Drivers of the 2006 Lexus IS will enjoy an increased sense of control, according to automotive columnist Warren Brown of the Washington Post. “It is a wonderfully responsive car. Steering is tight, precise. It feels perfectly balanced, especially on twisty, downhill roads where multiple weight transfers — some of them abrupt — could cause a lesser automobile to lose its composure.” But while the IS has its sights at least partly on the sharp-handelling BMW 3-Series, it caters to a slightly different audience. With a slew of high-tech electronic gadgetry, the IS “enhances the driver’s peace of mind,” but does not necessarily do for Lexus‘ performance image what the company had hoped it would do. “For example, with its 2.5-liter, 204-horsepower V-6 engine, the IS 250 comes off as a tough sell in comparison with the BMW 325xi AWD sedan, which has a three-liter, 215-horsepower engine and a base price that is almost $1,500 lower.” Still, Brown remains impressed with the experience provided by the Lexus IS. “The IS 250 did everything right on a long run covered by ice and sleet in the last 40 miles. It got me through. That is the kind of control I want.”

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