Lexus IS 250 SE L hands on review: Test driven and my thoughts

Yesterday I test drove the Lexus IS 250 SE L which is a car I never thought I would actually be interested in, being someone that has always been a BMW man Lexus has never entered my brain. My friend and myself was talking about this car quite a lot and yes was saying to him that it does not interest me in the slightest, but to ease his mind and knocking something before trying it decided I should really go and see what this car is all about.

The Lexus IS 250 SE L is a very nice car to look at indeed and if you like all the gizmos then you will have a smile from ear to ear, looking around at the car showroom we saw two different types of the Lexus IS 250 SE L and that was the manual and the automatic.

The automatic is clearly the winner in my eyes and that is because with the manual transmission you obviously get the handbrake in the centre console and too me looks pretty busy and untidy, whereas the auto version looks clean cut and tidy, I would also recommend you choose the IS 250 SE L with the multimedia package, I will explain this within the review.
The IS 250 SE L is pretty smart and in that I mean with the smart entry and smart system that it has, the smart entry allows you to get into the car and start the car without the need of getting your keys out of you pocket or bag. The IS 250 SE L will recognise the keys identification code and will approve you access, then all you need to do to get onto the car is touch the inside of the door handle to open it, even if you drop the key inside the car and you get out, the car will not lock because it detects that the key is inside the car.

To start this car you still keep the key in your pocket, remember I am in the automatic version, to start the car all you need to do is make sure the gearshift is in park mode and then put your foot on the brake pedal and press the start button located on the dash. Before I tell you about the drive let me tell you about some of the gizmos within.

The multimedia package version is the one to have which features much more, this version has something called park assist which I have seen a lot of in cars, but nothing like this one. The number plate at the back as a small camera and when putting the auto transmission in reverse mode the touch screen monitor shows you exactly what is behind you with guidelines, these guidelines show you the exact route of what the car is doing and where you should be. The image shown on the screen is colour which is fantastic.

The multimedia package gives you the best in car sound, it features Mark Levinson surround sound system, This system works via the touch screen display and will give you total home theatre entertainment inside the car, it will play music, DVD’s, it is a 5.1 surround sound and 14 speaker set-up, it also has the feature where you can plug your iPod or other external sources. 300 watts of power 10 channel Mark Levinson DSP processor/amplifier produces the best sound which is pure through the 14 loudspeakers.

The multimedia package also comes with Bluetooth Connectivity which allows hands free calling which all works via the touchscreen display, you can even control answering and ending calls via the steering wheel, you can store all you contacts within the system. What I really like is the fact that the car will recognise my mobile phone and bring up my contacts on the screen or it can pick up a partners phone which will then store their details.

The multimedia package also comes with Advanced Navigation System which uses DVD to store map information, the full colour split screen 800 x 480 resolution display has a 256 colour range with stunning 32K colours, and the images are so crisp and clear. The set-up also features voice recognition.

The automatic version has a stunning smooth and precise response, the six speed sequential system gives you a smooth process which also has paddle shift if you prefer changing the gears manually, the paddle shift has to be the most responsive I have ever come across with no delay time each time you press the paddles.

Other specs include Anti-lock Braking System, Brake Assist System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Traction Control System, Vehicle Stability Control plus Curtain shield airbags, front and rear Driver and front passenger 2-stage airbag Knee airbag (driver and front passenger). The specs do not stop there because you also will get Anti-theft system, immobiliser and double door lock, LED (Light Emitting Diodes) brake lights and rear lights Outside rear-view mirror: electrically adjustable, heated, electro-chromatic (auto-dimming), In-dash, single-slot 6-CD auto changer, Aluminium Inserts Climate control with clean air filter Cruise Control Fabric seats Illuminated entry system with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) Leather gear shift lever, leather steering wheel Smart key entry and Smart System (front and boot). Intelligent Adaptive Front-lighting System (I-AFS) can automatically swivel the headlights by up to 15 degrees into approaching corners to significantly enhance visibility.

204 BHP Rear-wheel drive, top speed of 141mph and 0-62 mph in 8.4 seconds, which is pretty reasonable.

I test drove the car in an urban area first to see what the handling was like then took it on a 15 mile long run to see how comfortable and smooth it was, around urban areas I must say the handling was fantastic, easy and smooth around corners and pretty quick of the mark when you want to be off roundabouts and traffic lights, so all good so far. On a long run I done an average 70 MPH and the road noise was minimal but a little noisier than say the BMW 5 series I have but I still like the ride of the Lexus IS 250 SE L. One warning to back seat passenger is that you are nearly sitting on top of the back wheels which mean you will get a rougher ride than the driver and passenger, the difference between sitting in the front and back is very much noticeable.

Overall Conclusion – Would I buy one? The answer to this is plain and simple, I am buying one. The Lexus IS 250 SE L Automatic will cost you on the road £29,627 with an extra £2,306 for the multimedia pack; you can pick up used models for around £20,000 on a 2005 plate. This car is stunning within and looks fantastic on the outside. I will give you a better review when I actually buy one.