l have always wanted to get one, and l have been saving up a lot of money. recently l switched jobs and have a pretty far commute. l was wondering how well they do on gas. l want a IS250, but if you have any lexus let me know how it is. have you had a lot of problems with it? thanks

l do not have one, but they have good reputations. This is because all a Lexus is is a Toyota. It is Toyota is high end brand, just like Infiniti is Nissan is high end brand.

l had the misfortune of driving one before, l am 6' tall (just an average height) and no matter how low l put the drivers seat my head hit the ceiling !!! l had to drive with my head on an angle !!! l have NEVER had that problem in my Cadillac

The IS250 starts at $30,580 & comes standard with a six-speed manual (the automatic is an $1170 option). And it needs it—this lesser 2.5-liter V-6 makes 204 horsepower & 185 pound-feet of torque at a lofty 4800 rpm. Math geniuses can tell u that’s 102 fewer horses than the IS350.

The 2.5-liter pulls the IS to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, two seconds slower than the 3.5-liter. Still, that’s 0.1 second quicker than the fastest IS300 we’d ever tested. The IS250 jogs through the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 90 mph (tying that old IS), compared with the 3.5-liter’s 13.7-second sprint at 104.

Straight-line performance aside, the IS250 is a pleasure to drive, even more than its big brother. The IS350 weighs 135 more pounds than the 3465-pound IS250, & with extra weight carried over its handsome nose, the 350 understeers more than we’d like. Also, the more powerful car’s suspension feels a bit overdamped & overzealous, whereas the 250’s feels composed & tight. There’s predictable understeer on corner entry, but a midcorner squeeze on the throttle is enough to tighten ur line for a precise & pleasant blast to the next corner. For better balance, we’d take the IS250 over the IS350.

The 250’s mission is to make potential buyers of a BMW 325i think twice. It’s worth a look. That Bimmer starts at about a grand more ($31,595), comes with a six-speed & a 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 215 horsepower & 185 pound-feet at a low 2750 rpm. Its specs r nearly identical to the IS250’s, but BMW seems to make better use of them—the German car gets to 60 mph a full second before the IS250 & 0.7 second more quickly through the quarter (14.7 seconds) at 94 mph. And the 325i feels right when pushed. Clutch engagement, shifting, braking, & steering all respond exactly as they should. On the other hand, the IS250’s clutch, for one, engages too abruptly at the end of its pedal travel, which can lead to embarrassing lurches from a traffic light. So although the IS250’s moves verge on those of BMW’s superb 3-series, the Lexus doesn’t feel quite as planted. For pure driving, BMW still has the edge.

The styling Lexus gave the new IS line turns the car from sharp to stunning. The body fits tight & low around the chassis with cool fender flares at each corner. Yet the overall shape remains graceful. And although BMW has a similarly tight design, its back-seat space is vastly better than the IS250’s (41 cubic feet to the Lexus’s 34, with four more inches of legroom).

Inside, the new Lexus has a more luxurious look, & the leather & plastic seem even better than those in the original model. Lexus replaced the previous IS300’s chronograph-style gauge cluster with two easy-to-read electroluminescent gauges. And in this age of techno overkill, the dash layout is retro simple & intuitive. For example, the radio has just two knobs—one for volume, the other for tuning. Brilliant!

The IS250’s list of standard equipment includes keyless entry & start, dual-zone climate control, a 13-speaker stereo with a six-CD changer & auxiliary input, & a power sunroof. Most of those r options on a 325i. Our tester came with the $194 Preferred Accessory package (trunk mat, cargo net, & wheel locks) & the $1290 Premium package that includes wood trim & fantastic heated & ventilated leather seats.

And for that occasional run through the woods, when you’d rather not have the electronics interfere with ur tire-sliding ambitions, here’s how to shut down the stability system. Start the car with the hand brake engaged. Press the brake pedal twice & hold. Engage the hand brake twice & hold. Repeat until the “skid lights” appear on the dash. The ABS does not shut off. When the engine is subsequently turned off & then switched back on, the stability control is reactivated. (Presumably, this trick works on all new Toyota & Lexus models, & it’s easier than it sounds.)

The IS250 offers tremendous value to anyone looking for an affordable, sexy luxury car. But we strongly suggest a high-protein diet to beef up the motor.

hey my incle has a IS 250 and they r really nice cars what l mean by that nav screen smooth ride and the whole 9 yards well if your wondering about gas milage they dont get bad like bmw or mercadies they get around 25/31 miles to the gallon they are really dependable they r made by toyota best selling and running cars in america today

The Lexus IS250 should be a great car for you. Lexus is the number one selling luxury vehicle & the most reliable. l have a 2006 Lexus SUV, & it is definitely quiet, comfortable, & high quality. The automaker focuses on every detail of the car to make it connect with the driver & passengers. It will give u a warm feeling the moment u get in the car. The IS250 gives u the comfort, safety, fuel economy, performance, quietness, quality, & reliability that u always wanted.

l have an IS 350 that l bought about 6 months ago.and its the best car ever. Buy the IS if u can, & make sure u get the air conditioned seats. :) You wont regret it.

Bottom line l love the car, but l also did alot of research on it. For the money, u cant beat Lexus & the bells & whistles.

Service is exemplary, on the rare occasions i've been in. l owned a IS300 before this IS, & have been a Lexus owner for 4 years now. I've only been in for scheduled service & the one time l smashed a pothole & needed a new CV joint. Warranty has been excellent, although l will say l havent been without one yet.

l honestly wake up in the morning looking forward to driving my car, its that great :)

l say go for it if u can do it; u wont regret it for a second!

oh l forgot to answer the mileage question. Its ok, but l have the 350 with the bigger engine. l think the 250 gets better mileage. l average around 26 or so on the highway, but around town its more like 18, since l tend to lay into the accelerator :) oh, & dont forget, u should use premium gas. If its ur first premium car its a definite price difference thats a little shocking sometimes.but u wont notice eventually!

to correct the below poster a little.If the rear wheel drive bothers u there is an all-wheel drive package. Its costs a little more but if u want it its available.

The IS is good on gas. Any other model is not. Just a warning-The lexus IS is rear wheel drive so it is hard to drive in the rain and it is impossible to drive in snow.

RWD is only hard to drive if u do not know what you're doing. For those of us who know how to properly handle it, it is a blast to drive. l despise FWD & think they handle like. well, u know.

l love the new IS & am tempted to trade my '02 IS for a new one when l get back from Iraq (but probably wo not because l am too close to paying it off haha). Anyway, Lexus is extrememly reliable; I've had no problems with mine since I've had it, save a loose connection which kept making the ''check engine'' light come on (easy fix). l get pretty good gas milage considering how l drive (which is not condusive to good MPG). As long as u do not romp on the gas all the time, u will be fine. That being said, l feel that cars like the IS were made to be run properly so opening up the throttle every now & then is a good thing. :) l remember when l got my IS, l called my dad & said l was getting old because l did not rag on my car anymore ( l used to street race); l told him it was nice just knowing that l *could* kick ss on the streets (or the track) if l really wanted. the IS is no slouch when it comes to power.

It is recommended that u only 91 octane gasoline (or better, l use 93 personally). a lot of people do not think it is necessary ( l do) but u will be shelling out a bit more for gas if ur previous car used regular .

Also, on the commute, l have a 35 minute each way trip to work every day & the comforts & luxury of my Lexus make it so much nicer! If u have any questions, let me know. Good luck!

for gas, IS250 or like a 98' ES300 would be best deals.

no real ''lemons'' with Lexus. The first generation GS300/GS400 were real dogs. But the 2nd generations breathed life into them, currently they r on generation 3.

only real Lexus l could even deem as bad would be the new SC430 for it is just worthless, no space & nothing but blind spots. And the 1st generation IS300. Seems as though interior seems to wear fast & it is just a Toyota dressed up. Where the 2nd generation IS, is purely a Lexus product.

l myself have been looked at the IS250. Ca not go wrong with this car from what l know & see.

l have an IS 350. It is pretty close to the IS 250. But they do pretty well on gas. If your far commute is mostly highway miles, you should not have a problem getting better gas mileage than the sticker says. l usually get right around the posted gas milage.