Interior space is adequate or better for front occupants however rear passengers are not as lucky. To begin with, it is difficult to get through the narrow opening of the Volvo's rear doors. The Lexus should seriously only be considered a 4-seater as the middle commuter's comfort will suffer
due to a huge center tunnel and no elbow or shoulder room. The S40 is only marginally better. Those stepping in or out of the IS need to be mindful of the low roofline as bumping a head on the raked "A" pillar can easily occur.
On the roadThe tested Lexus and Volvo were both equipped with the basic engines. Volvo's inline 5-cylinder sounds great and provides sufficient torque although it would never win a drag race. Our brand-spanking new example had fewer than 50 km on the odometer when we got it. We suspect that performance will increase a touch as the kilometres pile on. The IS 250's 2.5L does not feel very strong but the acceleration numbers say otherwise. The V6 gives the impression that it is always giving "all she's got". By contrast, the Volvo's 2.4L I-5 seems more relaxed and less stressed.
The Volvo's 5-speed manual transmission is particularly user-friendly. The
clutch is light and the shifter's action is smooth and precise. Unfortunately, for the comparison, the Lexus' was delivered with the 6-speed automatic transmission. In general terms, it works wonderfully; up-shifts are instantaneous and the steering wheel mounted paddles are direct and functional. The downshifting portion of the transmission's job is less brilliant. Unlike Infiniti's paddles, the Lexus does not blip the throttle when a downshift is selected and, in normal "Drive", the transmission would sometimes hesitate.
The Lexus is hunkered down and heavy on the road. Every movement of the suspension is calculated and this transforms the drive into an incredibly competent affair. The comfort level is high although sharp changes in road amplitude tend to shake up the rear drivetrain a little.
Both cars are very stable at high speeds. The principal difference with the Volvo is that it feels lighter on its toes. Its suspension travel permits a cushy ride even on our banged up streets.
The brakes on these two purebreds are remarkable. In both cases, the pedal can be easily modulated to control braking pressure. Stopping distances are impressively short and are a testament to the importance of safety for these manufacturers.
Both cars are impressively quiet. The only irritant was the penetration of tire noise in the Volvo. Although the Lexus was shod with winter tires, it was slightly more peaceful than the Volvo. One thing, a negative thing, which got my attention while driving in the Lexus, was the presence of a number of dash rattles and trim noises. The amount of noise coming from
the centre console gave me the impression that it had been taken apart and poorly reassembled. I found this very odd as it created more clatter than all of the Toyota and Lexus vehicles that I driven combined. The S40, in comparison, was tight as a drum and quiet as a tomb.
SafetyThe NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has not yet
rated the IS. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it "Good" and Silver Top Safety Pick. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the S40 4 out of 5 stars (a Good result) in frontal impacts for both front occupants. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has rated it "Good".
