2002 Lexus IS 200 Sport 2.0

Summary:

One of the best cars on the road today

Faults:

Nothing, It has been excellent.

General Comments:

This car is very comfortable, the 2.0litre 6 cylinder engine with 6 speed close ratio gearbox delivers when you need it most. Performance isn't great, but it does handle well (more so when TC is turned off). Looks good, paint quality is excellent if looked after.

A great rival to the BMW 3 Series, but with more gadgets.

Easy to work on and service yourself if you really want to, but no need to avoid the dealer as dealer service is outstanding and honest.

I love this car and will keep it for a long time.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th January, 2007

2002 Lexus IS 200 S 2.0

Summary:

Excellent all round car

Faults:

The Alloys have corroded and it is not even 3 years old yet.

General Comments:

Although the car is the entry level model it is still a masterpiece.

Handling superb, slightly underpowered engine, but ideal for cruising.

When we bought the car we compared with BMW's & Merc's and the Lexus was by far the better car.

Lexus customer service are excellent simply swapped the wheels when corroded.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th July, 2005

25th Oct 2005, 20:54

It's an overpriced toyota altezza.

13th Jan 2006, 04:35

To the person that said the Lexus is an overpriced Toyota Altezza - that means that all Audis are overpriced VWs, all Jags ar overpriced Fords and all Alfas are overpriced Fiats etc...

Is this correct? No. The Lexus (as compared with other cars in its class) is extremely well priced, reliable, well equipped and beautifully shaped.

15th Jul 2006, 09:40

The main Issue with the Is200 is the Price!

It's way too high for a 2 litre Straight Six!

By the way which BMW were you comparing it with?

A E36 320IS (2 Litre, 150 bhp) will easily match the performance of the Lexus, and it sounds MUCH Better than the Lexus (which is far too muted)

Raziel.

In reply to 15th Jul 2006, 09:40

20th Sep 2011, 18:04

A 3 series is a better car - better handling, better interior, better looking - to my eyes. Not that the IS is a bad car, far from it, and I have no idea where the transmission problems are coming from - from once it warmed up, it's very smooth and precise - unlike a manual Merc C class, which is woeful. Only gripes I've heard on the IS are of corroding alloys and audio units failing - both of which Lexus has addressed free of charge. And it's saucy on fuel.

2002 Lexus IS 200 Sport 2.0

Summary:

Nice, but....

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

A nice car in many ways, but I have some reservations.

The gearing does not seem ideal, but I can live with that.

My real problem is with the ride. It is very nice on a smooth motorway, but the car seems to fidget and fret all the time on country roads that are anything less than perfect. I don't sense any problem with the way in which the tyres grip the road, but I have never felt so aware of surface undulations, even when driving a 1995 Celica GT with fat tyres and a very firm suspension.

I have carefully adjusted tyre pressures to 33 psi, and experimented with 32.5 and 34, but it seems to make little difference.

The car is still under warranty and came with full RAC check etc. Should I ask the dealers to look again at the shock absorbers, for example? Or is this how all IS200s ride on poor surfaces? Should I just learn to live with it?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th October, 2003

24th Jan 2004, 17:07

I would say that as the car has such big alloys (17-inch) and thin tyres (which improve looks dramatically), it's something you'll have to live with. The bigger the wheel and the thinner the tyre, the firmer the ride, the more road noise and the more surface imperfections the car will pick up. On the plus side, it is aesthetics and handling that benefit. The IS200 is otherwise an excellent car, much better than a BMW 3 series or Audi A4.

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