The sector for small premium saloon cars is brimming with talent but Lexus – voted the best brand for customer satisfaction for the eighth consecutive year – adds lustre to its Lexus IS Series luxury executive model appeal with a sporting character and the dynamics to satisfy the enthusiast driver. A distinctive, squat appearance is backed by a quality interior and innovative features including a noise-suppressing windscreen film and sound-absorbing sun visors help to create a quiet, refined demeanour.
The thick-padded front seats are electrically ventilated in all but the entry model. Boot space is good and a split-fold rear seat allows bulky items to be carried.
Keyless entry underlines the upmarket position of this car – with the key in your pocket, the door unlocks as the handle is touched and the engine fires up at the touch of a button.
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The Lexus IS range is offered in standard, SE, SE-I and SE-L trim levels and all are equipped to a high standard, with climate control, cruise control, retractable power mirrors, a front screen de-icer, 13-speaker premium audio system and LED sequenced interior illumination.
The SE-L comes with a rear armrest with a storage box and hatch for long-item stowage, wood interior, adaptive front high-intensity discharge lighting.
Protection for the knees of front seat occupants is covered by the eight airbags provided in all versions of the Lexus IS, which also boasts a seat design that cuts the risk of whiplash injuries and headlamps that move to help illuminate bends to win strong ratings in EuroNCAP crash testing.
Traction control, a stability system, speed-sensitive power steering, an energy-absorbing steering column and a seatbelt warning system all come as standard. The SE and SE-L models offer a pre-crash safety system that uses data from the adaptive cruise control radar device to detect a potential crash situation and tighten seat belts and prime the brake assistance equipment to deliver maximum braking power.
The Lexus IS comes with a choice of two power units and six speed manual or automatic transmission, both tuned to provide sprightly acceleration and effortless long-distance travel.
Spinning up to 6,400 revs, the 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine produces 204bhp to take the car to 60mph in just over eight seconds and has a top speed of 144mph. The 175bhp 220d version accounts for most sales and with this unit beneath its bonnet the 0-60mph acceleration is covered in 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 134mph.
CO2 emission figures are 231g/km and 214g/km respectively for manual and automatic petrol models and 168g/km for the diesel.
The lead-in version of the Lexus IS 250 SE costs £24,970 and the automatic version is priced at £25,620. The SE-I manual costs £27,230 with the automatic coming in at £27,880. The F-Sport model is £29,700 with the SE-L Automatic topping the IS 250 range at £30,485
The SE 220 diesel starts at £24,350 followed by the SE-I 220 diesel £26,610, the F-Sport at £28,290 and the SE-L 220 diesel £29,075.
Prices are based on manufacturer's recommended retail price. Check out our Lexus New Car Offers section for some great special offers.
Lexus IS Series Range From £24970
3 Years Complimentary Servicing
3 years or 30,000 miles servicing, whichever comes first on the whole IS range, including IS 250C and IS F.