2013 Lexus IS

AVAILABLE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
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 traction is enhanced on wet or slickened pavement.

F SPORT PACKAGE
While the well-tuned standard suspension will please most buyers, Lexus' F Sport Package incorporates firmer springs and shock absorbers along with a recalibrated electric power steering system to elevate the performance of any rear-drive IS model to near-BMW 3 Series levels of agility and fun.

As BMW and Audi interiors continue to gravitate toward mid-size, the smaller 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 half-dozen better choices from which to choose. We like the personal feel of the IS, and the convertible hardtop offers unlimited headroom – with the top down, of course.

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 a raked windshield created a sporting 4-door that was almost coupe-like in its design. Opt for the IS F (or F Sport package) and things get more enthusiastic. The IS C hardtop convertible strikes, to these eyes, the only discordant note; in order to accommodate the folding hardtop, Lexus designers added an unsightly slab of bulbous sheet metal to the rear end.

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. 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 by a multi-mode automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, it propels the fleetest member of the standard IS family from zero to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds. If a zero-to-60-mph time of less than six seconds isn't quite quick enough, consider the IS F's 5.0-liter V8, and then go cruising for pink slips – or tickets. The all-aluminum 8-cylinder engine produces 416 horsepower and 371 lb-ft of torque, and is capable of launching the IS F from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top track speed of 170 mph. All engines require premium unleaded fuel.

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

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

The base Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for a 2013 Lexus IS 250 is right around $36,000, with the IS 350 coming in closer to $41,000. High-performance IS F variants are roughly $62,500. Although it features less standard equipment, the Audi A4 undercuts the Lexus IS by nearly $3,000, while the Infiniti G37 and BMW 3 Series will be about $2,000 and $3,000 over the IS, respectively. To see what buyers are actually paying for the 2013 Lexus IS in your area, take a look at Kelley Blue Book's Fair Purchase Price at the bottom of this page. Down the road, we expect the Lexus IS will maintain the best 5-year residual values in the segment.

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