Quick Drive: 2016 Lexus IS 200t F-Sport

I would still be buying this over any other Luxury car in the price range, but would probably spring for the larger mill.

I still love this car's styling. No way would I not get that sweet V6, though.

7 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I still love this car's styling. No way would I not get that sweet V6, though.

V6 is very sweet indeed.  And this is perhaps why i was so down on the Lincolns in the Lincoln threads.  This is just so much more athletic and sleek in it styling that it isn't really even funny.

1 minute ago, A Horse With No Name said:

V6 is very sweet indeed.  And this is perhaps why i was so down on the Lincolns in the Lincoln threads.  This is just so much more athletic and sleek in it styling that it isn't really even funny.

It's just too bad they decided to not make a performance model this go round. An IS-F with that 450hp V8 would have really shined. 

Just now, Frisky Dingo said:

It's just too bad they decided to not make a performance model this go round. An IS-F with that 450hp V8 would have really shined. 

Agreed!

Glad you like the styling on this. 

Lexus has reliability on their side, however their engines are severely dated and outmatched in the luxury game.  That 3.5 V6 has been on sales for over 10 years with zero increase in horsepower.   The Lexus LS V8 launched in 2007 when the S-slass launched the new 5.5 liter V8 that had more power and torque.  Next year the S-class is getting it's 2nd new engine since then, the LS460 still has the same 385 hp V8, that is pathetic.  V6s make more than that now. 

8 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Lexus has reliability on their side, however their engines are severely dated and outmatched in the luxury game.  That 3.5 V6 has been on sales for over 10 years with zero increase in horsepower.   The Lexus LS V8 launched in 2007 when the S-slass launched the new 5.5 liter V8 that had more power and torque.  Next year the S-class is getting it's 2nd new engine since then, the LS460 still has the same 385 hp V8, that is pathetic.  V6s make more than that now. 

I will give you this-while I do not like them from a subjectively personal standpoint and also think the long term running and parts costs are obscene...

Mercedes Benz is really at the top of the luxury car game if I am intellectually honest with myself. They offer more unique options, have a more loyal fan base, have more power, features, etc....

That being said I would still buy a Lexus before I would buy a Benz. It is almost as if there are three separate theirs of Luxury cars.

Tier one, ranked in order;

Mercedes Benz

Audi

BMW

Lexus

Tier two;

Cadillac

Acura

Lincoln and Infinity tied towards the bottom of tier two

Tier Three;

Volvo

Buick

Geneisis

At the top of tier one would be non traditional premium brands like Porsche, Land Rover, Jag, Lotus, etc.  All of them will I think carry higher prestige than perhaps BMW or Audi per se.

Above Tier would would be McLaren, Bentley, Rolls, Bugatti, etc.

Lexus is really in danger of falling into the second tier I think. as their SUV lineup is really bland and dated.

But keep in mind, people buying Lexus vehicles are really real estate agents and dentists that want an ultra reliable vehicle that will bring them some level of prestige. In Toyota's corporate DNA is using the same things over and over again as long as they can and perfecting the manufacturing process.

Their target market could care less about the extra power for the most part.

Lexus's customer base came from Toyota or old folks that think 200 hp is plenty, so when you give them 268 hp V6 they think it is a lot.  But anyone with a performance car isn't going to go look at Lexus, even the GS-F is like CTS v-sport or E43 sort of speed, the top Lexus performance sedan is mid level at Cadillac or the German trio.  Lexus has that loyal buyer but they aren't atttracting new people, they are like Buick of the 90s clinging to a dying customer base.

2 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Lexus's customer base came from Toyota or old folks that think 200 hp is plenty, so when you give them 268 hp V6 they think it is a lot.  But anyone with a performance car isn't going to go look at Lexus, even the GS-F is like CTS v-sport or E43 sort of speed, the top Lexus performance sedan is mid level at Cadillac or the German trio.  Lexus has that loyal buyer but they aren't atttracting new people, they are like Buick of the 90s clinging to a dying customer base.

On the contrary they are doing pretty well for themselves. Lincoln has the oldest buyer demographic by far, at something like 61 or 62 years.  Buick has dropped their average buyer age by more than any other premium brand.

Lincoln does have the oldest buyers, everything I read puts them at 61 or higher.  But Lexus is top 4 in age, I have seen 57 to 61 for average buyer ages.  The NX will bring some younger former RAV4 drivers in.  Buick is still among the oldest buyers, they dropped from like 67 down to 59.

The Lexus SUV sales were very, very good this month.