Driving from Reno to Lake Tahoe in a Lexus IS 250C Convertible

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I was invited to get away for a few glorious days this summer by an agency promoting Fly/Drive Reno/Lake Tahoe areas of Nevada.  Since my only previous experience with Nevada had been attending some conventions in Las Vegas, I was intrigued by the arts and culture combinations promised by the local Convention and Visitors Bureau.  And also surprised and intrigued by promises of beautiful scenery in a state I thought was in the desert.

I’m so glad I took this trip, which was made even more exciting by my friends at Lexus, who allowed me to borrow a beautiful 2010 bright Matador Red Mica Lexus IS 250C retractable hardtop convertible.  They thought it would be perfect for driving the scenic routes between Reno’s airport and South Lake Tahoe, and they were so right.

I have lots more to say about this fabulous trip, so watch for details in the weeks to come. But for now, I have to tell you about what a great car this entry-level luxury coupe/convertible is.  It’s not only beautiful and stylish; it also performs like a dream. The 250C was perfect for the winding mountain roads I encountered enroute to my first stop at the Cottonwood Ranch, a working horse ranch and Bed and Breakfast a few miles outside Minden, NV. It’s true the 350C has more of that “zoom zoom” acceleration power than the 250C (and costs more) but the manual transmission 250C was much better for navigating sharp turns and twisting mountain roads that called for speeds of 15 to 45 mph.  A faster engine would have been more difficult to hold back on some of the steeper declines, which could have gotten me in trouble with the highway patrolmen who seemed to be out in full force.

Actually I shouldn’t have been on those winding mountain roads until the next day, but I read the map wrong leaving Reno, and found myself on Scenic Route 28 instead of staying on IH 395 South (please don’t ask how I did that, because I don’t have a clue, but my husband would be happy to explain that it happens quite frequently).

The amazingly beautiful scenery was part of the problem.  I wanted to just pull over and soak up the sight of all those trees, hills, and water that suddenly came into view; but there were lots of cars behind me who didn’t seem to be ready to stop.  So I had miles to go before a scenic view rest stop finally gave me a respite, and a chance to examine the Nevada state map more carefully to discover that I was already on day 2 of my journey, at least 24 hours ahead of time.

The Lexus IS 250C is actually an amazing piece of machinery that features a single-switch operation to retract the three-piece hard top in the blink of an eye.  I have owned seven convertibles, all soft or “rag-top” cars, and sometimes had exhausting problems getting the top up and down.  But not this classy convertible, no sooner said than done.

A driver more dexterous than I, could probably have managed to put the top down even while navigating the hairpin turns, but I wasn’t quite ready to try that.

The hard top is made of lightweight aluminum and the four-link roof assembly is also made of aluminum.  If the scenery hadn’t been so mind-boggling, I’m sure some of the other tourists would have braked to gawk at me as I effortlessly took the top down on the car with a mere flick of my hand.  A roof-speed brake-control system decreases the action as it approaches the end of the closing operation in either direction.  The available Intuitive Park Assist (IPA) sonar sensors in the rear bumper will stop the movement of the luggage door at the start of operation if any obstacle (such as my large suitcase) should be detected.

The IS 250 2-door coupe convertible was just the right size for a solo trip, and would have been comfy enough for my significant other to ride shotgun if he’d been able to accompany me (something he’s promised to do next time I go, after hearing me rave non-stop about the beauties of Nevada).

I made the entire 4-day driving trip using less than one tank of gas, since the IS 250 averages 18 mpg in town and 26 on the highway.  The manufacturer’s suggested price for the convertible is a very reasonable $38,490, but after adding 18-inch liquid graphite alloy wheels and all-season tires, heated and ventilated front seats with wood trim, and delivery charges the total price was $41,125 for the test model.

After calling Barbara Flanagan, the owner of the Cottonwood Creek Farm B&B, for turn-by-turn directions to the highway, I soon found my way back to level land and the comforts of home-away-from-home in a luxury ranch house.  We were surrounded by sagebrush, pushed back by beautiful perennials, an enchanted forest the owner planted after taking landscaping courses at the local high school, and a baker’s dozen of beautiful Arabian horses.

After admitting that Nevada had thrown yet another scenic surprise my way, I couldn’t help but notice the Lexus IS 250C, even with the top back up, looked smashing there, too.

Jo Ann Holt is a Dallas-based journalist and columnist and a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA).