Lexus IS 250

The Lexus IS 250 is very close to my heart because I owned one for almost 3 years. This was the second generation IS and I still find it gorgeous. Unfortunately the 2014 IS250 which is the 3^rd generation IS looks absolutely ugly and over the top. The spindle grill which is a signature of Lexus these days doesn’t do too much to enhance the looks of the car. The fish hook shaped day time running LED’s & the evil looking headlamps further contribute to the ugly looks. It comes with a 2.5 L 6 cylinder engine which puts out a mere 204 Horses & 180 lb/ft of torque which in today’s age is simply not enough. BMW & Cadillac offer 4 cylinder turbo charged engines producing 250+ HP and a Kia Optima could easily outperform an IS 250.

Now let me tell you why someone will buy an IS 250. It’s got one of the best interiors in the class and is miles ahead of competitors like BMW, Mercedes & Audi as far as luxury is concerned. The plush leather & seats in the IS is one of the best in this class. It would be criminal for me not to mention that lovely leather wrapped steering wheel which comes standard with paddle shifters.  The car is actually fun to drive in sports mode delivering that much needed grunt.  The ride quality is superb & this little Lexus remains unfazed when driven over bumpy roads & pot holes. The 2014 IS is bigger & can comfortably accommodate two adults in the back seat unlike the previous generation. There won’t be any complaints as far as boot space is concerned & thanks to the 60/40 split folding rear seats, there is plenty of cargo space. It comes standard with leather seats, automatic climate control, Bluetooth etc. for which the competitors will make you pay extra. The 10 speaker music system comes standard and most won’t feel the need to upgrade it. However there is an option to get the upgraded Marc Levenston surround sound system which is one of the best in this class. The navigation system is top notch & you don’t need a master’s degree to operate one.

 It is a car meant for people who want to be cradled in luxury & who are above the cheap thrills of smoking the car next to you on the road. It’s for people who are more laid back & have the time to appreciate the finer things in life. It is a car which will fulfill all of your carnal pleasures. With a base price of $36,000, it is slightly on the pricy side, but it’s a Lexus after all. An extra 5 grand will buy you all the goodies like navigation, backup camera, heated & ventilated seats, blind spot detection and so n & so forth. There is also an option for adding the F Sport package for an extra 6 grand which will include all of the above features and in addition will offer dials from the high performance Lexus LFA, aggressive exterior styling, tuned suspension, bigger breaks etc. My 2 cents on that.. skip it.  If you want more power, you can spend an extra 3 grand & get the highly competitive 306 HP IS 350. There won’t be any complaints on the power delivery on that car. For the folks on the east coast, there is an all-wheel drive option that the IS250 offers which will ensure plenty of grip to tide you over that snowy rainy winter.

Overall, it’s a solid car which comes backed by the tremendous assurance that it’s a Lexus & will remain loyal to you for years to come & when it’s finally time to say goodbye, you will get back enough to put a fat down payment on your next sweetheart.