I won't spend a lot of time talking about the 2015 Lexus IS 250's style because, well, look at it. Lexus' L-Finesse design language speaks boldly and loudly for itself, for better or worse. You'll either love it or hate it at first sight and there's not much I can do to influence that. I will say that my initial distaste for what I called an overly busy front fascia has subsided slightly. Dare I say it? I think I may eventually come around to liking the look. Your mileage, as always, may vary.
Pretty small for V-6
Behind the divisive grille and headlamp treatment you'll find the IS 250's power plant, a 2.5-liter direct-injected V-6 engine. Code-named the 4GR-FSE, this smallish V-6 is good for a stated 204 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Lexus has been using some version of this engine in the IS 250 dating all the way back to 2005, so odds are good that the automaker has all of the kinks worked out.
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The engineers probably could have used a four-cylinder engine of similar displacement and gotten similar levels of power, but the V-6 revs more smoothly, with less vibration and harshness, which makes the IS feel more like a Lexus. The 4GR-FSE is a quiet engine when cruising and tooling around town; it's easily drowned out by the IS' standard stereo, which we'll discuss in a bit. There's a healthy amount of torque available at throttle tip-in, which makes the sedan feel responsive when pulling away from traffic lights and at moderate speeds, such as when maneuvering through traffic. However, the engine gets rather breathless at higher speeds, taking longer than I'd like for highway passes.
The 250's engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the sedan's rear wheels and features sport and manual shift programs, the latter making use of standard steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. In addition, on the center console you'll find Lexus' Drive Mode Selector, a round knob that can be twisted to choose between Normal, Sport and Eco settings for the power train and vehicle systems. Sport mode adjusts the throttle mapping and transmission program for the most responsive acceleration, while Eco mode changes theses systems for less response and more fuel efficiency. Normal is the baseline between them.
I rarely used the Eco Drive Mode setting, which made the throttle feel numb, but I'd wager that it could help to eke an extra mile or two per gallon out of long freeway cruises. Over the course of my testing, which included many miles of sporty driving around my favorite back roads, I averaged about 23 mpg, which falls in line with the EPA's guess of 21 city mpg, 30 highway mpg and 24 mpg combined average. So it's not like you strictly speaking need the Eco mode to get reasonable economy out of this power train.
At multiple times during my testing, I found myself wondering how swapping the Lexus NX 200t's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine into the engine bay would affect efficiency and performance. Alas, that question will have to go unanswered for now.
On the road
Settling into the IS 250, two things sprang to mind. The first was how familar the Lexus interior design is. Broad and very horizontal, the IS' cabin looks a lot like the RC's cabin which looks a lot like the NX's. I'm not a fan of the look, but I think i prefer the chunky, blocky elements to the overly aggressive exterior design. The second thing that springs to mind is just how well sorted the IS' touch points are. Love or hate the aesthetic, it's hard to argue with the supportive but comfortable sport buckets and the driving position that places the steering wheel and its paddles, the shift lever and infotainment controls nicely at hand. The materials are top-notch and don't feel at all cheap.
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From the IS' supportive seats, you can enjoy the sporty ride. The suspension is firm, but not punishing, soaking up all but the most severe bumps while still being firm and communicative in the corners. Though the cabin does a good job of keeping engine and wind noise out, there is a bit of road noise transmitted from the tires and suspension via the floor.
The IS 250 presents the driver with an excellent platform for performance driving, even if the driver aid electronics conspire to suck all of the fun out of each corner. The IS grips and corners neutrally, its deeply bolstered seats keeping the driver planted while dealing with the business of steering. The steering isn't the most communicative that I've tested, but the sedan certainly went where I pointed the wheel and had a nice and quick response to turn-in.
Slap the shift lever into the manual position and twist the Drive Mode Selector to Sport and things get a little livelier, but not much. Winding up the revs, I was disappointed to hear that the engine note sounds slightly artificial, like what you'd hear in a video game like Forza Motorsport. It's not a terrible sound, just not what gets my pulse racing. In the IS' defense, the 250 model isn't meant to be as sporty as the IS 350 or the RC F.
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The 2015 Lexus IS 250 is a solid choice for a sporty commuter, but its nagging electronics keep it from reaching its potential as a true "sports sedan."
2015 Lexus IS 250 Sedan Pricing & Features | Edmunds
See our 2015 Lexus page for detailed features and specs information, including fuel economy, 2015 Lexus IS 250 Review; 2015 Lexus IS 250 Reliability;
2015 Lexus IS 250 Sedan Review & Ratings | Edmunds
The 2015 Lexus IS 250 offers daring styling, excellent build quality and benchmark steering feel, but it trails most rivals in performance and fuel efficiency.
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