2006 Lexus IS Review
Lexus Comes to Market with a Serious Competitor to BMWs 3-Series
Longer by 3½ inches, wider by almost 3 inches, and sitting on a wheelbase that extends 2.3 inches beyond its predecessor, the 2006 Lexus IS 300, with its chiseled good looks and aggressive character appears to be exactly what compact luxury buyers currently want.
When the current IS 300 debuted in North America, a rebadged and somewhat upgraded Japanese-market Toyota Altezza, enthusiasts jumped on the Lexus bandwagon. It was small, light and plenty powerful, and soon after its introduction offered a manual transmission just like BMWs benchmark 3-Series.
Interestingly enough, it was these enthusiasts that praised the IS 300 for behaving much like past generation 3-Series, which were smaller, lighter and resultantly more nimble.
But the first-generation IS wasnt without its detractors, complaining about its bland exterior, as well as criticizing its busy cabin layout and cramped quarters.
The upcoming 2006 IS looks ready to remedy such problems, and knowing how advanced its rear-drive cars are becoming in driving dynamics shouldnt lose any of its fun factor either.
Its longer wheelbase should satisfy rear seat passengers, offering the greatest span between front and rear occupants in the segment. Lexus claims its new IS will be more comfortable in other ways too, especially when the optional fan ventilated front seats are ordered.
Lexus no doubt wants to keep the younger, enthusiast crowd happy, but nevertheless understands that a more conservative approach inside will increase sales to a more mature audience, therefore the cars odd mismatched interior surfaces will be replaced with a more cohesive design, with higher quality plastics, more wood on luxury trim levels, and tighter fit and finish tolerances.
For instance, the leather seat double stitching is now 25 percent tighter, helping it to wear better and improving appearances. There are also more high-tech metal highlights, while light colored birds eye maple wood is now available.
The IS has always delivered superb audio sound, and the new version of the car will continue this tradition. Standard will be a 13-speaker sound system featuring a 6CD changer that is capable of playing MP3 and WMA files. Incidentally, the upcoming 3-Series only gets a single disc CD player in the dash. While its MP3 compatible, the optional stacker is still in the trunk. An auxiliary socket is also available, connected to the stereo via the console bin, a feature that targets a younger, more music-centric audience that would rather plug their external devices into an audio system than bother with a pile of CDs.
Top-line IS 300s will have the option of a 14-speaker, Mark Levinson surround sound system, similar to that coming available in the new GS 430. A step up from the base unit in sound quality and features, it can also include a dash-mounted 6-disc DVD player.
While performance was never a problem for the lightweight IS, the new larger car will need more power in order to keep up. Two gasoline engines will be available, at least in Europe where it debuted earlier this week, starting with a 2.5-liter V6 (yes, the inline-6 is gone) that makes 201-horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. Lexus is not saying whether the smaller displacement IS 250 will make it across the Atlantic, or the Pacific as this engine will without doubt be available in Asian markets too, but it is likely to remain in other global markets only. On that note, it is also likely that the new 2.2-liter common rail diesel will also remain only in European markets.
North Americans, despite a need for more fuel conscious vehicles, will most likely only get Lexus new 3.0-liter powerplant, producing a healthy 245-horsepower and 230 lb-ft of torque, which should be enough to challenge the new 255-horsepower BMW 3-Series, the 268-horsepower Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Infinitis upgraded 277-horsepower G35.
Giving it an acceleration edge on some of its competitors is a new 6-speed automatic transmission, featuring steering wheel mounted paddle-shift controls in IS 250 trim. The smaller engine also gets a standard 6-speed manual gearbox, which according to insiders, may not be available on the IS 300 anymore, and therefore unavailable in North America.
Lexus claims a body shell of “exceptional torsional stiffness”, plus the addition of a lightweight aluminum hood and suspension components, plus its engines are lighter than the previous inline family, all reducing the cars center of gravity and therefore enhancing handling.
Lexus will bolster the ISs performance and safety with its relatively non-intrusive Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, which orchestrates key electronic aids to work in unison, such as stability control, traction control, ABS brakes.
Other class-leading safety features include Lexus Pre-Crash Safety system (PCS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Bi-Xenon headlights with Intelligent Adaptive Front-lighting System (I-AFS), and no less than ten standard airbags, including double knee airbags.
Wider and lower than its competitors, and featuring a top-tier suspension system, Lexus is clear in its objective to produce the segments most engaging driving dynamics while maintaining the brands traditional ride quality.
In the end, however, refinement and driving dynamics can only take a new model so far. The deciding factor among luxury car buyers is often styling, and to that end the IS should do quite well. It boasts what may be the best interpretation of Lexus new L-Finesse design language in a production car to date, even more contemporary than the much admired GS that debuts this month.
The new IS will be important to Lexus future growth in North America, but critical to its designs on Europe, as well as and other global markets where compact or C-segment cars are much more popular than mid- and full-size vehicles.
Norristown, PA 19403
Norristown, PA 19403
Dublin, OH 43017
Dublin, OH 43017
Dublin, OH 43017
Dublin, OH 43017
Dublin, OH 43017
Westmont, IL 60559
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Watch out BMW 3-Series, the 2006 Lexus IS 300 is sporting chiseled good looks and an aggressive character. (Photo: Lexus)
It looks like Lexus listened to the critics of the first-generation IS, and fixed all of their gripes. (Photo: Lexus)
Its longer wheelbase means there will be more room in the cabin. (Photo: Lexus)
The new IS has a superb base audio system, featuring 13-speakers and a 6CD changer that is capable of playing MP3 and WMA files. (Photo: Lexus)
Two gasoline engines will be available in the new larger version, at least in Europe where it debuted earlier this week. (Photo: Lexus)
Lexus new 245-hp 3.0-liter powerplant should offer healthy competition to BMWs 255-hp 3-Series. (Photo: Lexus)
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