Rating: **** (4/5)
The car offers every bit of quality and refinement that is expected from a Lexus. A lot of goodies are offered as standard and optional with the car to make it a decent deal from the ‘value for money’ perspective, especially in comparison with its chief German rivals. The metallic roof offers the safety, refinement and quietness that is comparable to other high performance?coupes. The 2.5 liter V6 engine offers excellent fuel efficiency, but the weight of the car seems to have taken a toll on the performance.
Lexus introduced its first entry-level luxury convertible, the IS 250C, in 2010. The IS 250C boasts most of the qualities of the IS sedan along with its party piece, the foldable hardtop. The roof will disappear neatly into the boot within just twenty seconds. The boot space and rear-seat space had to be traded for accommodating the roof.
Introduction:
Pros:
Excellent interior quality Good fuel economy Excellent safety features Folding metallic roof Refined rideCons:
Limited trunk space Cramped back seats Poor rear visibility Poor performance(2.5 liter V6)| Trim Name | MSRP | Invoice | Engine | Fuel Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 RWD Manual | $38,940 | $35,045 | 2.5L V6 204 HP | 18 / 26 mpg |
| 250 RWD | $40,110 | $36,098 | 2.5L V6 204 HP | 21 / 29 mpg |
| 350 RWD | $44,390 | $39,949 | 3.5L V6 306 HP | 18 / 25 mpg |
Styling:
The IS 250C looks similar to the IS sedan, with its looks reflecting its sporty nature. The exterior is pleasing to look at, except for the ungainly large rear end that was needed to accommodate the roof. The car comes with a lot of standard and optional features while the IS 350 gets a larger engine and more features as standard and optional.
Interior is well made and boast many high quality trim pieces. The dash-board is spot on in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics. However, a few flaws exist, like the lack of redundant display for A/C, music systems and navigation which means only one of the three screens will be displayed at a time. The interior is available with either metal or wooden trim inserts.
Standard Features:
17-inch wheels Auto-dimming rearview mirror Automatic headlights, fog lamps Dual-zone automatic climate control Heated side mirrors Leather upholstery Keyless ignition/entry Cruise control Eight-way power front seats Power tilt-telescoping steering column Modern Eight-speaker stereo with in-dash six-CD changer, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary audio jacksOptional Features:
18-inch wheels Adaptive bi-xenon headlights Automatic wipers Heated and cooled front seats with memory settings Upgraded leather upholstery Navigation system with real-time traffic and a back-up camera 2-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system Wood trim and automatic fold/ slide /return for rear-seat access Rear parking sensors Adaptive cruise control (includes collision preparation function) Lexus F-Sport performance upgrade kitsPerformance:
The IS 250C comes with a 2.5 liter V6 that produce 204 horsepower and 185 pounds feet of torque. The weight of the hardtop and the lack of power generated by engine have affected the acceleration of the car, and a dash from 0 to 60 mph takes a patient 8.4 seconds. A 305 hp 3.5 liter V6 engine is available with the IS 350 in case its performance that one wants.
Available with both rear wheel drive and all wheel drive system Six-speed manual transmission is standard, but there is an option for a six-speed automatic transmission Double wishbone front suspension Fuel economy with the automatic transmission is 21 mpg for the city, 29 mpg on highway and 24 mpg combined
Drive:
The IS 250C drives every bit like a car from Toyota’s ultra-luxury division should. The refinement and cabin noise are impressive. The chassis flex is not noticeable even on the worst road imperfections. The suspension is tuned for comfort, and this along with the lifeless steering spoils the driving experience from an enthusiast point of view.
Manual gearbox is not up to the mark Comfortable ride Steering well insulated from the road, with little feedbackSafety:
This Lexus is one of the safest cars in the segment, with an extremely impressive list of safety features. The optional adaptive cruise control prepares the car for a crash in case of emergencies by tightening the seatbelts and providing brake assist.
The safety features include: Antilock disc brakes with brake assist Stability and traction control Front seat side airbags Front seat knee airbags Front and rear side curtain airbags Pop-up rollover barsCompetitors:
BMW 328i Audi A4 2.0T Mercedes-Benz C300Overall:
With the soft suspension and high-quality interior, this Lexus is an extremely comfortable car to travel. It is one of the safest convertibles in the market today with a host of airbags. However, thanks to the relative lack of performance and uninspiring handling, enthusiasts may have to look elsewhere.
Source: www.nitrobahn.com
