2006 Lexus IS250 Sports Road Test
May 23, 2006 by Paul Maric
Before signing the papers I was given a run down of how to lock, unlock, start and stop the car – who would have thought it would be so hard!
We head inside to get the papers signed and I receive a challenge from the fleet manager. He tells me that he would be surprised if I returned the car with any more than 10L/100KM fuel average. I happily took that challenge to heart, grabbed the keys and headed out to jump into the Graphite coloured Lexus IS250 Sports. The exterior hadn’t been cleaned and was dirty – just the way cars should be. Just looking at the car made me salivate; the sleek lines and gorgeous styling can’t be disputed.
When you pop the door open you are greeted with an interior that was built to entice the driver in you. The steering wheel is of perfect dimensions and the Midnight Alcantra Seats hug you in ever so tightly.
As always, I never listen to instructions. So starting the car was a challenge in itself. You see, the Lexus doesn’t have a ‘key’ as such. It has a fob and this fob will make the car work as long as it’s somewhere inside the vehicle. Once the fob has been detected a tap on the starter button brings the dashboard to life. The LCD touch-screen fires up with a huge Lexus symbol, lovingly reminding you that you are driving something that is a class above the rest. Hit the start button again and the speedometer and tachometer do a lap to their respective maxima and come back to rest at their minimum values – it’s gimmicky and pointless but I liked it none the less.
One last brief stab of the starter button brings the 2.5ltr V6 engine to life. At low revs it doesn’t inspire you all that much, give the go pedal a stab and the twin exhausts emit a noise that is probably illegal in most states of the U.S.A. It makes a noise that your average Aussie-6 could only ever dream to reproduce. The V6 engine produces 153kW at 6400RPM and 252Nm of torque at 4800RPM. The power is nothing to write home about but the way it delivers it is breathtaking. The IS250 exerts the power in smooth and luscious dollops, simply begging to be revved.
Trying to get out of the parking spot turned out to be a hit and miss type affair. All Journo’s seem to prefer the automatic version of the IS250 over the manual. The 6-speed manual gearbox feels very tight and changes are quick and precise but the clutch dynamics leave a lot to be desired. The friction point is too high and it’s just a pain in the bee-hind to live with. It takes at least a few hours of driving to get in touch with the clutch, from there on it’s relatively smooth sailing.
I have no doubt that all of the IS250s in the parking lot were parked facing forward so the first thing drivers would see is the reverse camera. At first I slotted the gear lever into reverse and tried to look out the back window – I thought to myself, good luck with that – as the back window is about the size of a porthole and trying to see anything out of it is an impossible task in itself. But, not all hope was lost. Within moments of grabbing reverse the LCD screen lights up with an image of everything behind the vehicle. It also contains lines that are used as guides with respect to steering input. At first I was quite apprehensive using the reversing camera but – as ashamed as I am to admit it – it’s a fantastic driver aid and made things such as running over children and bins more avoidable.
If you’re not particularly good at parallel parking the IS250 also has that base covered. Hit the parallel parking assistance button and you are greeted with a seemingly complex matrix of grids and lines. After some practice, the ingenious system actually worked very well. It measures the distance between cars and also takes into account the amount of steering input, constantly varying the suggested path that should be taken to get your IS250 into that seemingly impossible parallel park on Chapel Street. After a while, when you become accustom to using the reverse camera, parking sensors and good ol’ fashioned looking around, you get a chance to master the system and use it to its full advantage.
One thing that I carry with me in all the vehicles I drive is a set of Melways. I would be lost without the aid of a street directory. The IS250 also has that base covered; the LCD screen also acts as a Satellite Navigation directive. I’ve found the Satellite Navigation in the IS250 to be far better than the Sat. Nav. optioned on some Toyota vehicles. The display is much smoother and navigation through the menus is far quicker and clutter free. But, don’t rely on the Lexus Satellite Navigation to get you somewhere in a hurry in peak hour traffic. It manages to choose the busiest possible path and I unfortunately found that out the hard way!
The IS250 comes in three guises – Prestige, Sports and Sports Luxury – the vehicle I drove was in the middle of the playing field. The IS250 Sports is valued at $67,400; the vehicle I drove was optioned with the “IS250 Options Pack”. It included DVD Satellite Navigation with DVD player, Bluetooth capability, reversing monitor camera and premium Mark Levinson 14 speaker audio unit. The option pack adds another $6,600 to the price tag and in my opinion is an absolute must if you purchase an IS250. On top of the options pack, the Sports model comes standard with – Sports suspension, rain sensing wipers, HID Xenon headlamps, adaptive front lighting system (AFS), front and rear parking sonar, moonroof, power driver and passenger seats with memory and heated seats.
The Mark Levinson sound system is simply in a class of its own. Playing your favourite music CD simply doesn’t do the system justice. I slotted in a live DVD recorded by The Eagles and selected ‘Hotel California’. It’s hard to explain just how perfect the audio sounded. Hearing that guitar solo at the opening of the song sent shivers down my spine, calling the sound system perfect would be a belligerent understatement. The fun doesn’t stop there, throw in your favourite DVD (or VCD, SVCD, WMA etc.) – in my case Top Gun was an absolute must – and prep yourself for an experience that you would expect only in a cinema. When those jets take off, trust me…you will know about it! So will anyone else standing anywhere near the car. The level of bass and treble is simply astonishing and is easily the best I have heard out of a stock car sound system.
Anyway, enough about the gadgets! How does it drive? (Which is funnily enough what a car is meant to do in the first place.)
The level of grip on offer is fantastic. Throw it into a bend and the car sits poised and steady. With the added assistance of rear wheel drive (RWD) the car holds its own on the road. The best part is that you can hold a gear and keep the revs sky high through a bend without having to worry about breaking into violent oversteer. The feeling through the steering wheel is pretty much spot on.
One thing that irritated the heck out of me was that when you switched off ESP and all the safety systems, they weren’t really switched off. They would jump back on when they felt that things were getting a bit hairy. Although a quick search on the internet fixed that little problem.
This whole wireless key mumbo jumbo instilled a great sense of paranoia. You see, to lock the car you simply pressed this little button on the door handle and as long as you had the key on you somewhere (such as in your pockets or hand) the doors would lock. To unlock the car you would simply place your hand behind the door handle and it would unlock the car (again, if you met the condition of having the key on you). That would be all well and good, except when you go to check that the car is locked (simply by pulling the door handle) as it would unlock the car again, as grabbing the door handle unlocks it. So it was a case of reverting back to the key fob and hitting the lock button instead, that way I could be certain that it was locked.
According to the brochure the IS250 seats five people. I’m not sure what kind of midget person would happily sit in the middle rear seat though. Not only is it as hard as rock, but the driveline chamber is exceptionally wide and there is nowhere to put your feet. Essentially the IS250 is really only a four seater. Even then it’s pushing the boundaries. I sat one of my bigger friends into the passenger seat and the top quarter of his head was sitting out the sunroof!
Boot space in the IS250 is exceptional. It’s very spacious and also houses the medical kit and repair kit (along with gloves, Lexus branded towel and a big hazard sign). As with most modern vehicles it doesn’t have a full-size spare tyre. Instead, you are left with a space saver tyre that is only capable of a short stint at 80km/h.
Earlier on in the article I mentioned that I was issued a challenge by the fleet manager at Lexus. As much as I didn’t believe that I would return with anywhere near 10L/100KM, I managed to give the car back with 10.2L/100KM. During my time with the car I was literally driving its socks off and it still managed to get an extremely gracious fuel average. To be honest I was extremely surprised at how fuel efficient the IS250 actually was.
The AFS (Adaptive Front Lighting System) is an interesting feature. At night time with the fog lights on the car measures your steering input and accordingly alters the position of the front fog lamps. Essentially this system allows you to see around corners. It’s a very useful feature and is surprisingly efficient in the way it operates.
Conclusion –
The IS250 was a car that I simply craved to drive each day. I never once felt bored driving it. It managed to inspire the driver in me at every opportunity.
Sure, at just under $75,000 (with options) the IS250 may seem like an expensive car. But compare it to other things on the market in that price range and you won’t find any European car that can match the IS250 in terms of its level of features. The engine lacks a great deal of life and doesn’t feel all that powerful but with some revs on board it can be a load of fun to play with.
Some negatives include the lack of room inside for passengers, along with the fact that there is no full-size spare tyre and lastly the clutch dynamics are terrible.
But the positives easily outweigh the negatives and coupled with a 4-year warranty, absolutely awesome looks, great handling and loads of features; I can’t see any reason I would not recommend buying the IS250.
- by Paul Maric
CarAdvice rating (out of 5): 
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When the IS250 came out, I requested a brochure and fell in love with its beauty in & out. Then engine specs sound great for its capacity but all performance tests show that this car is not for revheads. Standard Commodores/Falcons and Honda Accord Euros out accelerate.
In the USA, the same car is avalable with a 3.5 V6, known as the IS350. That car is a weapon and a beauty. Just what I need.
Mind you, in the US, they pay far less for the car!
I bought an IS250 prestige auto when they first came out in late 2005 as a trade up from a Merc C180. The car is in every way better than a Merc or BMW (even handeling – run flat tyres are crap!)of similar value (except maybe the status thing – it is a Toyota after all). The fuel economy is about the same as the C180 auto but is has 61% more power and substantially heavier! – I don’t know how the car does it but it does it very well.
The car is grest for overtaking and is silky smooth and quiet whilst doing it.
Chhers.
I am an Australian currently residing in the US, and yes the IS350 is not only the same price as the top of the range IS250, which is around 35K here… compare to 80K there.
However the IS350 does not come out in manual, 228kW… perfect for this car I think.
I heard its coming out in Oz early 2008, price not sure, but Lexus Australia will probably price it in the high 80Ks… which is ridiculous. Same features just different engines, maybe wider, not sure, looks that way though. Still.. bottomline, compare to USA and other countries, we pay a lot more for cars in Oz.. :-(
I love Is250 ,
Its nice car .
Yeah its a rort we dont get the IS350 and it would cost more, I dont mind the IS250 but it seems to lack balls… the IS350 rockets to 100 in under 6 seconds, now that is what I expect for the price tag Lexus asks currently – A good looking car which backs it up with performance.
is250 is my best car
is250 is my no.1 car. i found it a pity that many people stills look down at lexus brand.
I will buy it nearly :)
One very good looking piece of kit, and much more resolved than the current 3 series or new c class. Unfortunately, though, the comfort and refinementof the IS has come at the expence of driver appeal. The steering and chassis are extremely numb. One of my mates works for Lexus and I did a back to back comparo with a IS250 Sport Luxury, and my new Volvo S40 with 18inch wheels, and unsurprisingly the Volvo was in another class for steering feedback and driver dynamics, albeit with a much firmer ride. The biggest shock, though, was build quality. Volvo now, without doubt, make the best interiors at the highest quality. The IS is fussy and unresolved inside, while the S40 is very solid, with dampeneed plastics and switches. I’d love this website to do a massive compact executive comparo of all cars in the class. Many more people these days are in the market for a compact exec and these days most people aren’t aware that your ‘default’ 3 series and C class, and even A4’s now, really are not the class acts they once were.
i just bought an is250 prestige, with the optional dvd pack upgrade. its amazing. im aussie, we pay ridiculously more than americans. in the US they start at $31,000, in Aus they start at $60,000. The model i bought is around $73,000 (incl. DVD pack and some kick-arse aftermarket wheels). Very worth it.
It is not a bad car, but i think it is a bit overated!
Slower than a Commy!
JUST slower then a Commy… alot slower then an Aurion. We need the IS 350, 0-100km/h in 5.5seconds
You mean IS 250, TP (Toyota Paul), id thought being Toyota Paul you would like Lexus!
Hey Paul you want 5.5 sec……..buy a second hand 2003 FPV GT for $35,000 or a 1998 M3 for the same……want a good one maybe around the $55,000 !!!!Still cheaper than the Lexus IS250 new!Oh and none of those nanny controls real drivers need!hehehe
Was this the one they recalled???
aaahhhhh,
wash your mouth BM….
the “R” word doesnt exist amongst toyotas remember
(sarcasm)
I guess some don’t acknowledge it yep!
Back at work……I guess not with all that rain?????
How much for a 98 M3. Your’e getting ripped off. Come to the UK its about 1/3rd of the price. You can get a 2001 model for $35K and the 98 is about $14K.
Have a look for yourself ar http://www.autotrader.co.uk I noticed 2nd hand cars were dear in Oz and was amazed at what people wopuld pay for a knackered relic. I had an A6 wagon in 2005 sold it here for $23K Ozzy price would have been £36K.
Yep……..I know………already pointed that out with Sam…….6 months ago.I get the the UK BM mags so I know what you pay! Me I have to wait to import for 12 months……
So……it sucks to be an Aussie……..if you want a second hand M3………..or more!!!!!!!!!
Hey No Name……..I paid $65,500 for my 98 individual M3 3 years ago…then I thought …..crap if I waited 12 months for a UK model I could have the next model .but I had taken 6 months or more to find what I have now……….not thrashed….a real good example of the best of E36 M3 Individuals in OZ!
I guess Im happy to stick with her too, collect and look out for an E46 M3 that is also as special! Uk or not…….don’t care! An E30 M3 i would love…….left hand hook in Australia ……..hard to find……still!!!!!!
I’d be pretty chuffed with what you have stick with it, polish it and you’ll have a classic on your hands.
I’ve driven a 328 softie was impressed with the go but not the quality, but the M3’s better again.
Oh by the way Perth was great, loved Mandurah and the Bussleton pier. Maybe i’ll come back one day.
Ha Ha wouldn’t know antispam was BMWM3, Alborz is watching.
Go to bed to dream about thrashing yer emmer round the Alps.
Hi all I was wondering if anyone who has purchased (new) an IS250 Sports Luxury, would be happy to share the price they paid $AU – drive away price not RRP.
We are buying one and are hoping to get a really good price. How much negotiating room is there??
Took one for a test drive. Stunning build quality, silky smooth motor, great driving experience BUT drive modern cars with stereo off and air down to minimum and listen. What do you hear : Tyre roar, and in the IS 250 it’s louder that a Honda. Spoils a car that is best in it’s class
I also test drove the IS250X model last week and enjoyed the ride. I was quite impressed with the power as I thought it would be more sluggish than it was. I was initially hanging out for the new F6 Falcon from FPV but the new anti hoon laws in WA make it a waste of time as my foot would get the better of me at the sight of any SS Commodore or HSV to destroy :)
Anyway we currently have a Honda Accord Euro Luxury model which is a very well built car and cant grumble about anything. What I can moan about with the Lexus though is that there are a few extras in our Honda that are excluded in the Lexus and the Lexus is bloody $20k more. No rain sensors, no HID lights, no heated seats. You need to spend another $10k to get that in the Sports Luxury Lexus. Oh and OldMotorNut I would actually like to hear the engine more. I love the Accord redline sound and I can only assume the IS250 would sound sweeter still.
When is someone going to explain exactly why a car is 2 and half times more expensive in Australia than USA?
Sure we have huge import taxes and smaller population, but let’s not forget these prices are before the LCT & stamp duty is even applied.
As much as I would love to buy one of these cars, I can’t bring myself to pay so much more for so much less.
Tez wonders why we pay much higher price for cars in Oz.
Well, how about on average at least 2 times dearer for a name brand fridge (LG, Samsung, Westinhouse, etc), the great looking and sounding B&W Zeppelin sells in US for less than USD700 while here it sells for AUD$999, nearly twice the price tag for a Wii or PS3 than in most developed Asian countries (Singapore or HK, etc, let alone Japan since both consoles are local products for them)…..
Back to cars, and Lexus IS250 in particular. Taiwan has roughly the same population wityh us, has huge import tax as well, yet they sells Lexus IS250 at around AUD$55,000 (base model, auto). It doesn’t seem a big difference compares to our rrp AUD56,990, but HID and AFS are standard across EVERY model in IS range there.
And, to make things morse, the top model IS250 Navi is priced at around AUD$65,000 in Taiwan. You must know what Lexus Australia charges us for exactly the same car: AUD$79,000 (AUD$82,000 on road)
(All prices were correct when I last checked, which is yesterday)
Whenever I think about the ridiculous pricing strategy Australian business having, I feel like moving to a foreign country.
I think all older models of Lexus cars look boring and not stylish at all. Now though a person can own an excellent quality car which has flamboyancy. Well done Lexus, if I were buying a compact executive I would definitely consider this. Plus the dealer service is excellent! Will there be a touring form coming to Australia?
You people who bemoan the price of imported cars in Oz…it’s simple folks, supply & demand model facing a population with a taxatation problem and a degree of cultural cringe (and yeah..identity problems). You are paying through the teeth to drive around saying “look at me, I’m not really a hick, I’m a builder’s labourer with culture!”.