Look, we really wanted to love the Lexus IS200.
Rear wheel drive, an in-line six, six-speed trans, compact but stylish shape, Lexus build quality. Throw in the Limited Edition all-enveloping yellow paint, aggressive seventeens wearing hi-po Potenza REO40 215/45's (treadwear rating - just 140!), yellow leather-and-carbon-fibre steering wheel, drilled pedals and dark window tint and you gotta say that it looks a sweet, sweet package. You know - snick, snick, snick through the gears as you fling the car through a series of S-bends, high-revving six spitting them backwards as you balance the car on the throttle... ecstasy in action.
But let's change the scene. Totally.
You're at an Australian Japanese-importing wrecker; greasy engines on a greasy floor. You wander past the Toyota sixes of the last few years - the Soarer's 1JZ-GTE twin turbo six, the awesome Supra's 2JZ-GTE, even the Lexus GS300's naturally aspirated 2JZ-GE's lovely 3-litre. These engines are - rightly - being given pride of place. Out the back, uncleaned even under the dust and dirt, are the unloved old Japanese market Toyota sixes - the 1G series. Iron-blocked and lacking in grunt and revs, they were available in twin turbo (1G-GTE) and even supercharged (1G-GZE) forms. But neither produced much power, and so they've never been seen as anything special in terms of Toyota performance - not like those 1JZ and 2JZ engines, which are simply world class. In fact, last thing I heard, you could pick up a used 1G engine - any 1G engine - for about $150.
Now let's draw these two themes together. The superbly glossy Lexus IS200 gracing the spotlit, inner-city, new car showroom floor; and the daggy old, unloved and unwanted 1G Toyota sixes pushed to one side at the outer suburban wreckers. Take a deep breath folks - the Lexus IS200 runs a 1G-FE engine, all iron block and uninspiring 114kW at just 6200 rpm. Yes, you read that right - a Toyota six that fundamentally dates back what - fifteen, maybe even twenty years? Oh s-u-r-e, the 1G under the IS200's bonnet does have intake cam variable valve timing and a variable length intake manifold, but putting a few jewels on an old bag doesn't make for a scintillating beauty, does it?
So no, this ain't your high-stepping, responsive mill, turbine-smooth and grunty throughout the rev range. Instead, this is the engine that gives this $54,766 beauty a straightline performance that we saw pasted by a standard Datsun 180B, so little grunt that keeping up with a Rodeo V6 ute in the normal flow of traffic required rowing the six-speed dementedly. This is a car for those who like the eye-catching looks, the excellent handling and probable high retained value. People for whom 0-100 times matter little; where cutting a slow but stylish dash is more important than winning traffic light grands prix. And talking about 0-100 sprints, Lexus claim 9.5 seconds for the 1348kg car but - at least in our low-kay example - we'd put the time as 2 seconds slower than that.
Which is all a terrible shame when the driving dynamics of the IS200 show it is capable of more - much more. In fact, when the IS300 - tipped for arrival in 12 months - appears locally with the GS300-derived 2JZ-GE 166kW atmo 3-litre, then we'll be talking a simply killa car. After all, it'll have over 40 per cent more power and 53 per cent more torque.... And, should Lexus choose to slot in one of the twin turbo JZ engines for local consumption, a veritable BMW M3-beater would be on the cards. But let's stop dreaming and return to current reality.
The IS200's engine sounds uncannily like a venerable Holden Red six, and even with the fancy bits hanging off it (oh yes, direct fire ignition too), it is never sporting. The torque curve feels flat until about 4600 rpm, where we assume the variable inlet manifold makes its change and torque jumps a bit. But 195Nm (the peak which is developed at those revs) is never going to fling the car forward, and even the short, short gearing (33 km/h per 1000 rpm in sixth) can't disguise the car's lack of grunt.
And why are we harping on so much on the topic of performance? After all, if you want compact straightline go, surely you wander along to your Subaru dealer and whisper three initials? Well, it's cos the limited edition IS200 shrieks 'PERFORMANCE!' from every pore. Check those tuff wheels, look at the body kit. Be impressed by the car's stance on the road...but then forget all about that and just concentrate on what you get for your dough - not what you don't get.....
The IS200 is beautifully put together with excellent paint and even and tight panel margins. The steering is fluid and direct, though a touch light at higher speeds. The stiff body (apparently parent company Toyota's most rigid design ever), together with front and rear double wishbone suspension, gives a ride that is simply spectacularly good for smallish car wearing 45-series tyres. Its impact suppression is quite incredible, and even larger bumps catch it out only extremely rarely. Low wind noise and a smooth and quite idle give good NVH, though the noise of the engine can be clearly heard at any loads greater than a light cruise.
The handling is excellent, though biased towards understeer to a surprisingly degree. Certainly if you are a 'slow-in, fast-out' driver you will be frustrated by the lack of power. There is not enough grunt to kick the tail out unless you try very hard, and then the standard traction control shuts down any right-foot attitude changes very swiftly. Switch the traction control off and the car becomes much more driveable - it's one of the few cars where we suggest that handling is better with the electronic assist disabled. However, even in this form, it's not as immediately chuckable as, say, a Mazda MX5 or any small Peugeot - instead it feels more ponderous and simply, less responsive. But switch the TCS off, flick the car into a corner and a stand on the throttle and the car can be quite fun to corner fast - but it does need an early commitment or the whole thing will happen only quite slowly. Improving adhesion are both the standard Torsen LSD and - on this special edition - the sticky tyres. However, with the TCS operating, it should be noted that the IS200 is a very safe car to drive.
Brakes are borrowed from the big-brother GS300 and comprise beefy ventilated front discs and solid rears. A 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS system is used.
The little Lexus is smaller than it may first appear. Inside room is at a premium - with normal sized front seat occupants, the driver and passenger find their heads located abreast (and very close to) the B pillars. The seats are mounted quite a long way outboard of the car's centreline, giving cramped elbow room and a slight feeling of claustrophobia. Move the front seats right back and - as well as rear legroom disappearing - the door armrests become located uncomfortably far forward for front seat occupants. The manual (as opposed to electric) front seats are a little hard and flat on first acquaintance, but proved to be comfortable on long journeys. They also boast a good range of adjustments, including individual vertical movement of the front and rear of the seat squabs.
Equipment is not lavish, with no maplights, no leather, no cruise control and no trip computer. Instead there is an analog instantaneous fuel consumption gauge contained within the stylish - but fussy and hard to read - combination instrument. But you do get four airbags - and a lavish sound system. The in-dash 6-CD AM/FM cassette head unit drives eight speakers - it is the best factory system that we have ever heard. Crystal clear treble, superb imaging, competent bass - with a sub installed, it would be an absolute killer. Even without it, for all but music that needs a heap of low frequency energy, this is a simply wonderful system. To do it aftermarket we reckon you'd be looking at $3-4000 - and we've certainly heard systems costing six thousand dollars and more that sound inferior to the IS200. Also impressively effective is the glass tilt and slide sunroof, which comes with an internal blind.
And it is really only after driving the IS200 for some time that you start to appreciate its more subtle rewards. A very comfortable car, it feels good on the road with its excellent steering, superb ride and simply wonderful sound system. But don't class it as a small sports sedan - look at the build quality, not the performance. The IS200 is all about marvelling at the standard boot equipment that includes a warning triangle, chrome-plated tools, first aid kit and a valet pack containing gloves and hand cleaner. Feel how the doors shut, admire the idiosyncratic instrumentation, be impressed that the remote locking incorporates an automatic alarm...
The IS200 is certainly not a bad car; in fact it is one that grows on you as it shows its competence in so many situations. But a 166kW version - even at (say) ten grand more - would be an entirely different machine...cos it would have the performance to match the stylish looks and the undoubted chassis competence.
www.lexus.com.au
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