Published
on 26
Jun 2013
|
All rights reserved.
|
|
|
The outgoing, second
generation Lexus IS was nearly 8 years old. Apparently, this was too
long for a Japanese car, which is supposed to last only 4 or 5 years.
The domestic Toyota Crown, which shares large amount of mechanicals
with the Lexus, had completed 2 life cycles during the same period.
Even the German BMW 3-Series E90 lasted for only 6 and a half years
before its replacement by F30. What does this imply? On the
positive side, this means the old IS was quite enduring. On the
negative side, this implies its sales volume was not high enough to
justify a frequent update. So after 8 long years, the "small Lexus" is
finally renewed. Seeing its exterior design I have a mixed feeling. On
the one hand, its strange headlights, spindle grille and heavily curved
side skirts distinguish it from the class norm. On the other hand, it
loses the pureness and clarity of its inspiration, i.e. last year's
LF-CC concept. That car was really head-turning. If Lexus really
developed in that direction it could have been a nightmare to the
German. Now the production IS looks more like the old car enhanced with
some controversial makeup. It will split opinions.
|
One of the criticisms about the old car was the lack of rear seat
space. To solve this problem Toyota extended its wheelbase by 70 mm to
a full 2800 mm, matching BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, and longer than the
current Mercedes C-class by 40 mm. Compare with its platform donor
Toyota Crown / Mark X / Lexus GS, that is only 50 mm shorter. The extra
wheelbase boosts rear legroom by a significant 40 mm, plus 23 mm to the
front passenger and a slightly larger boot. The rear seat now offers
nearly as much legroom as BMW 3-Series (which remains a miracle of
packaging considering its 50:50 balance and straight-six engine),
although rear headroom is still tight and the steeply raked C-pillars
still make access to the cabin difficult.
The vastly improved interior looks like a blend of Lexus GS and ES,
with a more interesting architecture, high-quality materials and plenty
of high-tech gadgets that make 3-Series look plain. In particular, the
TFT instrument reading mirrors that of LFA supercar to feature a single
dial at Sport mode, which looks really cool. The seats are supportive
and comfy while driving position is excellent. On the negative side,
the mouse-like infotainment control at transmission tunnel is difficult
to use when the car is in motion. The software is also less intuitive
than the best of the class. Some road testers reported the operating
system malfunctioned and locked up at times, showing some glitches that
should not have happened on a Cadillac, let alone Lexus.
|
Mechanically, it is not a big departure from the old car. The chassis
is strengthened by only 10 percent with the help of some subtle
measures, such as using laser welding and adhesive bonding. It
continues to ride on double-wishbone front suspensions and multi-link
rear suspensions, backed up by optional AVS adaptive damping like its
Toyota and Lexus sisters. The front suspension has been retuned to
increase roll resistance. The rear suspension comes straight from GS,
with separate springs and dampers to reduce intrusion to luggage
compartment, and it is mounted on a new, stiffer subframe. Variable
gear ratio electrical power steering is optional. Inevitably, a
variable control system is introduced. It provides Eco, Normal, Sport
and Sport+ modes for the driver to choose from. Like other Lexus, it
offers a sportier model called F Sport,
which gets aggressive grille
and aero kits (pictured above), stiffer suspension setting, retuned
steering and 18-inch wheels shod with massive rubbers.
To enthusiastic drivers, the F Sport
is a must. With its sportier
suspension, its handling is now nearly as good as BMW 3-Series. The
turn-in is sharp, the body control is good, understeer is minimal and
there is high level of grip offered. The steering is quick and well
weighted, only slightly less precise than BMW's. The suspension is a
bit firm but not uncomfortable. However, the BMW is more rounded,
offering a more versatile ride over a variety of road surfaces, even
crisper steering and smoother maneuvering. That said, the Lexus IS F
Sport is good enough to beat Mercedes and Audi.
What it can't quite match the class standard is the powertrain. Both
petrol engines, the 204hp 2.5-liter and 306 hp 3.5-liter
direct-injected V6, are carried over with virtually no change. The
former is clearly not torquey and frugal enough to rival the
turbocharged four-cylinder engines of its German rivals. The IS350 is
strong enough, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds, but there is still
a considerable performance gap between it and BMW 335i. Moreover,
Toyota's 8-speed automatic transmission is not as responsive and
imperceptible as its ZF rival. Now having dropped the choice of manual
gearbox, it is also more difficult to attract hardcore drivers.
The old IS used to offer a 2.2-liter turbo diesel for European market.
Now it uses the new petrol hybrid model, IS300h, to replace the diesel
and harmonize the offering across the world. Its powertrain combines an
Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter four – similar to that of Camry Hybrid, but
introduces direct injection and dual-VVT-i to boost horsepower from 156
to 181 – and a 143 hp electric motor to provide a maximum output of 223
hp. Sounds good, but for a driver-oriented junior executive car we
cannot put up with its sluggish throttle response, lack of overtaking
power, thrashy engine (due to the CVT effect) and non-linear brake
feel.
With better engines, the new Lexus IS could have been possible to
threaten BMW 3-Series. Now it can only chase for the runner-up
position. The range topping IS350 F Sport is a credible choice to keen
drivers, while IS250 less remarkable and IS300h rather disappointing.
|
Verdict: 
(IS350) /
(IS250 / IS300h)
|
Published
on 8
Oct 2015
|
All rights reserved.
|
|
IS200t
|
|
|
Following the industrial
trend to boost fuel economy and drivability simultaneously, Lexus IS
has to abandon its good old 2.5-liter V6 for a brand-new 2.0 DI turbo.
This four-banger was first introduced to Lexus NX200t SUV-crossover
last year, and its usage will spread to not only IS but also GS and RC
coupe. Thankfully, the Japanese firm decided to name the car according
to its exact engine specifications rather than a misleading number like
its German rivals – you can’t tell what engine a BMW 328i or Mercedes
C250 employs – or the equally misleading IS300h. I like its honesty.
Codenamed 8AR-FTS, this 1998 c.c. four-cylinder is Toyota’s first
direct injection turbo engine. Predictably, it is equipped with a
twin-scroll turbo to enable faster low-end response hence reduced turbo
lag. Its output figures are exactly the same as the N20 engine of the
outgoing BMW 328i, i.e. 245 horsepower and 258 lbft of torque, with the
latter available between 1650 and 4400 rpm. Look deeper, you will find
some technologies even more advanced than BMW’s. Like Audi’s 190 hp 2.0
TFSI engine, it is able to work at Atkinson cycle (i.e. with an
expansion stroke longer than compression stroke) under light load and
revert to Otto cycle at heavier loads. This is implemented by Toyota’s
VVT-iW variable cam phasing at the intake side, which delays the
closure of intake valves well into the initial phase of compression
stroke. Another advanced feature is D-4ST (T for turbo) dual-mode
injection, which uses port injection to supplement direct injection in
some conditions. You can have more insight of these technologies in our
AutoZine Technical School (Otto-Atkinson
cycle engine and Dual-mode
injection), but here you only need to know their benefits: improved
fuel economy and drivability. Compared with the outgoing IS250, the
IS200t has 0-60 mph acceleration cut by a full second, while fuel
consumption in combined cycles is reduced by 18 percent. That's
brilliant.
Unfortunately, BMW 328i is a second quicker to 60 mph again, and the
new 330i is a bit faster still. Despite of the improved performance,
the IS200t is still somewhat handicapped by its excessive weight of
over 1600 kg. Remember, its aging platform is derived from the bits of
GS, Toyota Crown and Mark X, so it lacks the lightweight consideration
of its fresher European rivals. Toyota’s 8-speed automatic transmission
is also not as good as its ZF opponent, at least in terms of
calibration, as it often hunts for the right gears. This means the
IS200t still trails its main rivals for performance.
If you take F-Sport package, the car’s handling could be quite
satisfying, with good grip and nicely controlled body movement, though
the car is never quite as agile as, say, the 3-Series, Cadillac ATS or
Jaguar XE. Likewise, its ride quality and cabin refinement can’t match
the best of the class.
While the new engine does improve the entry-level IS, it is not a step
big enough to close the gap from its rivals. In fact, the new Jaguar
XE, Mercedes C-class, Audi A4 and revised 3-Series have raised the bar
again. That’s not a good news to the Lexus, because it has several more
years to soldier on.
|
| Verdict: |
Published
on 19
Sep 2021
|
All rights reserved.
|
|
IS500 F Sport
|
|
|
|
Just
like an M340i is no M3, the IS500 F Sport is no IS F.
|
|
In the past 8 years,
Lexus refused to build a follow-up of the first generation IS F, a car
that gave BMW M3 and AMG C63 some strong challenges. So it is
surprising to see the new IS500 F Sport arrives near the end of its
lifespan. Maybe it is a farewell model. Maybe it is only a pet project
of Lexus America. Maybe both are true.
Just like an M340i is no M3, the IS500 F Sport is no IS F. The only
link to that car is the 5-liter V8, which is also used in RC F and
LC500. This is one of the last naturally aspirated V8s in the world. It
produces 472 horsepower at 7100 rpm and 395 pound-foot of torque at
4800
rpm, the same as RC F. Ditto the high-revving manner and a torque curve
so peaky that arouses our fond memory of the 1990s. Yes, in the latest
state of tune it is more powerful than the IS F (416hp and 371lbft),
but the new car gains a fair bit of weight, too, so performance stays
the same. If the test data of Car and Driver is indicative, it might be
even a touch slower, seeing 0-60 slips by a tenth to 4.3 seconds while
0-100 mph is stretched by 0.6 second to 10.4. This means, while the
“500” nameplate sounds exotic and its V8 still makes noises far more
delicious than a turbocharged six, it is by no means a rival to the
current M3 or C63 or RS4. Instead, it targets at M340i, C43 and S4. The
$58,000 starting price says so, too.
|
|
Apart
from the V8, the rest of the car is almost a stock IS350 F Sport.
|
|
Unfortunately, the rest of the car does not live up to expectation.
While you would expect stiffer suspension, bigger tires, quicker
steering, faster gearshift and an active differential, the IS500 offers
none. Its chassis is based on a stock IS350 F Sport, just fitted with
larger brakes. Yes, the IS350 F Sport was quite sporty, but not in the
context of a performance sedan at this level. As a result, the IS500
feels rather soft. It squats under full throttle and dives under hard
braking, rolls plentiful in high-g corners. Grip generated by its
Bridgestone tires is far from remarkable. The brake pedal feels soft.
Gearshift of the Aisin 8-speed automatic is neither as quick nor as
smooth as its ZF counterpart.
On the plus side, the IS500 F Sport is well balanced in corner. Despite
a V8 hanging at the nose, the car does not feel nose-led. On the
contrary, its stronger power gives you more option to swing its tail
out, and it will do so progressively thanks to the Torsen LSD.
Otherwise, the car keeps the usual manner of IS. It rides relatively
smooth and quiet, good for everyday driving, although a number of areas
feel outdated now.
The IS500 F is a low-cost investment. Dropping the V8 from RC F into a
stock IS350 F Sport won’t cost too much money to develop and build.
While Lexus think it is a brilliant way to crack into the market space
of M340i etc., I think it is probably too naïve. In a competitive
market like today, you need to be good in every important areas in
order to win sales. Just a great engine is not sufficient, especially
when it is not the quickest.
|
| Verdict: |
|
