2012 Lexus IS

All-Wheel Drive
In a segment offering all-wheel drive as an all-season prerogative, Lexus' approach delivers 70 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels under normal operating conditions. With that proportional distribution, little of the sport orientation is lost on dry pavement, while capability is increased on wet or slickened pavement.

Optional F Sport Package
While the well-tuned standard suspension will please most buyers, Lexus' F Sport Package is firmer and includes an 18-inch wheel-and-tire upgrade that elevates any rear-drive IS model – but especially the Lexus IS 350 – to near-BMW 3 Series levels of agility and fun. And it does this without detracting from the basic ride comfort or overall level of refinement.

As BMW and Audi interiors continue to gravitate toward mid-size, the small Lexus remains, well, small. The driver and front-seat passenger are well accommodated, and all seating positions are well appointed, but this is best regarded as a "personal" 4-door sport sedan, one which will never be confused with a family hauler. Of course, if you're in a Lexus showroom shopping for the family, the dealer has roughly a dozen better choices from which to choose. And luxury touches abound on the IS 250 and IS 350, beginning with standard leather, black metallic-finish interior trim, electroluminescent instrumentation and dual-zone climate control. We like the personal feel of the IS, and the convertible hardtop offers unlimited headroom.

The Lexus IS 250/350 body shell shown in March, 2005 was remarkable for its utter lack of adornment or distraction. A softened wedge profile, short overhangs, and raked windshield created a sporting four door that was almost coupelike in its integration. Thankfully, despite updates to the front and rear fascias in 2011 its stylistic integrity hasn't been diminished; this remains a very tasteful execution of an established formula. Opt for the IS F (or F Sport package) and things get a bit nasty, but only after hours. The IS C hardtop convertible strikes, to these eyes, the only discordant note; to accommodate the folding hardtop its back end looks slightly pregnant, and that's too bad.

Two technology-intensive, all-aluminum V6 engines provide clean and comparatively fuel-efficient motivation for the IS line. Both powertrains use dual Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i) and direct fuel injection. The 2.5 liter develops 204 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, sufficient to take a rear-drive IS 250 from zero to 60 mph in under eight seconds with either transmission (6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic), and to send the IS 250 AWD to that speed in about 8.5 seconds. The 3.5-liter V6 in the IS 350 adds secondary port injection and cranks out 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Backed with the mandatory paddle-shifted multi-mode (Normal/Sport/Snow) automatic, it propels the fleetest member of the standard IS family to the 60-mph benchmark in about 5.5 seconds. If a 0-60 time of under six seconds isn't quite quick enough, consider the IS F's 5.0-liter V8, and then go cruising for pink slips. With an 11.8:1 compression ratio, the all-aluminum eight cylinder produces 416 horsepower and 371 lb-ft of torque, and is capable of launching the IS F from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and achieve a top track speed (don't tell the wife) of 170! All engines require premium unleaded.

2.5-liter V6
204 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
185 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/28 (manual), 21/30 (automatic), 20/27 (AWD automatic)

3.5-liter V6
306 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
277 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/27 (rear-wheel drive), 18/26 (AWD)

5.0 liter V8
416 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
371 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23

The Lexus franchise began, more than 20 years ago, with a value mandate. Offering German performance, quasi-American comfort and Asian attention to detail, the small Lexus lineup was launched at price points guaranteed to make the American consumer take notice. And while in some segments those price gaps have narrowed, the IS 250 and 350 continue to offer a value argument against their German competition. With very modest price hikes (some models had no price increase; the IS F was about 1 percent) the IS 250 6-speed starts at a well-equipped base of just over $34,000, while an automatic adds roughly $1,200 – and the automatic transmission with AWD is just over $38,000. The IS 350 runs approximately $5,500 more than a comparably equipped IS 250, and convertibles start at $42,000. Opt for the IS F and you'll be spending upward of $62,000. Lexus resale values are historically high, supported by a reputation for both high initial quality and long-term reliability. Be sure to check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to determine what customers are paying in your market area.

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