Car Review Search
New, Used and Lease
Used Lexus IS Cars New Lexus IS Cars Lexus IS Leasing Lexus IS Cars Lexus IS Car Parts
Lexus IS
Car Review
Lexus IS
The Lexus IS is as well equipped as more expensive brands, but costs much less. The Lexus is no longer targeted to an elite few and now many more buyers can enjoy all of the advantages to owning a Lexus.
Lexus IS Car Review Summary
Lexus IS
The Lexus IS made driving a luxury executive car affordable where it had previously been for the more well to do crowd. The concept has been built upon and improved with each consecutive generation of Lexus IS models. The car is now designed to give buyers maximum value for their money. The introduction of a diesel engine has brought the Lexus to an all new level of desirability and affordability.
The Lexus IS faces some strong, well-known competitors. Some of the competition still beats the IS in sharpness but is loaded with special features than more than make up for the sharpness issue.
The Lexus IS exterior styling is impressive, the car looks much larger on the outside while retaining compact dimensions. The IS looks very classy and sophisticated. The car has a great road presence and is a real head turner.
There are no surprises with the car’s interior design. Some of the previous generation's less desirable dials and gearshift have been replaced with more attractive better quality units. The car has added a few nice technological touches too, such as the LED interior reading lights that provide nice illumination and sound-absorbing sun visors. Front seat passengers will enjoy plenty of space and high levels of comfort, rear passengers won’t be quite as comfortable but this is no surprise for a junior executive motor.
The diesel IS is the best choice, though the smoother 2.5-litre petrol model offers a superior drive. The company is consistently at the top of customer satisfaction ratings and its dealers and engineers have an outstanding reputation for excellence and attention to detail.
Practicality
The Lexus IS has an inexpensive purchase price, low insurance grouping, and low servicing prices make the IS even more attractive. Although it only gets average fuel economy, it does retain a high resale value.
The Lexus IS front passengers enjoy most of the cabin space, as legroom in the back is very limited, as is room in the boot due to the wheel well cutting into the boot space. The boot is very small.
The Lexus IS dials are updated and the controls are all easy to read and operate. This doesn’t disguise the fact that they have a cheap look to them. The plastics in the cabin seem too cheap and don’t live up to the Lexus badge.
Where access to the front seats is easy and unrestricted, getting to the back seats is a bit more challenging. The door is shaped so that when opened, it leaves only a small opening near the floor. The boot is only accessible by unlocking it with a key. It doesn’t have an automatic open or close mechanism.
Parking the IS is easy as steering is light and visibility is unrestricted. Both a camera and sensors are optional cost alternatives, but neither will be necessary.
Lexus IS
Life Style
The Lexus IS delivers a smooth ride and even on longer journeys provides more than adequate levels of comfort. Cars with the optional automatic gearbox do come with steering wheel-mounted paddles, but you're likely to eventually revert to full automatic mode because it’s easier. Driven hard the IS responds well, but the car is not likely going to be meant for speed or performance.
The Lexus IS is not that practical as a family car. Space is limited for rear passengers and the boot space does not provide adequate cargo space. The leather seats will not do well sustaining abuse from children. There are other much more practical family cars out there.
This is an unlikely first car. Even though it boasts entry-level prices, it is highly unlikely that many first time car buyers will be able to afford it. The car also doesn’t offer much to attract the younger crowd. There are also much more suitable first cars available.
Lexus represents a good build quality, and what was once seen as a brand only affordable to an elite few can now be afforded by many car buyers. Some cabin materials are of questionable quality, but for the most part the Lexus IS is quality built and represents good value for the money.
Lexus IS
Security and Safety
The Lexus IS comes standard with keyless entry and start plus a security alarm. The smart key can be programmed to open one, two or all four doors at once. Lexus locks are somewhat famous for not being breached.
The Lexus IS provides eight air bags, including knee airbags for the driver and front passenger. Every car has ABS and EBD for vehicle stability and traction control. On option is Lexus’ impressive safety feature that detects an imminenent collision and braces the car and passengers for impact.
The Finishing Touches
The Lexus IS comes standard with a 13-speaker sound system with a six-disc CD changer with MP3 compatibility. This can be upgraded to a 14-speaker system which includes a DVD multichanger, satellite navigation and a reversing camera.
Lacking leather trim, entry-level cars look a little cheap compared to Lexus IS SE and SE-L models. The ventilated leather seats of the SE-L are awesome for comfort, able to provide warmth in winter and able to cool in the summer. Metallic or mica external paints will help preserve resale values.
Interested in buying a new car from Lexus
New Lexus Offers
Lease Lexus Offers
