Lexus IS-F Review (Finally!)

Well it is probably a little too late for this review as the IS-F has now been on the market for close to a year but I wanted to give my impressions of the little monster car that Toyota built myself.

If history is any indication of trends and future potential then it comes as no surprise that Toyota is no slouch when it comes to performance and class. They pioneered power and presence with the Supra back in the late 80s and early 90s with twin-turbocharged fury. Today, Toyota (and their luxo nameplate Lexus) are still able to produce power and prestige in a tight package gleaming with 21st century refinement and gadgetry--does all of that add up to a true German super-car competitor though? Maybe.

This "package" I speak of is the 2008 (and just arriving in showrooms 2009) Lexus IS-F performance compact sedan. After my drive in the IS-F nearly six months ago, I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging the car was for a Lexus/Toyota production automobile; the steering was quite precise (albeit on the light side) and you felt connected to the road as you would in most non-juiced European sport sedans. This is good for Lexus but doesn't quite meet my expectations based on their marketing plan. The IS-F, however advanced it is, did have traditional "Lexus" features that made it a bit hard for me to fall in love with--namely the quietness of the cabin which takes much away from the car. In your mind you know there is a monster five liter V8 cranking out 416 hp and 371 lb-ft of twist and exhaling through a high-flow quad-pipe exhaust system but you just don't hear much of it... that is until you get past 3,500 revs.

The experience reminds me of a turbocharged four-banger with 20 pounds of boost. The experience with the throttle planted on the floor from a dead stop left much to be desired until you hit that magic number. In the IS-F, 3,500 was that number. You take off with confidence and very little chassis flex but don't feel much from the engine or hear much from the exhuast. Then at 3,500 RPM it was like throwing pure nitroglycerine into the fuel tank and holding on for dear life. Out of nowhere there was a monstrous growl from the engine bay and the exhaust pounded like a woofer at a rave concert behind your head. No Lexus sound dampening material could compete with what was going on now. The tires skipped and you could feel the front end become just slightly lighter than before you were really taking off. The advertised 0-60 time is accurate, clocking in a couple ticks under five seconds during my drive. The 8-speed sequential automatic was confident for having so many gear options but didn't shift as quick as BMW's SMG or Audi's S-tronic systems. If I recall, the AMG Speedshift 7-speed in the C63 was even a bit quicker. The up-side is that cruising on the freeway at the speed limit (sometimes hard to do) yields extremely low revs and thus improves fuel economy. 8-speeds also helps in the 0-60 times of the IS-F but not by a significant margin.

Unfortunately, this was the only time I did feel the IS-F gave you what was advertised. In everyday driving it felt no more exciting than the lesser 350 or even 250 model IS models. The large monoblock ventillated brakes were strong and consistent but didn't give much feedback and the steering just wasn't as predictable or direct as its European competitors. The style is edgy and relatively under the radar but didn't stand out enough for me in comparison to the two standard models in the line.

The interior of the IS-F was nearly identical to the 250 and 350 IS models. The major differences were the "F" badging, revised gauge cluster, thicker steering wheel and heavier seat bolstering. The seats were not as comfortable as I would have liked but did their job keeping you in place. The rest of the car is every bit IS with a plethora of standard features and a simple but loaded option package including all the common goodies: keyless start, backup camera, navigation, premium audio, bluetooth, iPod control, heated leather and plenty of upscale finishes.

It was a decent job done by Lexus; taking a compact luxury sport sedan and picking a fight with the big boys. The downside is that it is still a Lexus and thus doesn't offer the raw, precise and time-tested driving experience you get from the Europeans. For Lexus it is amazing but in the real world it becomes average. The real problem now is that the car asks the same price as the others but wont hold its value like most Lexus models because of the small target market.

In the end, the IS-F can be fun to drive and offers you more than the base IS models on their best days, however, it still doesn't give you what the others can for the same coin. If you are a die-hard Toyota or Lexus fan and want something with kick that not many others will have then this might be the car for you. Just remember... you can't fit anyone but a midget (or your children--who may also be midgets) in the back seat.

- Mitch G