Despite having a set of shift paddles, the six-speed auto can't be used in a fully manual mode. Tickle the down paddle while toodling along in Drive and you'll be rewarded with an instant downshift, but otherwise the paddles and gear lever merely set the maximum gear the transmission will choose. A real pity because a proper manual mode would be a handy companion during blasts on twisty back roads; a six-speed manual is an option in the entry-level Prestige model. Point it at a corner or a roundabout and the IS250 will show that it's in for a spot of fun. Body roll is minimal and the steering pointy and sharp. Although, like every car in recent memory, almost none of what the tyres sense is transmitted through to your fingertips, while the self-centring feels eerily like a gaming wheel.
When the first Lexus debuted 20 years ago, much was made of its cone of silence progress and that tradition has been bequeathed to the baby of the range. Even with the windows down and the pedal to the metal, the IS250 is as quiet as limousines from a generation or two ago. The six-speed auto slurs between gears so unobtrusively that you'd be hard pressed to tell which gear it's in without the aid of electronics. And, despite wearing a thick set of tyres and 17-inch alloy wheels, the ride is firm yet comfortable, with just a hint of tyre slap when riding roughshod over Sydney's road craters.
The 2.5-litre V6 boasts 153kW of power and 252Nm of torque and, although it needs a bit of prodding at low speed, is supremely smooth and loves a good rev. Weighing about 1.6 tonnes, the IS250 will sprint to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds. Driving primarily in the inner city and with just a passing thought for economy, green trees and climate change, we managed fuel economy of 12.1L/100km.
On the motorway the IS250 is, as expected, quiet, brisk and relaxed, with wind rustle and tyre roar reduced to being bit-part players. Aiding the serenity is the radar cruise control, which (once you've set a maximum speed) will maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front, even braking when necessary. Less well liked was the foot operated parking brake.
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