SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


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Evolution: 2017 Lexus IS 200 tE

Future value

Posted: 23 April 2017

The numbers
Price: R601 900
Engine: 1998 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder inline, twin-scroll turbopetrol
Power: 180 kW at 5800 rpm
Torque: 350 Nm between 1650 and 4400 rpm
Gearbox: 8-speed, electronically controlled, Aisin-Toyota automatic
Zero to 100 km/h: 7.0 seconds
Maximum speed: 230 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 8.5 l/100 km
Tank: 66 litres
Luggage: 480 litres
Warranty and service plan: 4 years / 100 000 km; at 15 000 km intervals

Some people say, “I wouldn’t buy a Lexus because it’s just a fancy Toyota and its resale value is dreadful.”

Rather than parroting other people’s prejudices, why not open your mind to delicious possibilities; Lexus is a range of luxury sports saloons built, incidentally, by Toyota. That means they’re solid, well made, have bullet-proof engines and are reliable.

They’re also more charismatic and fun to drive than any mainstream Toyota built today. If you’re over a certain age you’ll remember Celicas, GTs, Supras and, more recently, the 86 - brilliant sports cars that captured enthusiasts’ hearts around the world – so you know it can be done.

The point about resale is interesting too: A recent UK survey showed that only 29.4 percent of buyers placed depreciation among their top-four priorities when choosing new cars. Are you that different? If it really is an issue, ask Lexus Financial Services about FutureDrive, an innovative financing model that guarantees future value.

Let’s move on. Lexus IS has been available here as a mid-size sports sedan for a number of years but the importers offered only the naturally aspirated 3.5-litre engine in conventional or F-Sport guises. Then, in October 2015, they added IS 200t with two-litre, twin-scroll turbocharged 8AR-FTS engine in two trim levels; E and EX.

This engine is somewhat special. In square (86x86mm bore and stroke) configuration, it’s an inline four (the Subaru 86x86 motor is a boxer) with sixteen valves operated by something called VVT-iW (variable valve timing, intelligent, wide). While the exhaust valves operate in conventional VVT-i mode all the time, VVT-iW is able to retard the inlet camshaft whenever required to keep those valves open longer. This enables the engine to run in either Otto Cycle for maximum power or Atkinson Cycle for best economy. Twinned, independent injectors provide both direct- and port injection.

As any marketing lecturer will tell you: “Features are meaningless. Sell the benefits,” so here it is – that engineering waffle simply means that this motor can operate as two different kinds of engine as needed. The switch-over is seamless so you won’t realise when it happens. Just know that when the engine is able to run economically it will – and when it’s time to play dirty it will do that too.

And play dirty it can; it develops 180 kW at 5800 rpm which means it’s only lightly charged – the other “86” motor develops 147 kW naturally aspirated. It also develops 350 Newton-metres of torque – what 3.5-litre Mercedes’ did a few years ago - but over a band extending from 1650- to 4400 rpm. That translates into zero to 100 km/h in seven seconds and a top speed of 230.

It looks and feels the part too. It’s lean and sharply chiselled; you ease in and put it on like a flak jacket; the warmed and vented leather seats hold you snugly while the tall centre console concentrates you on the job at hand. Instruments and panels are all black-gloss and business-like. Controls are simple and neatly laid out. Dials are big, circular and analogue. The few concessions to modernism include a push button starter, rotating knobs for the electronic aids and an automated button to adjust the steering wheel. Naturally, both front chairs are powered too.

The IS will carry four in comfort (a small fifth if you have to) and 480 litres of luggage before tipping the seatbacks down, so it’s perfectly capable of handling the Monday-to Saturday commuting and family chores. Sundays, holidays and winding country roads are what it’s built for though.

The front suspension was recently reworked with a new, lightweight lower arm assembly, new bushes, revised spring rates and upgraded dampers. The brakes are built for business and you know about the engine. Select Sport on the dial, slip into manual mode (stick or paddles) and floor it.

Did I mention that it’s rear-wheel drive? The car becomes an extension of your inner evil persona and rewards you with beautifully neutral handling, vice-free responses and good clean fun.

Despite moments of hilarity and seeming irresponsibility, it’s designed and kitted to be safe. Ten airbags including knee units for both those in front, ABS brakes with all the acronyms you can think of, childproof locks and ISOFix, automatic locking, tyre pressure monitoring, hill start assistance, front and rear parking distance monitors and cruise control make up a good package.

Navigation, a reversing camera, 18” wheels, an upgraded sound system with 10.2” touch screen (standard is 7”) and a more comprehensive service plan come with the EX model that is otherwise identical.

 If you’re bored with “same old” German cars and want something a little different; something with actual charisma, try one of these. You’ll keep it beyond your usual self-imposed sell-by date for personal cars; simply because you want to.

Test unit from Lexus SA press fleet

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What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.