Nothing in the 1 month that we had it as a loaner vehicle.
This review is on a Lexus IS 250 AWD that we had as a loaner vehicle while my wife's RX300 was in the shop.
We drove the vehicle for a month and put 1200 or so miles on it.
The Lexus IS Series is made to compete with small European & other Sports Sedans such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Saab 9-3 etc.
It is a rather small nicely styled vehicle with a well laid-out interior. The quality of interior materials is good for this price range (this one stickered in the mid-30's) but not nearly as nice as in more upscale Lexuses and other high-line vehicles. The soft rubbery materials on the door panels seemed a bit out of place on a Lexus (similar material is used on the door panels of the ES350) and not nearly as nice as the softer materials used on the Lexus RX's.
The IS has been mildly criticized for not handling quite as well as the more established class leaders such as the BMW 3 Series - some of this may stem from the slight lack of steering feel, however I found the IS 250 AWD to handle very, very well, tracking well in corners and maintaining a good sure-footed balance.
It IS does have a firm, slightly busy ride, as do many vehicles in this class. It is not meant to be a Luxo-cruiser, but a Sport Sedan. This may also be why the interior trim is not so much fancy but business-like.
My main criticism of the IS 250 is the seats. Although they are supportive, I feel they lack adequate padding, and would be quite tiresome on a longer trip.
The IS 250 has the smallest engine of all IS models, and has also been criticized for lacking adequate punch, but I found the silky smooth, 204hp 2.5 liter V6 to be perfectly adequate, pulling strongly from a stop & having plenty of reserve for merging & passing on the highway.
I did not feel that the Lexus has as comfortable a ride as my Saab 9-3 Turbo, the Saab has a little more power and is a bit quicker, and the seats in my Saab are head & shoulders above those in the IS 250, but the little Lexus handles better & takes corners flatter. It has certainly a tighter structure than my Saab 9-3 Convertible. The IS 250 is one tight little machine!
My wife and I both loved the keyless ignition in the IS 250, as well as the easy to tune stereo system.
The dual-zone AC was also one of the best units I've seen. I also like the fact that this model has AWD.
The gas mileage was tremendous - averaging 28 mpg.
Overall for the type of driving I do, I prefer the comfort and power of my Saab over the added handling prowess of the IS 250. Again, my main complaint is the the seats are not as comfortable as they could be. But for those seeking a nice little (it is small & not built for a family) sporting sedan, built with typical Lexus quality & reliability - the little Lexus IS 250 is worth a look.
I have a Lexus IS350 2009 now. It is quite well-engineered automobile, to my opinion. It accelerates like a silky-bomb, with elapsed time of 0-60mph in 5.0sec! Hence she is in same performance bracket as the Mercedes-Benz E550,the BMW 750iL, and the Maserati Quattroporte with 401horsepower! On the other hand, her fuel economy is 10km/l, can be calculated as 23.6mpg, excellent for her engine muscle and acceleration.
My Lexus IS350 is such an excellent machine as a whole, its major defects are poor visibility and skimpy luggage space. Along with it, its back space is so-so. These shortcomings are in common with whole Lexus IS-series, from the IS-F fire-burner to the IS250 sedan. And its puddle shift is not so convenient to use, in spite of its quickness in shifting.
Although your Lexus IS250 sedan is less powerful than my IS350 sedan with 306 horsepower, she is better-balanced automobile than her bigger-engined sibling. Her 204 horsepower (153kw) V6 engine is somewhat meager in torque but feels sporty as it revs higher, I think. I feel the IS250's V6 engine is a little more powerful than the Mercedes C230's V6 unit of 2496cc displacement, albeit it has lesser gut than the Audi A4 2.0TFSI unit.
Above all, the Lexus IS250 has strong high speed cruising ability, with good stability and commendable comfort. I know an example of the IS250 being able to reach the maximum speed of 250km/h (155mph) on the Autobahn, much faster than its manufacturer data of 225km/h (140mph) in automatic guise, it would be excellent for a 204horsepower engine! It is no wonder the Lexus IS250 having been chosen as a Golden Steering Award in Germany several years ago.
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