With plenty of room in the front and rear , along with a decent sized boot perfect for golf clubs or large suitcases , there is no doubt that this is a car that will fit in nicely with all lifestyles .
Safety-wise the Lexus comes with ABS , traction control and no less than eight airbags , all guaranteed to deploy if you hit a bollard .
Mechanically , the IS 300h is everything we ' ve come to expect from Lexus : engineering precision , power where needed , but with efficiency also , and of course the hybrid tech builds on this core requisite . Lexus have moved away from diesel engines , as favoured by peers Audi and BMW , and have gone hybrid .
Incidentally , in case you ' ve missed this new technology , it ' s not actually all that new . Submarines have employed it since World War II , using diesel engines when surfaced and electric motors when underwater . And there have also been bicycles using a hybrid combination of electricity and leg-power since the 1970s . What ' s more , since the scary news that we are heading towards a time when fossil fuels will be depleted , there has been huge developments and a real focus on hybrid technology in cars .
With a 2.5-litre engine , plus hybrid drive ( electric motor as we used to call them ...) delivering a total of 219 BHP , the IS 300h F- SPORT has plenty of bottle despite any apprehensions the word ' hybrid ' may give to techno-sceptics out there . As you wind her up along a straight road , going from electric to petrol engine as you do so , acceleration from 0-62 MPH occurs in a not-too-shabby 8.4 seconds , accompanied by the most fascinating engine sound . Powerful but controlled , this could well be the sound of the future .
In fact , incredibly it ' s the sound of a synthesised engine noise delivered through a speaker , and it ' s not as crazy as it first sounds ! The IS 300h really is a hybrid car , using engine technology that renders it very , very quiet indeed , yet at the same time proudly wearing a sport badge . This creates a potential problem , as any racing driver will tell you paying attention to engine noise is a big part of getting a car to perform at its optimum level .
So this digital noise is designed by the clever folks at Lexus to give the driver feedback when driving enthusiastically into corners or around roundabouts . And it works superbly . When the road is less straight , the Lexus , despite being a good sized car , handles amazingly , giving you plenty of confidence out on those country lanes and making for a very enjoyable drive indeed .
A CVT gearbox means that the car stays at its optimal revs whilst changing through the gear , therefore contributing to the car ' s amazing fuel efficiency . The IS 300h F-SPORT boasts a most impressive combined fuel consumption figure of 60.1 MPG and cO2 emissions of just 107 G / KM .
There are three driving modes to choose from : eco , normal and sport , and choosing between them will change the way the electronic speedometer looks . This is really cool .
The new incarnation of the IS 300h F-SPORT not only does a perfect job of balancing style and subtlety with economy and sportiness , but it takes hybrid technology further into a place where it is a realistic alternative to diesel motors . As Alan P might conclude , the Lexus ' IS ' a great car .
Lexus Tunbridge Wells 01892 700400 www . tunbridgewells . lexus . co . uk
PRICE AS TESTED : £ 40,230 TOP SPEED : 125 MPH 0-62 MPH : 8.4 SECONDS ECONOMY : COMBINED 60.1 MPG ENGINE : 2.5-LITRE HYBRID PERFORMANCE : 219 BHP COMBINED CO2 : 107 G / KM
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