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We all know Lexus products as being paragons of quality and refinement, but many younger enthusiast drivers have long passed over the brand in favor of established performance names like BMW and Audi. No surprise there; Lexus products tend to be amazingly refined and quiet, providing a driving experience akin to manning a hyperbaric chamber. Given Lexus’ 20 past years of wresting away market share from the Germans and the fact that they’ve been the best-selling luxury brand in the US for years, we’d have to say they’ve got the American luxury buyer licked. The majority of American luxury buyers really do want to waft along in utter silence, and no one does that better than Lexus.
The coveted entry luxury buyer (who represents a long-term opportunity to retain and move up through the brand), however, is younger and often wants a more engaging drive. And to those buyers, the BMW 3-Series has long been the default choice. There’s good reason: in addition to looking great and possessing a really aspirational badge, the 3-Series has been generally peerless in terms of handling, steering, and that elusive “feel” that makes the car so wonderful to drive. No pretender, in my opinion, has ever really been able to mix those components into a cocktail quite as tasty as the BMW.

Until now, that is. The IS250 seen here represents the entry point into the Lexus brand. But there’s no marshmallow ride nor is it particularly quiet (thanks to our tester’s sport suspension and summer performance tires on 18-inch wheels). No, this thing dances through corners with all the aplomb of the 3-Series, providing not only the grip and response of the Bavarian, but a truly engaging experience as well. The chassis feels lively and feels better the harder you push it; I was surprised just how much communicative feedback there is from the steering and suspension. And speaking of steering, I was shocked to learn that the helm is in fact electrically assisted. Unlike most such systems, this one feels just so natural and perfectly weighted. After driving this car, there’s just no excuse for those lifeless rheostat-like electric power steering systems that are increasingly common these days.
Even the entry level engine on our car, a 204HP 2.5L V6, is a real peach. It’s not a powerhouse, but it’s just so deliciously smooth and sings a wonderfully sonorous tune at high revs. To me, it’s actually a much sweeter engine than the somewhat gruff 3.5L V6 that’s available in numerous Toyota and Lexus products, including the IS. The six-speed automatic deserves credit too as its ratios and quick-but-seamless shifts make the car feel plenty lively despite its relatively low horsepower rating.
As Lexus’ entry level car, it has the task of introducing new customers to the Lexus way and keep them coming back for more. But if the IS is such a match for BMW dynamically, how does it communicate those traditional Lexus values of refinement and quietness?
Actually, I would say that the IS does communicate many traditional Lexus values superbly well while simultaneously giving the BMW something to worry about. The materials and textures are pure Lexus, which is to say superb and refined. The panel gaps are…wait, what panel gaps? And all of the controls just simply work without explanation, whereas the Germans always find a way to complicate things.
In other words, you get a true BMW-rivaling drive experience with the sort of fuss-free perfection of execution that Lexus vehicles are renowned for. That’s actually a really compelling combination, and pretty smart if you think about it from a customer retention perspective. After all, if you’re young you might hanker for that sporty drive character, but if you’re like most Americans, you’ll want something cushier later in life. And Lexus does cushy better than anyone else.