to go head-to-head with mid-range variants of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, both of which now feature an all-turbocharged engine line-up.
But it’s more than just power and torque that have improved. Fuel economy and refinement are better than they’ve ever been, and the transition to turbo power makes the IS feel thoroughly modern.
THE INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5
- Standard equipment: Adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, power front seats, heated front seats, auto-dimming mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, trip computer.
- Infotainment: Lexus Remote Touch interface with colour display, Bluetooth audio and phone integration, Siri Eyes Free compatibility, and voice controls.
- Cargo volume: 480 litres minimum
From the driver’s seat, there are only a handful of hints that there’s a different engine on the other side of the firewall.
Look behind the drive selector knob and you’ll see a button to disable the start-stop system. And cycling through the pages on the Multi Information Display (MID) in the instrument panel reveals a boost gauge.