2009 Lexus IS 250

2009 IS 250 Photos
2009 Lexus IS F – Click above for high-res gallery The Lexus IS F is the sole Japanese contender in a crowd of compact high-performance sport sedans. Boasting a full complement of performance upgrades, including a 5.0-liter V8 mated to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the 416-horsepower sedan blasts to 60 mph in well under five seconds. But the stats only tell part of the tale. Do the sum of the IS F's parts make it a contender against the best from Germany and America? Let's find out. %Gallery-64871% Photos Copyright ©2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc. The first Lexus IS rolled into showrooms about a decade ago. The rear-wheel drive sedan sported a silky 3.0-liter inline-six (2JZ-GE) and went head-to-head against the standard BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. A fine compact sedan under anyone's scrutiny, the first-generation IS only offered one engine. Lacking a factory-tuned performance variant, it was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as the competition's high-performance M3, C43, and S4 frolicked through America's canyons and race circuits. The second-generation Lexus IS bowed in 2006. Following the European's lead and in keeping with the times, the Japanese automaker replaced the single inline-six with two V6 choices: 2.5-liter or 3.5-liter. Unfortunately, even with a strong 306-hp engine under the hood of the IS350, the new sedan was still ultimately outgunned by its high-performance competitors. Lexus finally answered the pleas of those seeking a Japanese alternative to the BMW M3, Audi RS4, Mercedes-Benz C63 and Cadillac CTS-V when it introduced its IS F variant at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The IS F wasn't just the first hot IS model to hit the showroom; it was the first high-performance car from Toyota's luxury division. Compared to its lesser siblings, the IS F is visually distinguished by its aggressive front splitter, oversized hood, flared fenders, 19-inch wheels, rear spoiler, and angle-stacked quad exhaust outlets. You may have heard by now that those four rear chrome ovals sing with the authenticity of Milli Vanilli (the real exhaust is dumped a couple inches in front of them), but that's an increasingly common tactic these days, and at least it serves to keep the finishers clean. The interior features sporty bucket seats, revised instrumentation, special trim, and additional standard features. Of course, there are also plenty of "F" emblems and escutcheons on the car to remind you why you paid a base price of $56,610 (our tester rang up at $61,120). In case you were wondering, that is a $25,000 premium over the entry-level IS250. The cosmetics and nomenclature are nice, but it is the mechanical ingredients that stir our souls. Shoe-horned under our 2009 model's aluminum hood is the company's 5.0-liter V8 (2UR-GSE) that shares its basic architecture with the engine found in the hybrid Lexus LS 600h. Unlike its gas-electric big sister, this bad boy has been tuned by Yamaha to crank out another hundred-plus horses and gobs more twist. The result is a turbine-smooth, …
Full Review
2009 Lexus IS F – Click above for high-res gallery The Lexus IS F is the sole Japanese contender in a crowd of compact high-performance sport sedans. Boasting a full complement of performance upgrades, including a 5.0-liter V8 mated to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the 416-horsepower sedan blasts to 60 mph in well under five seconds. But the stats only tell part of the tale. Do the sum of the IS F's parts make it a contender against the best from Germany and America? Let's find out. %Gallery-64871% Photos Copyright ©2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc. The first Lexus IS rolled into showrooms about a decade ago. The rear-wheel drive sedan sported a silky 3.0-liter inline-six (2JZ-GE) and went head-to-head against the standard BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. A fine compact sedan under anyone's scrutiny, the first-generation IS only offered one engine. Lacking a factory-tuned performance variant, it was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as the competition's high-performance M3, C43, and S4 frolicked through America's canyons and race circuits. The second-generation Lexus IS bowed in 2006. Following the European's lead and in keeping with the times, the Japanese automaker replaced the single inline-six with two V6 choices: 2.5-liter or 3.5-liter. Unfortunately, even with a strong 306-hp engine under the hood of the IS350, the new sedan was still ultimately outgunned by its high-performance competitors. Lexus finally answered the pleas of those seeking a Japanese alternative to the BMW M3, Audi RS4, Mercedes-Benz C63 and Cadillac CTS-V when it introduced its IS F variant at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The IS F wasn't just the first hot IS model to hit the showroom; it was the first high-performance car from Toyota's luxury division. Compared to its lesser siblings, the IS F is visually distinguished by its aggressive front splitter, oversized hood, flared fenders, 19-inch wheels, rear spoiler, and angle-stacked quad exhaust outlets. You may have heard by now that those four rear chrome ovals sing with the authenticity of Milli Vanilli (the real exhaust is dumped a couple inches in front of them), but that's an increasingly common tactic these days, and at least it serves to keep the finishers clean. The interior features sporty bucket seats, revised instrumentation, special trim, and additional standard features. Of course, there are also plenty of "F" emblems and escutcheons on the car to remind you why you paid a base price of $56,610 (our tester rang up at $61,120). In case you were wondering, that is a $25,000 premium over the entry-level IS250. The cosmetics and nomenclature are nice, but it is the mechanical ingredients that stir our souls. Shoe-horned under our 2009 model's aluminum hood is the company's 5.0-liter V8 (2UR-GSE) that shares its basic architecture with the engine found in the hybrid Lexus LS 600h. Unlike its gas-electric big sister, this bad boy has been tuned by Yamaha to crank out another hundred-plus horses and gobs more twist. The result is a turbine-smooth, …
Hide Full Review

Retail Price

$31,305 - $34,935 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.5L V-6
MPG Up to 20 city / 26 highway
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd man w/OD, 6-spd w/OD
Power 204 @ 6400 rpm
Drivetrain all wheel, rear-wheel
Curb Weight 3,455 - 3,651 lbs
Smart Buy Program is powered by powered by TrueCar®
Autoblog Advertisement