Lexus IS 500: Real World Performance and MPG Numbers
Check out a detailed look at the Lexus IS 500 as we put the V8-powered sedan to the test in realistic driving conditions.
CAR VIEW
The Lexus IS has been a successful compact luxury sedan at a reasonable starting price of $39K. That gets you an economical 2.0 turbo engine rated at 241 horsepower. For more coin, moving up to the proven 3.5 311 horsepower V-6 is a good choice. But for those who want more, the factory is now offering a potent V-8 motor borrowed from the LC 500 and RC-F sports cars. Called the IS 500 F-Sport, this model provides excellent acceleration, but in a platform that can seat four passengers and provides a large trunk for hauling gear on long trips.
Photos by Chad Haire
ENGINE
The 5.0 liter V-8 is a real gem, cranking 472 horsepower hooked to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and rear-wheel drive. Claimed 0-60 time is about 4.4 seconds. Fuel economy is listed at 17/25 mpg using premium 91 octane fuel. In our one-week 400-mile test drive, we observed 20 mpg in mixed commuting, and 26/29 mpg on long highway trips.
TRUNK
The trunk on this IS 500 is larger than what is found on the sporty LC 500 and RC-F sports cars. The rear seats can be folded down to make more room, which came in handy when we were hauling some rather bulky gym equipment. A spare tire is included, unusual on performance sedans sold today, especially compact sedans like this. Nobody complained.
EXHAUST
Dual exhaust tips on each side suggest there might be something special under the hood. The amount of sound coming out can be adjusted by the driver.
REAR WHEELS
Since the IS uses rear-wheel drive, this car has excellent balance. This comes in handy when driving around corners at high speed.
DRIVE MODE
At a turn of a knob, ECO, CUSTOM, NORMAL, SPORT, and SPORT - PLUS drive modes can be chosen.
GAUGE
The gauge cluster is well designed, and changes appearance depending on what drive mode the car is in.
PADDLES
Want to choose gears manually? The paddles will assist you with that chore. Plus they are located on the steering wheel where they belong, allowing the fingers to operate quickly regardless of wheel position. This is far better than other cars that mount on the steering column.
FINGER PAD
This IS model still comes with a finger touchpad used to control the operation of the info screen. It has been the source of many complaints and has been removed from other Lexus cars. Here they had a better idea. The factory left the pad for those who like it but now allows other drivers to bypass the pad, and operate the info screen by touching it directly. This dual mode of operation allows everyone to be happy and saves the expense of a system redesign. Clever, those Lexus engineers!
SCREEN
The info screen isn't the largest on the market but is just fine for a small car. The ability to bypass the finger touchpad and operate directly makes it even better.
CLIMATE
The climate controls are very easy to use. No need to scroll through the info screen, just push simple buttons the way it should be.
PRICE SHEET
Our test car is loaded up with all the goodies so hit a tidy $66,620. This sounds like a lot but is far less than what is charged for European sedans with a strong V-8 engine. Plus, not only are we getting Lexus reliability, but one made in a Japanese factory, assuring top build quality.
VEHICLE REAR
The IS 500 F-Sport is made in limited numbers, so finding one on a dealer lot can take time. But the days of a V-8 sedan are coming to a close due to government rules, so the time to get one is now. And this Lexus is a top pick.
>>Join the conversation about the Lexus IS 500 right here at ClubLexus.com.
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