In typical Lexus fashion, the switchgear feels solid, although some controls lack a little user-friendliness, such as the tiny temperature control buttons. The standard-issue stereo sounds good, but ignored several MP3 file folders on my USB key, possibly because of the file bitrate I chose when I converted some of my CDs to MP3s.
The rear seats will accommodate two small children, although the narrow buckets make buckling up my daughter with her booster seat a little tough. The rear seatback doesn’t fold down, and there’s no pass-thru to the trunk, either.
Dimension-wise, the Lexus has about the same front-seat headroom than the G37, 3-Series and C70. Rear-seat legroom suffers, however, compared to its rivals, especially the BMW and the Volvo.
Under the hood, the IS 250C has a sufficient, 204-horsepower, 2.5-litre V6, but the IS 350C extracts 306 horses from its 3.5-litre V6. A 6-speed manual is standard in the 250C, while a 6-speed automatic is optional, but the 350C only gets the automatic. Like all Lexus models, engine power comes on in a smooth and linear fashion, while 0 to 100 km/h takes 5.9 seconds, which isn’t bad considering its 3,880-lb (1,760-kg) weight.
Yet the bigger V6 is surprisingly good on fuel. We’re averaging 11.4 L/100 km with a mix of city and highway driving.
Despite being a convertible spun off from a sedan, the IS C feels solid; you can feel a little cowl shake but you have to pay close attention to notice it. The car’s ride is slightly firm but not harsh as to get your occupants complaining.
The Lexus IS 250C starts out at $52,100, but our IS 350C costs $60,400, and that’s before adding the optional $3,900 Navigation Package as well as $1,950 freight and $100 A/C tax charges.
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| Rear-seat legroom suffers compared to the IS C’s rivals. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
The rear seats will accommodate two small children, although the narrow buckets make buckling up my daughter with her booster seat a little tough. The rear seatback doesn’t fold down, and there’s no pass-thru to the trunk, either.
Dimension-wise, the Lexus has about the same front-seat headroom than the G37, 3-Series and C70. Rear-seat legroom suffers, however, compared to its rivals, especially the BMW and the Volvo.
Under the hood, the IS 250C has a sufficient, 204-horsepower, 2.5-litre V6, but the IS 350C extracts 306 horses from its 3.5-litre V6. A 6-speed manual is standard in the 250C, while a 6-speed automatic is optional, but the 350C only gets the automatic. Like all Lexus models, engine power comes on in a smooth and linear fashion, while 0 to 100 km/h takes 5.9 seconds, which isn’t bad considering its 3,880-lb (1,760-kg) weight.
Yet the bigger V6 is surprisingly good on fuel. We’re averaging 11.4 L/100 km with a mix of city and highway driving.
Despite being a convertible spun off from a sedan, the IS C feels solid; you can feel a little cowl shake but you have to pay close attention to notice it. The car’s ride is slightly firm but not harsh as to get your occupants complaining.
The Lexus IS 250C starts out at $52,100, but our IS 350C costs $60,400, and that’s before adding the optional $3,900 Navigation Package as well as $1,950 freight and $100 A/C tax charges.
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| The Lexus IS 250C starts out at $52,100. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |