Lexus IS-F 2012 Review

Never have those in the market for a prestige sports sedan been so spoilt for choice.

My fairy godmother has yet to fund me for such a beast but if you're fortunate enough to be looking for a four-door that can embarrass sports cars and still cart the kids, there are several options.

The bent-eight compact prestige brigade was largely a German affair until Lexus launched the IS F in 2008, with a musical powerplant and no vertical give in the rear end.

It's had two upgrades since then and the latest update of the swift and sonorous model claims to have reduced the rear end's uncomfortably rock-hard ride - sadly that's not the case.

VALUE

Sitting amongst the M and AMG badged Germans that dwell around $150,000, the $126,800 Lexus sedan has a solid head start on price.

There's dual-zone climate control with rear vents, leather trim, sports leather-wrapped steering wheel with shift paddles, reach'n'rake adjustable steering, keyless entry and ignition, power-adjustable front seats with memory, sports pedals, alarm, Bluetooth phone link (but not for the sound system), a 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system (USB) with wheel-mounted controls, sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, power windows, auto-dimming centre mirror and folding auto-dimming exterior mirrors and automatic xenon headlights.

TECHNOLOGY

The 5.0-litre V8 engine is seen elsewhere in the Lexus catalogue but in this incarnation produces 311kW at 6600 rpm (the redline is 6800rpm) and 505Nm of torque at 5200rpm. The direct-injection powerplant (with work done on its top end by Yamaha) uses dual variable valve timing for inlet and exhaust cams to provide flexible and relatively frugal motoring.

The engine sends drive aft via an eight-speed automatic transmission (with a proper manual paddleshift mode) as well as a rear limited slip differential and is capable of accelerating IS F from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds and claims fuel consumption of 11.4 litres per 100km.

The suspension remains a bug-bear - the Japanese luxury brand says the IS F sits on springs, dampers and bushes with revised rates "to combine high performance with enhanced ride comfort," says Lexus .... nup, not yet people - keep at it.

The IS F also gets the radar-controlled active cruise control, which maintains a following distance when cruising, but sadly still can't hold a set speed down hill - the Germans can do it with simpler controls on the non-radar cruise control, Lexus has had the system in several models over several model changes but as yet have not got it right.

DESIGN

The IS F's exterior has a purposeful look to it - without screaming to authorities that it has street-machine smoke-making potential. It gets the day running lights - LEDs of course - but there are more changes on the dash than anywhere else.

The instrument panel is dominated by the tachometer, which now has a tricky redline-imminent light display, as well as a digital and small analogue speed display. The snug-but-comfy four-seater cabin also has carbon-fibre centre-console inserts, more colour options for the leather trim and a revised sports steering wheel.

SAFETY

The sedan gets all the bits to warrant its five-star NCAP safety rating - anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution,  stability and traction Control and eight airbags - dual front, side, curtain and driver's knee units.

Also on board is the pre-collision safety system which uses a radar sensor in the nose to monitor the distance of the vehicle from objects ahead and if it senses a collision is likely it emits a warning and prepares the car's safety systems for action.

DRIVING

Time spent behind the wheel of this car on a track amply displays its pace and talents on smooth tarmac with no speed limits. In real world driving, the IS F can ooze through traffic on a muted V8 burble, a refined note, with the ability to make more noise as required and leave the dawdling masses behind.

The eight-speed auto is swift of change and has a genuine manual mode (thank you Lexus) but it can be indecisive, which would be more of an issue if it weren't such a slick-shifter. Daily traffic duties soon show that the chassis engineers still have work to do - on some nastier undulations and bumps the IS F actually pitches and harsher bumps are transmitted more than they should be.

The cabin is snug but not uncomfortable for most occupants, although rear legroom is tight, as is front headroom for those over the old six foot mark. Lord knows how I managed to - at 191cm - get behind the wheel of this very car at a racetrack with a helmet on.

The cabin design is starting to look a little dated but nowhere more than the digital clock - a Breitling or Omega timepiece is traditional, the digital unit is very 1980s and too naff.

It's only a four-seater too, unlike its German opposition, Lexus says its four buckets are for better seat comfort. The IS F has a USB input for iPhones and other devices, but no music aspect for the Bluetooth; there's also no splitfold rear seat and the boot floor panel over the spare is a cumbersome set-up.

VERDICT

There's a lot to like about the IS F, in particular the drivetrain that has the tight and hard sound as well as the outputs to back it up. It can also be swift and subtle, with a comfortable cabin. But the luxury arm of Toyota has had enough chances to get the suspension and radar cruise control right and they haven't.

LEXUS IS F

Price: $126,800
Warranty: 4 years, unlimited km
Resale: 54%
Source: Glass's Guide
Service Interval: 10,000km or 6-months
Economy: 11.4l/100km, on test 16l/100km, tank ; 270g/km CO2
Equipment: eight airbags, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control, pre-collision safety system.
Crash rating: 5 star
Engine:  311kW/505Nm 5-litre V8
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Body: 4-door, 4 seats 
Dimensions: 4660mm (L); 1815mm (W); 1415mm (H); 2730mm (WB)
Weight: 1700kg
Tyre size: 225/40 R19 fr, 255/35 R19 rr
Spare tyre: Space saver