- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
5.0i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
311kW, 505Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 11.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
4 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
First drive review: Lexus IS
The new Lexus IS is ready for battle.
Armed with a high-tech, low-consumption hybrid drivetrain, the IS300h is going up against a gang of diesel-drinking Europeans.
Its rivals - the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class - all have the option of downsized turbo diesel engines, but the Japanese compact luxury sedan is from the new-school, with its "weapon" (as chief engineer Furuyama-san says) being a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine teamed to a battery pack mounted in the spare wheel well of the boot.
It boasts a claimed fuel use of just 4.9L/100km, making it just a tad thirstier than the BMW 320d (4.5L), Audi A4 2.0D (4.7L) and more frugal than the Merc C200 CDI (5.1L). But it will be cheaper to fill, as petrol is almost always more affordable at the pump.
And on the price front, it's also close to those rivals, at $58,900 - $1000 more than the A4 diesel, and $2000 less than the BMW 320d and $2500 less than the C200 CDI.
It's by no means a slacker in terms of power, with the drivetrain producing a healthy combined maximum power of 164kW.
It certainly feels a willing thing, with prompt throttle response from a standstill and a very usable amount of power through the rev range.
The powerplant is teamed to a CVT automatic gearbox, which Lexus has engineered to feel more like a conventional six-speed auto. It has noticeable step points as you accelerate, and as a result doesn't suffer badly from that typical whiney nature that CVT autos often present.
There is also a set of steering wheel paddle shifters for more enthusiastic drivers to do the cog-swapping themselves, which is part of Lexus's concerted push to market the car as a true luxury sports sedan.
And it's fair to say, the IS300h is no grandpa's car.
It drives very well, with a comfortable ride in most situations, and suspension that, for the most part, verges towards sporty and keeps the car sitting fairly flat through twisty sections. The hybrid system adds extra weight at the back end, which can make it jiggle over mid-corner bumps if you hit them at speed.
The steering is nicely weighted and reasonably direct and responsive, but it can exhibit some understeer, where the nose wants to keep pushing straight on in a corner, if you push it hard - not that many buyers will.
So while it doesn't feel as lithe or agile as a 3-Series through tight and twisty corners, the hybrid hangs on well enough to keep the lead-foots happy.
The brakes in hybrid cars have a tendency to feel wooden underfoot, and with an unnatural biting feel as you touch the pedal. Thankfully, Lexus has spent some time in making the brakes feel more natural, and they indeed act more conventionally than, say, a Camry Hybrid or Prius.
One polarising feature of the car is its engine sound actuator, which mimics a conventional, throaty note via a speaker near the firewall. It's a bit hit and miss, but a neat party trick.
Inside, the new IS feels several steps up the class ladder over its predecessor.
The materials used in the cabin are a huge improvement, with a felt hood-lining, soft rubberized grab handles, soft plastics on the dash and well cushioned touch points on the doors and centre console. It sounds puffy, but its also very sporty, with sharper lines and a more technical bent, including the part-digital instrument display.
It's cleverer in storage terms, too - there are bigger door pockets and more central storage including large bottle holders. However, there still aren't any rear door pockets. The new IS also has a bigger boot - the hybrid version is rated at 450 litres, up 10 per cent (petrol versions have a 480L hold, up 20 per cent).
The driver's seating position has been rethought, now lower and further back than the last model, with the aim of giving the pilot a better command over their cockpit.
There's electric seat adjustment for all models which makes it simple to find a suitable seat spot, as well as seat heating and cooling for comfort. Previous versions fitted with sunroofs were cramped for tall occupants in the front and rear, and while the back is still a tad right up top, it is better than before. The car's wheelbase has been stretched to liberate more rear seat space, and having compared the old and the new, the difference is noticeable.
Another clever feature is the dual USB ports in the centre console - a sure-fire fight stopper for couples who need to keep their phones juiced up - and the big, clear media system is fairly simple to use, despite the joystick-like toggle sometimes tracking the cursor where you don't want it to go. There's always voice control if you prefer, and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming as well as digital radio are standard.
IS350 F-Sport
Drive also spent time in the new IS350 F-Sport variant (priced at $73,000 plus on-roads) both on the open road and at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria.
The IS350 keeps the same grunty 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with 233kW and 378Nm, but gains a new eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The gearbox offers a huge improvement over the existing model, as we found at the track. After first sampling the current model, we then slid behind the contoured, more comfortable driver's seat of the all-new version.
The engine still offers its best response between 3500-5500rpm, and the new box's shifts are more precise. The paddle shifters offer quick shifts, though they will deny you downshifts if the computer disagrees with your decision.
The IS350 features an extra drive mode, Sports+, which gives the steering more heft, and the adaptive suspension firms up for a more sporting drive experience.
It certainly felt a worthy rival to its competitors -such as the BMW 335i - in this situation, with good feel and plenty of weight to the steering, and a playful drive experience allowing it some chuckability through the bends.
On the road it doubles as a composed tourer, and one that feels far more special than its predecessor.
The ride is fine over the typical roads many of us would encounter on a day-to-day basis, and the rethought driving position makes it far more enjoyable to sit in.