Lexus have cemented themselves recently as a solid luxury saloon maker and are now going after the big boys With the most recent version of the IS250 Lexus are aiming for a vehicle that can match and hopefully outperform the BMW 3 series, Audi A4 and the Mercedes C-class.

The original IS model relied highly on its styling and extras whereas the newer versions seem to have concentrated more on performance and durability in a bid to force their way into the high end saloon market. The audience which Lexus are aiming to capture are a difficult lure and the price of the Lexus could get you a BMW which already have themselves a reputation and a certain prestige is given to owners.

But what do you get with Lexus that could tempt people to take the plunge? Well the 204bhp 2.5 V6 engine gives the car a solid running and it is a joy over long distances. It can make the sprint from 0-60 in little over 8 seconds which for a sporty saloon car is not bad going.

Extras on the IS250 include the usual mobile phone and iPod integration but an interesting extra is the HOMELINK system which gives you three programmable button that can be synced with garage doors, lights etc so you don’t have to leave the car if you forget to turn the light off.

The petrol model gets a decent 28.8mpg with the diesel the usual 10mpg more, Insurance on the IS250 is very reasonable as it slots into group 13. Price wise you’re  looking at around £24,350 undercutting the BMW or Mercedes by around £1000.

The video below gives a good look at the Lexus in action and CarMD give their own views and ratings for the latest Lexus model.

If you are interested in a Lexus IS250 then leasing may be a good option as it gives you a good amount of flexibility, take a look at Leasebam who can search dealers for you and get you the best price on a Lexus IS250.

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The ‘IS’ is Lexus contender for the roadster market.  It’s competitors include BMWs Z4 roadster, Mazda’s MX-5 and the Porsche Boxster.   It has a 2.5ltr engine and produces a modest 205bhp.   It comes with both a manual and automatic gearbox.   The car is difficult to get any real eye splitting performance out of and the Automatic will refuse to kick down when you want that extra go.

Although some structural stiffening has been completed, the body does role ever so slightly during the corners and the ride is nothing great but is adequate.  The drive isn’t too rewarding as the steering offers little feedback, but there’s plenty of grip in the bends. 

The engine is suitably dampened and when the roof up in the interior is pretty quiet.  Some rough road surfaces will cause a little noise but nothing too bad.    When the roof is down there is little wind in the cockpit.  There is sufficient protection of buffeting for those in the front seats.

Kit wise, the Lexus has a lot to offer compared to its rivals.  At the entry level there is Keyless entry, front and rear parking sensors, duel zone climate control, leather upholstery and a CD multichanger.   The Spec continues to grow in size as you go up the range. 

Controls are laid out in an easy to understand fashion and a touch screen display keeps the clutter to a minimum.  It is easy to get comfortable in the seats as they adjust in 8 different ways, all electrically. 

When the roof is up the Boot space is quite substantial, however when the roof is down there is little room for more than one golf bag.   The car is a full 4 seater but some taller people will struggle of the roof is up or in the rear. 

With Lexus you will get Japanese reliability and the cars fixtures and fitting feel sturdy.  The Lexus IS is thousands of pounds cheaper than the BMW or Boxster and the retail value doesn’t depreciate too much.   It does however, consume a lot of fuel and at current fuel prices if should about £18 to drive 100km. 

An all rounded attempt by Lexus, but it is a little slower than the competition and consumes much more fuel.   It does redeem itself with good spec, space and refinement to a certain extent.

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