I was recently given a 48 hour test drive of the IS 200d Advance.
Having read quite a few posts on here regarding economy and of the car itself i just wanted to share my (limited) experience. The car itself is a very handsome even better in Mesa Red, which was the colour of the demonstrator.
The cream leather interior impressed everone who sat in it. So overall it makes a strong visual/initial impact.
It had all the toys you'ld expect of a Japanese marque in this price bracket (i've also tested a Honda Accord), which would make the German rivals seem spartan by comparison. The driving position was fine for short journeys, I couldn't comment on comfort on long journeys. One comment i read on the forum which i'ld agree with is that the pedals are offset. So much so, that when I was rolling back down my drive I always pressed the cluth instead of the brake pedal! The driving experience was refined and it was a very pleasant place to be. The biggest problem, which has also been commented upon in these forums, is the gearing. Having read a review of the original IS 220d i was a ware that it had a very high 5th/6th gear but I thought that maybe that had changed over the years. Lexus, in the pursuit of good on paper economy has in ,my opinion, ruined the real world economy. This is the only 6 speed car i've driven (petrol and diesel) that reduced 6th gear to high speed driving. In any other car 50 mph. This means that you're constantly in a lower gear than is ideal. It was a low mileage car I was driving so possibly the economy would improve but I got around 31-32 mpg over gently driven route made up of motorway, dual carriageway and town driving. Not fantastic and probably not much better than my Seat Leon Cupra.
Overall, it has loads of kerb appeal is very comfortable but badly let down by the gearing. Is the Sport any better?
