2015 Lexus IS350 F Sport AWD
Half of Lexus IS sales are in F Sport trim, and the buyers of these vehicles are five to 12 years younger than that of the brand’s average, according to Jeff Bracken, GM of this Toyota division. That’s very encouraging to stockholders of course, but also indicative of where they have begun to steer this premium division, whose owners were—like Buick’s—literally dying off.
Time recently spent in an IS350 AWD F Sport drove home how far they’ve come, as this is much more a sports sedan in the classically accepted tradition than most anything BMW dishes up these days. Cadillac too has decided to mine the Bavarian’s past, designing cars modeled after the stunning dynamic acumen of the E36 and E46 model 3-series sedans. Having owned such, I would say that both the American company and Lexus have really nailed things dynamically, though they have a way to go to match the Germans in the powertrain and infotainment departments.
The Lexus unkinks a set of corners like those BMWs of yore, flat in stance, immediate in reaction, with precise, linear steering and terrific body control that never ventures into harshness—a hard balance to achieve. This despite the AWD model’s reliance on the standard IS350 spring and damper setup; rear drive models get stiffer, lower chassis tuning. This is right out of BMW’s playbook, and while I would wish you could still get the optional suspension, it is hard to argue with the results, especially when the 3-series itself has become something prone to early onset understeer, vertical body motion and vague steering. The Lexus’ brakes feel a match for the chassis and steering, too, but the engine and especially transmission have some catch up to play.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with this direct fuel injection, 306hp version of the superb corporate 3.5-liter V6, except that it hasn’t the supercharged low-end torque of competitors from Deutschland. It doesn’t sound bad either, but there’s some harshness as it reaches for its redline, and performance figures are hampered by robust Lexus structure’s extra mass over competitors. Why the company wont see fit to spec its eight speed auto across the IS lineup is a mystery too; Cadillac makes the same mistake, making six speed gearboxes the norm for ATS models when more are needed to get the kind of performance and real-world fuel economy buyers expect these days.
The IS350 is a throwback in terms of size as well, with tighter accommodations than the competition, though its cockpit is superbly built of high quality materials and offers a unique, high-end audio gear design aesthetic. Highlights include the great front seats, chunky steering wheel, touch-sensitive temperature adjusters and a moveable instrument gauge bezel (all IS models have had cool, timepiece-inspired instruments); lows are the center console design that looks great but doesn’t have proper storage space for real people and an infotainment interface—and graphics—that are one or two generations behind the best.
The IS350’s audacious styling has proven to be a grower though, and in F Sport guise it reaches a level of drama that really marks the car out among the hoards of conservative Germans. On the whole, this Lexus has really done a great job of establishing a unique identity and staking a claim to be a genuine sports sedan.
EPA ratings: 19/26mpg; 21mpg combined
Price as tested: $50,375
Here is what Lexus has to say.
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