Earlier this month, Lexus gave me the opportunity to borrow its sporty new IS 350 AWD for a week.
I didn't know what to expect when I was offered the F-Sport package for the car. My only recent experience with a Lexus had been a relative's comfortable (though perhaps a little boring) RX 350 crossover.
I didn't know if Lexus had the capability to make a sedan that could maintain that level of comfort while simultaneously getting my blood pumping.
After driving through the hills of Berkeley, by the beaches of Santa Cruz, and past the boring flats of Silicon Valley, all I can say is that this ~$50,000 car is a great option for anyone who wants a vehicle that can get him to work comfortably every day, but also come to life when he puts his foot down.
From almost any angle, the new Lexus IS 350 is a beauty. I was a little worried that the "matador red" paint job would make me a ticket magnet.
The front seats have plenty of room. The dash is a bit intimidating at first — there seem to be buttons, knobs, and touchscreens on every surface.
There's an 8-speed automatic transmission, but it's tuned to be aggressive when you want that, and fuel-efficient when you're just puttering around town.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider