-- Photos by Mark Kennedy
Fast facts
- Model: 2016 Lexus IS 200t - Exterior color: Ultra White - Interior color: Rioja Red - Engine: 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo - Horsepower: 241 - Transmission: Eight-speed automatic - Fuel economy: 33 mpg highway, 22 mpg city - Local Dealer: Lexus of Chattanooga - Price (as tested): $45,195
View other Test Drive stories by Mark Kennedy
Looking for a used or new car?
Is Lexus a luxury brand or a performance brand?
It's obvious that the folks at Lexus headquarters in Nayota, Japan, would love to have it both ways.
Witness the zippy little 2016 Lexus IS 200t compact sedan, which arrives this year equipped with a turbo-charged four-cylinder engine previously only found in the brand's NX small crossover.
Designed as a BMW 3-series fighter, the IS 200t maintains some of the trappings of luxury, like a booming Mark Levinson sound system and expressive Rioja Red Nuluxe seats in F Sport trim. Yet its new high-revving, fuel efficient engine also gives it the performance chops to compete with the best German sports sedans from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Lexus of Chattanooga on Lee Highway has in stock a selection of the IS 200ts.
"The new engine is not only more efficient, it is also more powerful," notes Philip Foster, Lexus of Chattanooga technology specialist. "One of the best things about the car is that right now, with the great residual (value), you can get a new IS 200t on lease for about the same monthly payment as Honda Accord or Nissan Altima. I have all colors and trim models available on the lot."
The IS comes in three flavors, the aforementioned IS 200t which starts at $37,325; the IS 300 equipped with a compact V-6 and all-wheel-drive that starts at $39,700; and the IS 350 with a bigger six-cylinder engine that delivers 306 horsepower and goes for $40,870 before options.
Our Ultra White IS 200t tester has a bottom line of $45,195, which includes about $6,000 in added goodies.
STYLING AND COMFORT
You couldn't find a right angle on the IS 200t with a T-square and a laser level. There's a fluidity to the car's exterior that is meant to look organic; as if etched by hot lava. The net effect is a handsome profile, with a low roof line and sinuous character lines. The Ultra White exterior with Rioja Red leather seating surfaces is an attractive pairing.
Pardon the stereotyping, but this car feels like its designed for highly-caffeinated young women. My 57-year-old man hips had a hard time dropping into the cockpit. Performance oriented boomers of a certain girth - which means most of us - might do well to stick with the larger Lexus GS.
Having said that, the car's black mesh spindle grille is rather menacing and is clearly designed to stamp the IS 200t as a Lexus. The mesh treatment is part of F Sport package ($3,545), a basket of design and tuning options designed to amp up the IS's sex appeal. Included are the grille treatment, LED headlamps, special 18-inch split-spoke wheels, grippy summer tires, a custom instrument cluster, special seats and a black headliner.
The Mark Levinson premium audio system - imagine 17 speakers inside a phone booth - and navigation are packaged together as a $2,645 option.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
By ditching the previous 2.5-liter V-6 as the base engine in the IS, Lexus is falling in line with an industry trend - building small performance sedans with turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The more powerful Lexus IS 350 with its 3.5-liter V-6 is still in the line-up for those who want more raw power.
Even with its smaller displacement, the turbo-charged in-line four-cylinder engine has 35 more horses than the smallish six-cylinder it replaces. That's a big power boost in a car this small and light (curb weight about 3,500 pounds).
In a week of around-town driving the IS 200t darted through Chattanooga traffic and turned curving mountain roads into roller coasters. The car's balance is sweet, and handling is taut and precise, thanks to the rear-drive set up. The eight-speed automatic transmission is Teflon smooth.
Outward visibility is a bit pinched, yet the roomier-than-expected back seat proved to be excellent for car-pooling with kids and their sports gear.
Our tester always seems to be straining at the leash. Zero to 60 times are a tick under 7 seconds, according to various instrument-rated reviews, but the car feels swifter in actual traffic.
We did make the mistake of trying to shoot out of a grass parking lot once, only to be rewarded with two seconds of stationary wheel spin as the summer tires and torque conspired against us. But then, jack-rabbit starts on grass are not a high-priority for Lexus engineers.
BOTTOM LINE
The IS was a popular entry-level luxury sports sedan before, but the addition of a turbo-charged model to the line-up was just the ticket to propel it into the passing lane alongside the German sedans.
For young driving enthusiasts with enough cash, the little Lexus is an eager plaything.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.