When it comes to blending luxury with a sporty flair, it’s tough to beat the Lexus IS 350. It’s a first-class luxury experience in a sedan that accelerates like a Thoroughbred, and dominates the mountain twisties. Its key German rivals, the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 may still have a performance edge, but not by much. If the idea is to get somewhere in total comfort, but maybe have a little fun in the process, the IS 350 gets it done.
Lexus had me at the 1989 LS 400. Mocked by the German luxury marques as a glorified Toyota that would never be able to compete with the well-established European luxury brands, the LS 400 gave those naysayers a little ride around the block on the Reality Bus. Sure, the ES 250 that shared dealer floor space with the LS 400 was not much more than a gussied up Camry, but the LS 400 was a luxury sedan to be reckoned with.
As the Lexus brand evolved, a 3-Series fighter was a logical addition to the lineup. As is true with Lexus in general, ride quality and passenger comfort remained its focus. That is still so today.
Shoppers wishing to lop a few grand off the IS 350’s $40,065 base price can drop down a peg to the $35,650 IS 250. The key difference is the IS 250’s smaller V6 and less sophisticated transmission. Both are rear-wheel drive and offer pretty much the same standard content.
