2006 Lexus IS 350 Review

The new larger, more powerful Lexus IS sedan is out to tromp the BMW 3-Series, which long has been the leader without serious competition in the entry luxury sports sedan market.

2006 LEXUS IS
PRICES
$29,990-$35,440

LIKES
Fast. Good handling. Solid. Nice fit and finish. All-wheel drive.

DISLIKES
Tight rear seat. Occasionally jerky ride. Slightly grabby brake pedal action.


The more stylish, high-waisted IS even looks much like the BMW-Series sedan, redesigned for 2006. The new Lexus is as solid and smooth as that BMW and is a big improvement over the brash, first-generation IS, which arrived here as a 2001 model called the IS 300. By that time, it had been sold for several years in Japan, with a smaller engine, as a Toyota.

One wonders what Lexus was thinking because there's no way to beat the iconic 3-Series with such a car. Sales of the 3-Series -- top-selling BMW model in America -- totaled 106,549 cars in this country last year. The IS 300 attracted 9,972 buyers.

Still, the trim IS 300 has been the most fun-to-drive Lexus and has given it experience in the entry luxury sports sedan market. It has captured a young audience, with a median buyer age of only 29.

Lexus hopes the more refined and more liberally equipped new IS will retain the coveted younger crowd and capture older buyers, boosting annual U.S. sales to 40,000 cars.

That's a realistic expectation. The second-generation IS looks sleeker and more muscular than its predecessor and is partly derived from the redesigned new Lexus mid-size GS sedan. The IS wheelbase is up 2.4 inches to a fairly long (for a compact) 107.5 inches, and the car is 3.5 inches longer, 3 inches wider and nearly an inch higher.

The IS 300 had a tight back seat, and one might think that the larger dimensions would give the new IS decent rear-seat room. No dice -- it's still tight back there for tall adults, and narrow door openings impede entry and exit. However, there's good room up front in the quiet, upscale, nicely designed interior, which has supportive bucket seats and easily read Optitron gauges with needles on the instrument gauges that appear to float.

The trunk is large, but the car's racy styling causes its opening to be rather small.

The 2006 IS comes as the $29,990 rear-drive IS 250 with a new 2.5-liter, 204-horsepower V-6. An all-wheel-drive IS 250 with that engine lists at $34,285. There's also the top-line $35,440 IS 350 with a 3.5-liter, 305-horsepower V-6.

The rear-drive IS 250 comes with either a six-speed manual gearbox or new six-speed automatic transmission that allows manual gear selection with a floor shifter or Ferrari-like steering wheel paddle shifters for $31,160. The all-wheel-drive IS 250 comes only with the automatic, as does the IS 350.

All versions are well-equipped with a long list of standard comfort and convenience features, including a 13-speaker upscale audio system. Safety features include a wide array of air bags.

Options include a sunroof, heated/ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, wood interior trim, easily used navigation system with a rear TV camera, more upscale audio system, steering-linked headlights and optional radar control that's designed to prevent the car from hitting a vehicle in front of it.

The electric power rack-and-pinion steering was quick but heavy in an all-wheel-drive IS 250 I tested. New front and rear suspensions and powerful new anti-lock brakes provide sharp handling and quick stops, although the brake pedal action often is a little grabby. An optional performance package with 18-inch (vs. 17-inch) wheels and lowered sport suspension isn't really needed unless you're a genuine car buff.

The ride is supple but firm enough to occasionally become jerky on area expressways.

The IS 250 versions have traction control and a Vehicle Stability Control system. The IS 350 gets BMW's more sophisticated Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system. Both help keep the car on the road under trying conditions.

The automatic shifts crisply when left in drive mode, and the paddle shifters work fine but are confusing to operate when turning the steering wheel. But there's nothing confusing about starting the engine with the keyless start feature -- you just push a dashboard button to start or stop the engine,

The IS 350 is the hot rod with an advanced engine that outpowers all others in its class. This model does 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The IS 250, though, has good acceleration despite less power and torque. It reaches 60 mph in 7.9 seconds in rear-drive mode and in 8.3 seconds in heavier all-wheel-drive form.

I found that even the IS 250 all-wheel-drive model with the automatic transmission provided lively off-the-line acceleration and good 65-75 mph passing. It's arguably the best choice for Chicago area driving, especially on slippery winter roads.

The IS 350's engine will make it hard to pass up, but Lexus says most buyers of the new IS will opt for the IS 250 -- if only because of its lower price.

Lexus also says a good percentage of buyers will order the all-wheel-drive version.

No IS is a gas hog. The IS 250 provides an estimated 20 mpg in the city and 29 on highways with the manual gearbox and 24 and 32 with the automatic. The heavier all-wheel-drive version delivers 22 and 28, and the IS 350 provides a surprisingly good 21 and 28 despite its sizzling performance.

Extremely good aerodynamics, along with efficient transmissions, help the IS provide good fuel economy for a high-performance sedan that weighs 3,435 to 3,651 pounds. However, both engines call for premium 91-octane gasoline.

The new IS is less edgy than its predecessor, but is far more of a 3-Series rival. Car and Driver's October issue compared eight top entry-level sports sedans, including the IS 350 and BMW 3-Series. It named the 3-Series the winner, but the IS 350 finished a very close second. I wouldn't argue with the results.