by Cheryl Eldridge
The Lexus Is350 is one sharp and intelligent car. Not only was I surprised with its body, inside is where all the action begins. The Lexus IS350 displays attractive styling and unshakable reliability.
My tester was coated in an atomic silver with gray leather interior seats.
My one week tester is the compact sport sedan entry from a brand known for its ultra-refined luxury sedans and high reliability ratings. The 2014 IS 350’s overhaul starts with provocative new sheet metal (the new IS wears the brand’s audacious double-spindle grille design better than the larger sedans) and a stiff new structure similar in design to the larger, more expensive midsize GS 350s. Those more robust underpinnings made it easier for Lexus engineers to tune the IS for a comfortable ride. In addition, the 2014 model’s longer wheelbase has allowed the company to carve out more room for passengers. Equally striking is the investment Lexus made in the interior furnishings. The quality of the materials and the overall attention to detail is as impressive as anything you’ll see in this class. I was not as enthusiastic about the newly available Remote Touch mouse-style infotainment interface, however, as it’s distracting to operate while on the move.
The 2014 Lexus IS 350 is a compact luxury sedan available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Standard equipment for the 2014 IS 350 includes 17-inch wheels with all-season tires, HID headlamps, LED daytime running lights and brake lights, heated side mirrors, moonroof, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, eight-way power front seats (heated for the IS 350 AWD), leatherette premium vinyl upholstery and a 60/40 folding rear seat with armrest.
A new Safety Connect telematics system comes with the standard eight-speaker sound system, delivering weather and traffic information (when in metro areas) free of charge via the audio system’s HD radio. Also standard for all IS 350 models are a 7-inch color display, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice recognition for most infotainment operations, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and iPod/USB connections.
The Navigation package incorporates the Remote Touch mouse-type controller for the entire infotainment suite, plus a navigation system. This package also provides a rearview camera, real-time traffic information, automatic phonebook download for Bluetooth phones and Enform enhanced telematics with smartphone app integration (including Bing, Yelp, Pandora and iHeartRadio). An upgraded 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio system can be bundled with the navigation system.
Additional stand-alone options for the 2014 IS 350 include a rearview camera (for models without the navigation system), 18-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control (bundled with a pre-collision system), a lane departure warning system, and front and rear parking sensors.
Performance is equipped for the 2014 Lexus IS 350 and comes with a 3.5-liter V6 generating 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard for rear-wheel-drive models, and a six-speed automatic is used for all-wheel-drive cars. Either transmission gets steering-wheel paddle shifters to enable manual shifting when desired.
Lexus estimates the IS 350 will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, a good number for this segment. The all-wheel-drive model is almost as quick.
Lexus estimates the rear-wheel-drive IS 350 will deliver 19 miles per gallon in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined. The all-wheel-drive IS 350 gets the same 19 mpg rating in the city, but drops to 26 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg overall.
On the Safety Side, the 2014 Lexus IS 350’s standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes with brake assist, traction and stability control, front seat side airbags, front knee airbags, side curtain airbags and dual rear-seat side airbags. Safety Connect, the brand’s onboard automatic safety and security service, incorporates collision notification, stolen-vehicle locator and roadside assistance from a cellular connection with a response center.
Optional safety on my tester upgrades include a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, and a lane-departure warning system. The optional adaptive cruise control brings a pre-collision warning system that can initiate automatic braking and prepare other safety equipment to help mitigate crash severity.
The 2014 Lexus IS 350’s redesigned interior increases the car’s luxury quotient and addresses a major fault in the previous-generation IS 350: a small, hard-to-access backseat. The additional 1.6 inches of rear-seat legroom is immediately noticeable, and adults will have an easier time getting in and out. My kids enjoyed the legroom as well. I didn’t feel their knees in my back.The rear seat also folds in a 60/40 split, a convenience the previous IS 350 never offered. Trunk capacity is 13.8 cubic feet, which is above average for this class.
The new dashboard and center console design is attractive and contemporary, and enhances the interior’s feeling of spaciousness. The audio and climate controls are set at an angle to minimize sun glare, and the high-quality buttons and knobs are easy to use.
By the way, my $47,480 loaded tester did not come with a Navigation system. Thank God for my iphone’s Siri program.
Until next week, drive safe and buckle up, it’s the law.
