Luxury for Less

There isn’t a less expensive Lexus available as a new vehicle than the Lexus IS250—but don’t dare say that it’s "cheaper."

Our tested model begins at $31,625 and ends at $38,254 after some desirable options, and it’s all that many Lexus folks could ever need. With a V-6, not a V-8, under its hood, it’s fuel efficient, and in virtually all other considerations—performance excluded—it’s the equal of its more costly stablemates.

I’ve tested those more expensive offerings and can tell you that this one satisfies on all basic levels. It is luxuriously comfortable, safe in the extreme, quite thrifty for a luxury car and has options that make it the equal of German competitors. This Lexus is comparable to a BMW 3 series, an Audi A4 or the Mercedes-Benz C-series.

Perhaps because 2008 is a bad year for the economy, Lexus is pushing this model in television ads. Viewers see its shapely exterior, and then watch as the "start" button is pressed and the speedometer/tachometer needles do a sweep of the dial before settling down.

It’s a sedan with five-passenger capacity and a spacious trunk. The driver’s seat adjusts to fit just about anyone, with a nod toward the fact that Americans are getting larger, and the front bucket seats offer lumbar support.

Instead of a key, the driver carries a remote fob that emits a radio signal, unique to each owner, that enables the car to start at the push of a button. Press that button, and the 2.5-liter, V-6 engine springs to life. As with all Lexus vehicles, it seems vibration-free. And there’s no roar to excite the senses but insult the ears. It’s sometimes difficult to tell the engine is running.