I have no interest in this Lexus.My sister in 45, not married, an executive with Verizon, and already has an Infiniti FX35. TheCarConnection.com's editors get behind the wheel whenever possible in order to give you their firsthand impressions in the Bottom Line. Seriously, a Porsche Cayman offers more usable storage space (ask me how I know…). There are downsides to the cabin of the 2010 IS: "Coarse-surface tire thrum is noticeable but not intrusive. The IIHS rates the 2010 a bit higher, giving top scores of "good" in both front and side-impact tests, though it doesn't earn a Top Safety Pick.One upside to the safety of the 2010 IS is that it can help you avoid a crash in the first place, thanks to the optional Pre-Collision System, which anticipates when a crash is imminent and reacts accordingly, applying the brakes if the driver does not respond quickly enough. Just wait until the 3.5-litre comes to Australia.Sure, it lacks a little grunt and needs a fair prod of the loud pedal to get it moving anywhere, but if you’re after a highly involving, quick convertible, then I’d suggest you look to the German stables. It still feels gutless, and the manual shift feel is subpar as well. The rear-drive Lexus IS 250 is the driver's car, offering a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or the six-speed auto.Between the two engines, TheCarConnection.com's editors prefer the note of the bigger V-6, not to mention the extra power-especially since there's not much of a fuel economy penalty. I was behind one on the road recently and the cabin is way narrower than the lower body, resulting in a really awkward look.For my money, the side shot is one of the worst, but the rear is pretty grim with the top up as well [see here]. However, Lexus, in its infinite wisdom, has seen fit to install the forward-flipper on the inboard side of the front seats.This means getting in is a rather difficult affair (especially when the roof is up), as you have climb in, reach across the front seat to lift the lever, then climb out and then climb in to the back.Once you’re in, it’s a lot easier to get out, as you can access the lever easily, but it’s no easier than if the lever was on the outer edge.
The facia design is intriguing, but when you interact with it you begin to suspect that, in certain areas, style tends to rule over function.A number of things both irritate and impress about the IS 250 on the move. Lexus' touch screen satellite navigation and an seven-inch multi-information display, heated seats, electro chromatic rear vision mirrors, parking sensors and space saver spare are also all standard across the range.The base model rides on 10-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels with Bridgestone 225/45 R17 tyres front and 245/45 R17 tyres rear.Feature list aside, it's more about look and feel that distinguishes the Japanese convertible. From the outside it exudes a sense of class that Lexus has become popular for. Best to drive this head to head with the BMW 320d convertible before purchasing.Finished in Arctic Light Blue, our test car in Perth was also swathed in a light cream leather. For all of it dynamic compromises, Lexus may just as well have made a convertible ES350 from the Solara than bother with RWD. Carguy’s comment and NN’s MIL’s four requirements pretty much sum it up.Nobody has mentioned the G37 yet? But, since even the Cobalt SS will beat IS250 out of the water, what can you expect from an IS250-based convertible?The tall, slab sided body makes the rear wheels look about 3″ smaller than the fronts. She currently drives a 2006 Solara convertible, with the soft top, that meets these requirements. I don’t know how you could take one of these over the sexy A5 Cabrio.“I don’t know how you could take one of these over the sexy A5 Cabrio.”Heh heh. Cooled, heated, multi-adjustable seats are comfortable yet supportive enough for mild enthusiasm. Top down, only brisk side winds coming off the ocean stand a chance of disturbing occupants, and even then, only backseat passengers will find cause for complaint. Whatever the reason, the IS250C never lived up to the promise of the phrase “a weekend drive down PCH in a Lexus convertible.” For the money, a loaded Volvo C70 offers better looks, better interior flair, and more sense of occasion, without giving up any meaningful RWD benefits. There are enough Lexus people out there that would just love to get their hands on a Lexus IS250C. It looks expensive, exotic even, and around the nose and tail in particular it has a strength of character that company car drivers wishing to stand out from the crowd are going to get very excited about.From the moment you pull on one of the IS' beautifully damped doorhandles and climb aboard it feels impossibly expensive inside. The Auto Channel points out the IS's sport seats provide "very good side support, to hold the driver and passenger in place if the driver gets too energetic."