Take a close look at the sedan stable and you will see that it is under siege, especially in Mzansi because crossover vehicles and SUVs are the most preferred family hauliers.
Even with the attack, marques like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Toyota and Lexus still continue to offer sedans and they mean business.
We recently headed to the launch of the updated Lexus IS sports sedan that seeks to garner the attention of enthusiasts.
What’s new?
Firstly, the entire range of the Lexus IS has been hybridized and the Japanese marque expects that move to grow rapidly.
Only three trim levels are on offer: IS 300h EX, IS 300h SE and IS 300h F Sport. At the launch, we only got behind the wheel of the two latter models.
Like most Lexus sedans, the design is elegant and muscular, with a low and wide stance. The slim headlights and lower and sharper side character give the new Lexus IS 300h a no-nonsense physique.
The interior is now fitted with a new 10.3-inch touch display that has been moved forward by 150 mm. The SE and EX trim levels consist of black or dark rose interior colours, while the range-topping F Sport is available in black, white and flare red – all with satin chrome decoration.
The sound system is new and comes courtesy of a 17-speaker Mark Levinson® audio, which is standard on the IS F Sport and SE.
Our absolute favourite remains the IS F Sport that adds exterior and interior tweaks to make up for the ‘’sport’ insignia. It has 19-inch alloy wheels as well as a spoiler, scuff plates and ornamentation.
The 2021 Lexus IS is offered in a palette of 10 exterior colours. Solar Storm Red, Poseidon Blue and White Nova are exclusive to the F Sport.
The EX and SE have an additional two exclusive colours – White Quartz and Morello Red.
The drive
As mentioned earlier, we only got behind the wheel of the SE and F Sport models that are powered by a 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a hybrid system that gushes out a total power output of 164 kW and 221 Nm of torque.
The engine is connected to an ECVT transmission that sends all that amount of oomph to the rear wheels.
On the road, the new Lexus IS shows the need to get up and go. While we are not really fans of CVT transmissions, the ECVT is not something to bemoan as soon as one gets familiar with the throttle inputs.
The drive is comfortable yet we feel it could do with more power and definitely a normal automatic gearbox.
Yes, the claimed 5.2l/100km sounds decent on the paper but during the drive, our test unit’s fuel figures were hovering around the 8l/100km bracket.
Conclusion
Whichever way you choose to look at the Lexus IS, it is classy and well-built If you do not want to look at alternatives, it is worth considering.
The Lexus IS models retail from R841 300 for the EX grade, R899 800 for the SE grade and R916 100 for the F Sport. The entire IS range boasts a best-in-class 7-year/105 000km Warranty and Full Maintenance Plan.
The vehicle service intervals are pegged at every 15 000km, alternatively once a year.
