LEXUS IS 300h F Sport Review

The driving position of the Lexus IS reveals more about the car than any other of its parts. You sit low, so the driver in you is pleased, but the comfort's the boss here, this is the ultimate purpose.

This is the basic principle that sits behind the car, but, as we previously wrote, this also defines the F Sport pack.

Speaking of this, the F Sport seats are simply brilliant. You'll be able to enjoy the sporty feeling they give you at first for hours and hours, thanks to their cozy nature. The Japanese even tell us their secret - leave no gap between the upholstery and foam padding.

However, the IS 300h is not just about the driver - all the passengers have reasons to rejoice. Out of the 2.8 inches (70 mm) gained in terms of wheelbase, two (50 mm) were used to boost rear seat space. Together with the thinner front seats, this bough an increase of 3.35 inches (85 mm).

They've also enlarged the distance between the B pillar and the front edge of the seat and you feel this when getting in or out of the car.

As the scenery flies by, you get this feeling that you're special. This comes from a mix of elements including the all-round padding, the soundproofing, as well as the solid feel of the car.

Nevertheless, above all these elements sits the thing Lexus has been bragging about for quite a few years, its hybrid revolution. This is what allows you to skip having to live with a diesel.

Whether it's the financial or the mental benefits you're more interested in, the Lexus IS 300h has quite a package to offer.

Through all the aforementioned elements, the Lexus IS manages to step outside its class. In terms of comfort, this will take on vehicles playing in superior segments any day.

Body and Chassis

The body shell of the Lexus IS manages to be both lighter and more rigid than that of its predecessor. They've also worked on the packaging, with the IS 300h being the first Lexus full hybrid to have its battery beneath its luggage compartment, not in front of it - the move means that the boot capacity is unchanged from the non-hybrid models.

Powertrain

The Lexus IS300h is motivated by a duet between a 181 HP, 2,494 cc four-cylinder petrol engine and a 105 kW (143 hp) electric motor. The four-pot is a new engine and it runs according to Lexus' favorite Atkinson cycle, also featuring D-4S direct injection, as well as Dual VVT-i variable valve timing.

In between the two units and the driven rear wheels sits an Electric Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT), which channels the 223 HP overall output of the system.

Road Connection

At the rear of the 2014 Lexus IS, we find a new multilink suspension, including a subframe and cowl lateral braces designed to make the car sharper. The front suspension has been reworked, with one of the most important changes being the adoption of thicker anti-roll bars.

The F Sport package brings a bespoke implementation for the suspension, as well as for the Electric Power Steering. Choosing this also brings 18-inch wheels, as well as an optional Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS). This allows the driver to choose between normal and sport damping modes.

Stopping Power

Since the F Sport pack doesn't bring extra power, the standard brakes of the car were kept. This means that the front axle features vented discs in a size of 296x28 mm, while at the back we have 290x10 mm non-ventilated rotors.

Before we end, we have to explain that the limitations of the powertrain, as well as the built-in understeer given by the suspension setup have determined us to withdraw a point for this chapter.

The 2014 Lexus IS has quite a lot of gadget-related stories to tell, but allow us to be superficial and confess that it's the aural part of the experience that conquered us.

The optional Mark Levinson audio system may bring 835 Watts of power through fifteen speakers, but it's the way in which the sound is delivered that delights.

The experience is deeply multi-dimensional one - the system just spreads the sound waves throughout the cabin in a way that seems to defy physics, perfectly surrounding you with the tunes. The system can even adjust the volume so that you get to perfectly hear the quieter parts of a song.

Not even this area of the car has been left outside Lexus' green philosophy, with the system promising to deliver double the volume for the same power consumption. Feel free to pump it up then.

And there's a second part to this ear-tingling experience we found in the Lexus IS300h. We're talking about the Active Sound Control (ACS). To put it shortly, there's a dedicated speaker that simulates a sporty engine sound.

Left on its own, the Atkinson cycle 2.5-liter engine is barely audible aside from when being pushed very, very hard. However, there's a little volume control button on the left of the dash, which allows you to control the aforementioned ACS.

At first, the purists inside of us said "No" and muted the thing, but we had to admit that having it made things more pleasant. We never thought we'd say this, but we wish the Lexus GS450h F Sport also had the ACS.

The acceleration noise is nice, with the system also being able to simulate the sound of an engine working its way up through the artificial six gears of the car's E-CVT gearbox. By the way, this also works on the downshifts.

Sure, it has its glitches. There are scenarios in which the difference between the aural crescendo and the actual engine revs are pretty obvious. What's more, the speaker fails to perform a downshift misfire impersonation properly.

In the end, we'd rather have the option to use the ACS. We'll even go as far as saying that they should make full use of the concept - perhaps give us several tones to choose from.

Staying in the infotainment area, we noticed that Lexus' second-gen Remote Touch Interface just got a bit friendlier. There are a few subtle tweaks that make menu navigation seem more natural.

A Lexus is probably the last car in the world you'd expect to get electrocuted by, but it seems that this is exactly what the Lexus IS is trying to do. The actual sensation is, of course, not there, as we're talking about the two electrostatic switches on the center console that control the climate. They're a very nice toy to have.

We can easily describe Lexus' IS 300h is one of the most fun all-safe cars we've ever driven. The focus on keeping things on track is well-planted into the car's attitude.

The IS300h hugs the road with confidence at all times. It feels like a well-trained personal assistant in the way in which it hurries to respond to your inputs.

Ask too much of it though and it will politely remind you of the safe driving principles, using a certain dose of understeer in order to do so.

However, up to that point, you get plenty of sensations and you're not even aware of how much efforts the car is making to juggle with your safety and driving entertainment.

It shouldn't be long until we get to find out what happens when the 2014 Lexus IS meets an official crash barrier, but so far neither side of the Atlantic has given us a rating for the sedan.

When it comes to active safety, the IS prides itself with features such as the Pre-Crash System with Adaptive Cruise Control. For example, this can automatically increase the braking force applied by the driver when such an action is necessary.

As for the passive safety, you'll find an airbag just about everywhere you look when sitting in the 2014 Lexus IS. That's because the car comes with ten of them in standard. There are two stage frontal ones, knee airbags for the front seat occupants, front and rear side units, as well as full-length side curtain airbags.

Lexus shows that those who motivate uninspiring styling though safety requirements are not to be taken seriously. With the IS, the carmaker shows that the notion of a pop-up hood designed to protect pedestrians can coexist with sculpted forms.

Update: Euro NCAP tested the Lexus IS 300h. The vehicle was given a five-star safety rating, with a 91 percent score for adult occupant protection, 85 percent for child occupant protection, 80 percent for pedestrian protection, as well as 66 percent for the safety assist. The pedestrian procteion and pole side impact protection were impressive, as these are two areas where most of the tested vehicle experience problems.


The 2014 Lexus IS arrives after the rest of the carmaker's range has been refreshed. Lexus had already planted the driving involvement seed and with the launch of the IS they're insisting on this.

Only a few moments spent behind the wheel of our IS 300h F Sport test car revealed that the vehicle really has a crush on its driver. This is the way the whole story should be understood, “just a little crush”. This sporty side doesn't refer to proper performance, but rather to mid-range enjoyment.

Thus, despite offering nice driving dynamics, this is not the best part of the Lexus IS. That title goes to the overall feel of the car, which manages to balance the aforementioned asset with the typical comfort Lexus has accustomed us with.

In the Lexus IS 300h you're spoiled in a way that makes German diesel rivals feel mainstream. What's more, the Euro models force you to climb higher in the line-up if you have special desires, whereas the Lexus IS 300h is just as comfortable as larger models.

And if we're talking comparos, the sportiest one of the Germans, the BMW 320d, may be in trouble when mentioning exterior and interior design. In these areas, the Lexus simply feels sleeker.

Then there's the price, which clearly places the Japanese model in the lead. The Lexus IS 300h starts at EUR36,700 and the F Sport begins at EUR45,900. However, while BMW has taken the 320d to the US, albeit rebadging it as a 328d, the IS doesn't offer a hybrid powertrain in America.

US customers are thus deprived of the best powertrain available. Since the petrols don't benefit from forced induction efficiency and there are no diesels, the hybrid is the only version that makes full sense for us. We have to explain that this allowed us to hit (4.5l/100 km) inside the city. The value doubled past the urban borders, but it's still good considering the sporty driving.

Lexus could've simply learned a lesson from BMW's hybrids and offer the IS with the same powerplant as the GS450h, which is available in America. By the way, Europeans could do with more power in the hybrid too. That would also compensate for the absence of the muscular six-cylinder IS 350 the Americans get.

Oh and that all-wheel steering included in the GS' F Sport pack wouldn't be bad on the IS either. Speaking of handling, the IS may be a rather keen sedan, but it doesn't compare to a BMW 3 Series when it comes to tackling corners.

Then again, it would've been difficult for the automaker to set the IS free – the Japanese may have exploited the IS's full coziness-providing potential, but when it came to performance they limited the car to prevent it from stealing GS customers. These go-fast boundaries make up the worst side of the 2014 Lexus IS, which is why we recommend the F Sport package. This is a piece of kit that makes the problem softer, albeit without touching the power department.

Basically, if you can live without the top-end performance of the Germans, the Lexus IS is a brilliant choice. It's one that will make you feel special, a bit like the evenings when you're on vacation.