Road Test: Lexus IS200 Sports

By Feann Torr

In 1999 Lexus did the unthinkable. With it's small luxury car, the IS200, it took on the prestige car stalwarts such as the BMW 318i and the Mercedes C180 - both of which are European cars, and both of which have a long and illustrious tradition as some of the best entry-level prestige cars on the planet.

So what was this upstart Japanese automaker doing trying to wrest market share from two of the world's automotive kings. Surely it couldn't be serious?

Lexus was very serious, and it succeeded in not only offering an alternative to the Europeans, but in doing things in a way that broke from tradition, such as the IS200's engine, a 6-cylinder 2.0-litre engine.

Back then it was highly praised, but now BMW and Mercedes - not to mention Alfa Romeo, Audi, Volkswagen - have released newer, shinier models and with more competition in the marketplace, the question needs to be asked: can the entry-level Japanese luxury car still make the grade in today's prestige car market?

Drive

The IS200 with its 17-inch wheels just grips and goes

The first test of the IS200 was to see how it fared in the city, as the majority of luxury car sales in Australia are concentrated in suburbs around city centres.

Driving the vehicle in peak hour Melbourne traffic is something this writer never looks forward to, but I'm happy to report that the IS200 Sports passed with flying colours.

The 4-speed automatic gearbox is much more suited to the stop-start of city driving than the 6-speed manual that's also offered, and it's smooth shifts were almost imperceptible at low speeds.

It's a fairly short car too - 4.4 metres from bumper to bumper - which gives it an edge over larger cars in terms of manoeuvrability and ease of use in dense traffic.

Throttle control is precise, and the cruise control is also very accurate, and though the 114kW power output is very impressive for a 2.0-litre engine, it leaves a little to be desired in some situations, particularly overtaking.

As far as ride and handling go, I can't praise the baby Lexus enough. The combination of well adjusted springs and spot on rebound damping rate makes for a relaxed, smooth and utterly refined ride both in the pot-holed city and out on the open road. It's an incredibly smooth car, something you really notice when you've stopped driving it, such is the subtle way it goes about its business.

There's no loud crashes or booms from the suspension as it navigates craters in the road and while the engine likes to rev, the sound damping in the cabin ensures a decidedly quiet driving experience.

Besides the suspension being tuned to offer a plush, smooth ride, the car handles remarkably well and rounds corners with minimal body roll. Shod with the now-standard-issue 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/45 profile rubber, the 1455kg car has a tenacious levels of grip, and really surprised me with it's ability to eat up corner after corner.

The traction control works well and isn't intrusive like some systems, but the car's impressively high levels of grip - even in the wet - ensure that the system is rarely used. Another aspect that blew me away was the car's deceleration. The brakes inspire truck loads of confidence, have good pedal feel and basically pull the car up safely and surely time after time.

It may be small, but the IS200's got style

The Lexus IS200 is the kind of the car that you can casually cruise to work in during the week, with the high fidelity stereo broadcasting your favourite music and the supple suspension transporting you there in a completely composed, relaxed manner, while on the weekend you can tip the rear wheel drive sedan into even the sharpest of coastal corners and it'll simply ask "Please Sir, I want more."

With a small and sporty steering wheel that offers good feedback from the front hoops, those who enjoy a spirited drive will be rewarded, and as I've previously mentioned, the dual personality of the chassis can't be beaten.

The automatic transmission also adapts well to hard driving, as the rear wheel drive car is happy to drop down a ratio when you ask for more poke.

Though the car was originally designed and launched in the late 1990s, it has been revised for 2004, adding a number of standard features across the range, including an upgrade from 16 to 17-inch alloy wheels as well as Alcantara and leather seat trim. Heated power-adjustable driver and front passenger's seats are now standard across the range, as are metallic sports pedals and metallic scuff plates, while the 6-speed manual model gets a new 4.100:1 limited slip differential to "optimise acceleration" in Lexus' own words.

The IS200 range is made up of two variants - the IS200 Sports, which is the vehicle on test, and this entry-level model starts @ $51,500 for the 6-speed manual and $53,500 for the 4-speed auto. The other model is the IS200 Sports Luxury, which gets all of the features listed above, plus 11-spoke alloy wheels, full-face leather seat trim, self-levelling HID headlamps with washers and a moonroof in manual and auto guises for $58,500 and $60,500 respectively.

Adding the 17-inch wheels as a standard feature on the popular IS200 Sports model is a great move, as they increase the IS200's grip levels and give it a sporty aesthetic too, and after experiencing what is essentially a six-year-old model, it boggles the mind to think of what it's successor will offer when it's released in the next few years.

Engine

Taking on the powerhouse European prestige marques that are BMW and Mercedes is no simple undertaking, but the Japanese have proved their worth and the 2.0-litre engine in the IS200 Sports offers a combination of power and refinement.

The elasticity and silky smoothness of the 2.0-litre engine are perhaps its two greatest assets, endowing the car with a very high-brow character, perfect for when taking missus (or mister) out to an evening meal, but also with enough gusto to stir ones soul when the road begins to curve.

It is a relatively quiet engine as well, until it reaches about 5000rpm, where the variable length inlet manifold runners help give the engine's acoustics (and power) a lift, which while subtle are still rather sonorous. It's easily the best-sounding 2.0-litre engine this side of a WRX boxer four.

Getting back to the idea of elasticity, it comes about thanks to the engine's use of dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) and variable valve timing, which allow it cruise along sipping fuel at miserly levels, and to also rev hard - past 6000rpm - where it delivers it's peak power.

Vital statistics for the engine are 114kW @ 6200rpm and 195Nm of torque @ 4600rpm. There were a few instances where more torque would have been nice, but the 2.0-litre engine does a commensurate job of dealing with a range of different driving styles and traffic conditions.

It also compares favourably with the 105kW BMW 318i 2.0-litre engine, outputting an extra 9kW than it's German counterpart - though it should be remembered that the Lexus has a 6-cylinder engine while the BMW has a 4-cylinder mill. Lexus claim a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 11.2 seconds, which felt about right, and though 114kW of power is good for a car of this size, the IS200's roughly 1400kg kerb weight doesn't help the standing start situation.

It can reach a top speed of 205km/h where the law permits, and is impressive with its fuel efficiency, offering very good range from a tank of fuel with a combined city/highway cycle of 9.9 litres of fuel for every 100km travelled.

Exterior

The IS200 still cuts a mean figure

For a car that was designed in the 90s, the IS200's styling stands the test of time. It's got a hint of BMW's 3 Series of that era combined with Lexus' own avant garde style, and combined with a short front overhang and the classy 5-spoke 17-inch wheels, its has an air about it that's still very contemporary.

The front end may not have adopted the technical projector head lamps that many luxury marques are incorporating into their designs these days, but it still looks quite authoritative from the front, with lots of steep angles working in its favour.

An understated power bulge in the centre of the bonnet reminds the driver that this is no mere 4-cylinder powered car, and from the side the car has an elegant appeal, with its steeply angled rear windscreen and conservative, well measured lines.

I'm not such a big fan of the rear end any more with its clear lenses and chrome brake light bezels, which at the time of its launch were quite fashionable. Nowadays you can see the same aftermarket lights mimicked on Mitsubishi Lancers et al, but then isn't imitation the highest form of flattery?

Interior

Ask someone to define what separates a luxury car from any other class of car and they'll probably start by describing an opulent interior where everything is within reach and ease to operate. And so it is with the IS200.

Simply using and touching the switchgear conveys to your digits a tale of high quality materials, and the chronograph instrument cluster is still one of the most intriguing today, where its dials-within-dials are reminiscent of finely crafted time piece.

That said, the smaller dials are hard to read at a glance, though I appreciated the inclusion of the vacuum gauge that displays instant fuel economy, even if its usefulness is somewhat limited. The Lexus IS200 we tested came with a sunroof too, which is a $2010 cost option.

The chronograph instrument cluster

The steering wheel is adjustable by tilt only, which is a bit lax for a luxury car, but the heated, power adjustable leather sports seats help make up for this omission, and climate control will help keep backsides warm in winter as well.

The seats, while perhaps a little slim for this 6-foot fellow, are nevertheless of a high quality and tread a safe middle ground between comfort and support. With eight speakers in six locations, the CD stereo is out of sight, and even comes with ye olde cassette tape player.

Able to belt out massive lumps of bass, while equally at home playing Beethoven's Symphony No.5, the stereo is a very nice piece of kit, and for those who smoke a cigarette lighter and ashtray are also included.

Interior space is probably the only sour point for me, where those in rear get precious little knee room when the seats are pushed even halfway back along their runners.

Alloy brake and accelerator pedals are a nice touch and no less than five cup holders make securing beverages a hassle free affair, while safety features like ABS and EBD make rapid deceleration far less scary than it should be.

Fit and finish are impeccable - no rattles or shakes anywhere - and Lexus cars are known for their solid build quality, reliability and low maintenance costs and though you may pay a premium in the short, over the long term I would have no trouble quantifying the purchase. No less than six airbags are part of the IS200 Sports package, including driver and front passenger airbags, front side (thorax) airbags and front side curtain airbags.

Overall: 4/5

If you're after the ultimate in Eastern luxury, the Lexus LS430 is the way to go, what with its super-smooth ride and incredible features list.

But if you like the idea of something a little more sporty, something that can be pushed into corners with confidence, something that's easy to park and something that doesn't cost almost $180,000, then the IS200 is the pick.

It's dual personality of cruisey prestige car and decisive apex attacking sports car is addictive and appealing, and even if it's somewhat underpowered, it still offers chassis dynamics that many other higher priced cars can only wonder at.

The new feature list that includes 17-inch wheels across the range and leather Alcantara trim adds value to a car that is ageing with the utmost of dignity. And if you want to compare it with others, the pricing is almost line-ball with BMW, with the automatic IS200 Sports fetching $53,500 and the automatic BMW 318i costing $52,550.

By and large, I was totally surprised by the IS200's athletic side. Lexus' reputation for building luxurious cars has never really been in doubt, but until driving this car I never would have imagined just how well it sticks to the road.

The Lexus IS200 luxury car still makes the grade in today's prestige car market, even in the face of renewed competition, and if you're thinking of entering the prestige car market, this would be a brilliant place to start.