- Free-revving 2.5-litre V6 engine
- High standard of fit and finish
- Generally impressive ride/handling balance…
- … though 18-inch wheels reduce compliance
- Weight blunts performance, agility and fuel economy
- Flat front seats lack support
- Cramped rear seats
- Limited boot space with roof down
- 2.5-litre 4GR-FSE engine susceptible to carbon deposits on intake valves
Overview
Released in July 2009, the Lexus IS 250 C was a two-door convertible with a retractable metal roof. Manufactured in Japan, the rear-wheel drive IS 250 C was powered by a 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine that was mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. The IS 250 C was initially offered in Prestige, Sports and Sports Luxury variants, with the F Sport following following in November 2012.
4GR-FSE engine
The 2.5-litre 4GR-FSE V6 petrol engine had a die-cast aluminium block and double overhead cam cylinder heads, roller rockers, direct fuel injection, four valves per cylinder, variable inlet and exhaust valve timing (dual VVT-i), an Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS) and a compression ratio of 12.0:1.
Dimensions
Compared to the XE20 IS on which it was based, the IS 250 C was 60 mm longer (at 4635 mm) and 10 mm lower (1415 mm), though width and wheelbase were unchanged (1800 mm and 2730 mm, respectively). The three-piece roof could open or close in twenty seconds, but required the IS 250 C to be stationary for activation. With the roof up, boot volume for the IS 250 C was 553 litres, though this decreased to 205 litres when the roof was lowered.
Suspension
The IS 250 C had double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.
| Variants | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige, Sports, Sports Luxury |
2009-14 | 2.5-litre petrol V6 (4GR-FSE) | 6sp auto | 153 kW at 6400 rpm | 252 Nm at 4800 rpm |
| F Sport | 2012-14 |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the IS 250 C included dual front airbags, knee airbags for front occupants, front-side airbags (with head protection), electronic stability control, traction control, ABS, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution as well as seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters for front occupants.
The IS 250 C was fitted with Lexus’ Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system – which included active steering control – and would intervene prior to the electronic stability control system to prevent the vehicle from breaking traction. The Sports and Sports Luxury variants were also fitted with the Lexus ‘Pre-Collision System’ (PCS) which prepared the seatbelt pretensioners and brake assist system when an emergency situation was detected.
Features: IS 250 Convertible
Standard features for the IS 250 C Prestige included ten-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, eight speaker sound system with six-stack CD player and auxiliary inputs (3.5 mm), dual-zone climate control air conditioning, satellite navigation with a seven-inch touch-screen, leather seats, power adjustable front seats with heating, cruise control, front and rear fog lights, reversing camera with park assist display, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, remote central locking with proximity key, power windows and heated mirrors, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, an electrochromatic rear view mirror and immobiliser.
The IS 250 C Sports was further equipped with 18-inch five-spoke shadow chrome alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control (with autonomous braking) and steering-wheel gearshift paddles.
The IS 250 C Sports Luxury added a twelve speaker Mark Levinson sound system, a six-stack CD/DVD player, ventilated front seats, driver’s seat memory settings, directional headlights, rain-sensing wipers, electrochromatic side mirrors and woodgrain interior trim.
Finally, the IS 250 C F Sport variant was distinguished by its 18-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels, F Sport suspension with unique bushings, revised damping characteristics, a unique rear stabiliser bar and enhanced spring rates. Inside, the F Sport featured black leather accented seats with contrasting perforations and stitching, an F Sport steering wheel and gear lever, scuff plates and a black roof lining. Visually, the F Sport could be identified by its unique mesh grille, lower lip spoiler and F Sport fog lamps.
November 2012: IS 250 C update
In mid-November, the entire IS convertible range received upgrades for its navigation, audio, voice control and Bluetooth systems, with the latter gaining Bluetooth audio streaming functionality.
Related links
- Press Kit: Lexus XE20 IS 250 Converitble (July 2009)
- Press Release: Lexus XE20 IS 250 C F Sport (October 2012)
- Brochure: Lexus XE20 IS Range (October 2012)
- Wikipedia.org: Lexus XE20 IS
