2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport: Aiming High

Just as its primary adversaries the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and (certain iterations of) the BMW 3 Series have taken a step back from the sport sedan brink, it would seem that the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport has pushed forward into the breach.  Long criticized as the softest entry-level luxury four-door on the market, the completely redesigned Lexus IS has been targeted at the ‘fun to drive’ niche that its German market-mates seem increasingly willing to cede in favour of more comfort-oriented fare.

How successful is the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport at wiping out the more tepid memories associated with the brand’s most affordable sedan?  I spent a week with the car to try and get a feel for whether the F Sport package is worth the extra investment or simply window dressing for another competent, yet unengaging luxury Lexus.

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Insert Predator Joke Here

Much has been made of the Lexus ‘spindle’ grille, the bold, semi-trapezoidal arrangement that has now been plastered to the visage of every vehicle in the company's line-up.  It’s worth mentioning that the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport presents a more extroverted take on the spindle concept, one that features a full mesh insert that works together with a fascia and bumper that have been tweaked to snarl louder than any other Lexus model.  The F Sport trim also brings with it unique 18-inch rims that complement the somewhat busy, but pleasing body work of the IS sedan, which stands out from the crowd in a way that the previous generation of the car never quite could.

Bigger and Better Interior

F Sport editions of the Lexus IS 350 also gain special sport seats, which were favourably received not just by my own posterior but by those of my passengers as well.  Larger than the model it replaces, the 2014 Lexus IS now offers the kind of rear accommodations that can actually handle full-size adults with ease, boasting increased leg room and an easier-to-access door cut-out.  I was pleased with the general presentation of the car’s interior, which came across as less plasticky than other Lexus offerings near its price point, although I have to say that the Remote Touch vehicle interface is at the bottom of the luxury heap when it comes to logic and graphics.  Using the jumpy, mouse-like controller is like rolling the dice when making a menu selection, and the seven-inch LCD screen’s colors were too monochromatic to easily differentiate between choices.  Throw in the expanse of black plastic on either side of the display and the overall effect was not one that suggested a premium experience.

The same swathe of smooth plastic dominates the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport’s gauge cluster, which is focused around a large combination speedometer/tachometer dial sitting in the middle.  The bezel physically moves from side to side when accessing display menus, but given the huge amount of wasted real estate on either side wouldn’t it have made more sense to just put them on the dash full-time?  The black emptiness makes the green light of the car's Eco indicator that much more distracting, as it illuminates all by its lonesome in almost exactly the same position as the sedan’s left turn signal, making me think I had left the blinker on time and again.

New Technologies

The 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport boasts the most performance-oriented chassis configuration available with the compact sedan, featuring larger swaybars, an adaptive, driver-controlled suspension system, and available variable-ratio steering.  Under the hood, the F Sport forges ahead with a familiar 306 horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 that also generates 277 lb-ft of torque.  Rear-wheel drive models like the one I tested are matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but all-wheel drive editions make do with a six-speed unit (and lose the adaptive suspension setup).

Like many of its competitors, the IS 350 F Sport lets drivers configure its transmission, throttle response, and chassis settings in order to reflect the type of driving experience that is desired.  Lexus provides Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport+ modes for the rear-wheel drive F Sport, and each has a noticeable impact on the demeanour of the vehicle.  I found Normal to be somewhat underwhelming, as even when cruising sedately through city streets it seemed to mute the car’s acceleration past my point of preference.  Sport and Sport+, however, woke up the IS 350 F Sport’s six-cylinder engine, holding gears longer after letting off of the gas and providing more confident thrust when called upon.

The eight-speed gearbox installed in the 2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport is the most advanced transmission ever offered by the brand at the entry level, and it comes with g-sensitive shifting logic that attempts to discern whether the car is cornering or braking prior to selecting a new ratio.  The unit works much better in automatic mode as compared to manual, as I found that the Lexus was unwilling to respond quickly to tugs on the paddle shifters mounted behind its steering wheel.

More Focused, Still Soft

It’s hard not to be happy with the F Sport’s V6, but it does feel a step or two behind the turbocharged six-cylinder units found in the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C400 4MATIC and 2014 BMW 335i.  More disappointing is the Lexus’ chassis, which simply doesn’t engage the senses in the same way as the BMW (although it’s just as communicative as that provided by the softer Mercedes-Benz).  While the Lexus IS 350 F Sport might be a fine premium commuter, it’s not exactly the kind of car you look forward to driving, nor does it elicit the kind of lust for performance that its market position would suggest.  The curse of competence has once again descended on Lexus, putting this very fine, but rather unmemorable automobile in an awkward position against its luxury rivals.