2016 Lexus IS 200t Review - Lexus Finally Goes Turbo

Lexus has tended to prefer conservative design in almost every aspect of product development. Words like reliable and dependable usually spring to mind before sporty or exciting.

Yet, the brand has been trying to change that over the last few years with love-it-or-hate-it designs; in particular, Lexus’ new “Predator mouth.” The changes aren’t simply skin deep. The current-generation IS sedan also stepped outside the luxury brand’s comfort zone with sharp handling and a focus on dynamics. Of course, this is Lexus we’re talking about, so this change in a more aggressive direction is happening at, you guessed it, a conservative pace.

Now in its third year of production, the third-generation IS isn’t getting a refresh like we’d typically see in from ze Germans. Instead, Lexus has decided to focus its attention under the hood with a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a de-tuned V-6 for mid-level shoppers.

Can a refreshed drivetrain help the IS stand out in a crowded segment? Let’s find out.

Exterior

Interior

The interior styling of the IS is a departure from the sedate dashboards seen in the European sedans. Parts quality is largely comparable to the big players in the segment, but the bulky dashboard and heavily styled interior panels produce a more cockpit-like feel versus an open and airy cabin. The 7-inch LCD instrument cluster in F-Sport models is an interesting touch in this segment, but it’s not as exciting as the 12-inch units that are becoming more common.

Infotainment

Twenty-fourteen brought mild software updates to infotainment software: HD Radio support and traffic information via HD radio so you don’t need an XM subscription to get a color-coded traffic map. Despite the updates, however, the software’s interface seems behind the times in terms of style and method of input. On the bright side, the Lexus touchpad interface we see in the NX has not made a cameo in this cabin.

Drivetrain

The new turbo engine and all-wheel drive are mutually exclusive for reasons I don’t quite understand. Instead of a turbo AWD model with an 8-speed auto like we had hoped for, Lexus created a new, mid-level model called the IS 300 AWD using a de-tuned 3.5-liter V-6 making 255 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The IS 300 makes do with ye olde six-speed, but Lexus will sell you an IS 300 AWD F-Sport to soften the blow.

Drive

On paper, 241 horsepower sent through an 8-speed automatic to the rear wheels and pitted against 3,583 pounds of curb weight shouldn’t be much slower than the 240 horsepower, 3,370 pound BMW 328i. Unfortunately, we don’t drive cars on paper. In the real world, the IS 200t is a full 1.1 seconds slower to 60. We lose the first 7/10ths before either car hits 30 miles per hour. This is due to a few factors.

The effective first gear ratio of 14.8:1 in the IS 200t is essentially the same as the 14.4:1 in the 328i, but BMW’s 2-liter turbo produces maximum torque across a rev range 30-percent broader than the Lexus turbo mill, and ZF’s eight-speed has a lower second gear. Between 30 and 60 mph, the BMW gains an additional 4/10ths on the Lexus thanks to the broader powerband and the fact that BMW’s small engine likely puts out more than 240 ponies.

While the IS 200t’s acceleration is a notable improvement over the IS 250, it’s a very conservative improvement. These numbers also mean that the 200t more directly competes with the 180 horsepower BMW 320i, which accomplished the same task 3/10ths of a second slower than the Lexus yet withdraws four-thousand fewer dollars from your bank account.

Fuel economy is another area where paper and reality are at odds. According to the EPA, the 2016 IS 200t scores two miles per gallon better than the 2015 IS 250 on the combined cycle. In my tests, though, the two were essentially the same. The 2014 IS 250 beat the EPA score by two miles per gallon while the IS 200t fell just shy of the 26 mpg total.

Throw the IS 200t into a corner and it starts to redeem itself. Every system in the small sedan feels like a team player. The eight-speed auto is a willing dance partner and has been programmed to hold gears in manual mode even if you apply full throttle. While the IS still isn’t the hardcore, corner-carving machine you’ll find in the ATS 2.0T, the Lexus simply feels more harmonious and balanced on the road. The suspension tune in the F-Sport is firm but not punishing, the steering is precise and well weighted. On the down side, Lexus doesn’t give the F-Sport version of the 200t the variable ratio steering or the adaptive suspension that the F-Sport package includes with the 350. The variable steering can be an acquired taste, but it allows the IS to feel more responsive at low speeds while eliminating the “twitchy” feeling that some sport sedans have on the highway.

Push the Lexus hard in a corner and the tires give way in a predictable and neutral manner. Do the same in the current 3-series and you’ll be surprised with more understeer and body roll than in the Lexus. While the previous 3-Series was precise and engaging, BMW has lately realized that a softer ride and bigger back seat help move more metal. Meanwhile, the Audi A4 and Volvo S60 plow like a John Deere when they encounter a kink in the road.

As acceleration, precision and poise don’t always get you around a track faster, and because most of the competition’s 2-liter turbos accelerate notably faster, they are likely to beat the IS 200t on anything but a very small, tight track.

The handling ability and Lexus’ well-deserved reputation for dependability, reliability and low maintenance costs are strong selling points, regardless of the slow acceleration. In the past, another strong selling point of the IS sedan was a low MSRP with the old IS 250 undercutting the BMW 320i by nearly $2,000.

Pricing in the 2016 IS is a complicated affair. Things start at $37,325 for a base 200t and $40,870 for a base 200t F-Sport. While Lexus does include $3,300 more standard equipment than you’ll find in a base 3-Series, the optics are that the BMW starts $4,175 lower. Since the Lexus is faster than the 320i, the approximately $900 delta between similarly configured models is a reasonable amount to pay, but Lexus should know that low MSRPs get more feet in the door. The other problem with the pricing scheme is that the BMW 328i is just $1,000 more than the IS 200t despite performing more like the IS 300.

I’ve long had a soft spot for Lexus (I credit a 1993 Lexus LS 400 for sparking my interest in cars) but the IS 200t failed to stand out in this crowded segment. Handling dynamics — like reliability and safety — just don’t seem to excite the shopping public anymore, making the trouble spots in the IS like infotainment and acceleration more glaring. While I have little doubt that the conservative design ethos at Lexus will make the IS 200t one of the most reliable and lowest cost-to-own turbo luxury sedans, that restraint leaves me longing for the turbo IS that could have been. (Note to Lexus: please, please, please twin-turbo the 3.5-liter V-6, pronto.) Until Lexus injects some of the passion that spawned the enormous F-Sport grille in the picture above into their drivetrain R&D department, even this new IS is destined to play third fiddle.

Lexus provided the vehicle, insurance and one tank of gas for this review.

Specifications as tested:

0-30 mph: 2.8 seconds

0-60 mpg: 6.8 seconds

1/4 mile: 14.9 seconds @ 96 mph