Test Drive: Lexus IS 250 has much right, but enough?

Lexus gave us enough go-fast imagery in its Super Bowl ads last Sunday that it almost seemed to be saying, "See, see, are too sporty."

And, yes, some malingerers still might be insisting, "Are not," and need nudging.

After all, Lexus' reputation for years has been luxury at the expense of handling and performance. But the brand is trying to transform so that you'll compare it with BMW instead of Buick.

The ES, at the lower end, and the LS, at the top, still could be considered luxo-machines more than yippee-mobiles. But most Lexus models we've driven lately behave in sporty fashion when prodded that direction by the driver.

We did find a stinging slap at one of those Lexus new-generation sportsters by Consumer Reports in October 2013. That's when the new-design 2014 IS line was fresh on the market.

CR said the IS 250 — similar to the 2015 IS 250 Test Drive car this week — was ranked "good" overall, but had "the worst road-test score posted by any Lexus sedan in recent memory. Other competitors posting higher overall road test scores include the BMW 328i, Mercedes-Benz C250, Lincoln MKZ 2.0 EcoBoost and Volvo S60 T5."

Lincoln? Volvo? Wow, that's cold.

CR chose to test the IS 250 rather than the sportier IS 350, because the 250 is the one most people choose, for its lower price, better mpg rating.

Which is why we drove it, too, having already gotten our ya-yas out in the bigger-engine IS 350 in September 2013. That one had the F Sport accessories, which tighten the handling and add some trim. Drove great.

Can the entry model IS 250 hold a candle?

No. But that doesn't make it a bad car.

In fact, the base V-6 engine is close to exciting when spurred with wide-open throttle. Unexpected, because it has barely more than 200 horsepower — not much more than the 185 hp common in family-car four-cylinders.

And Test Drive's pair of tight, narrow "S" corners seemed of little consequence and significant satisfaction in the IS 250.

So the driving part works fine if you don't demand high-order thrills on every commute. And, unfortunately, can put up with a slam-bam ride when you hit sharp bumps, such as broken pavement or a speed bump you didn't see soon enough.

Here are some somewhat unpleasant things we noticed:

•Fuel economy in vigorous suburban driving was the same as we got in the bigger-engine 2014 IS 350 — 16.5 mpg. Not a scientific comparison, but pretty similar in the repeatable routine we've developed for Test Drive.

The IS 250 AWD is rated 23 mpg (24 with rear drive) in combined city/highway driving, unimpressive for such a small car. The rival BMW 3 Series with smallest available engine is rated 27 mpg combined for AWD, 28 mpg for RWD. That is a four-cylinder with less power, however.

•Rear legroom is listed as 32.2 inches, barely habitable. Don't buy the IS thinking it's an actual four- or five-seater.

•Styling perception depends a lot on paint color. Very dark colors — the test car was dark blue — mute the visual impact of the side crease that rises from the rocker panel to the rear wheel opening. Light colors seem to amplify the crease.

The bad part about that, in Test Drive's view, is that you might like the edginess of that side detail, but want a black car. Or, you might think the IS is over-styled, but you demand a white car. Unhappy marriages, both.

•The controls try to be modern, using a "joy stick" central control that's supposed to feel a bit like a computer mouse. It could take some acclimatization. It never seemed ergonomically or logically proper to us.

We've found more sensible, and entertaining, controls in mainstream cars, such as Dodges and Chevrolets.

•The infotainment gadgetry didn't pair and connect very easily or quickly with our android or Windows phones.

You get a six-speed automatic, while rivals boast eight speeds. More a bragging point than a huge drawback in daily driving — though it could be partly why mpg isn't top-notch. In the luxury-car realm, bragging rights count. Why pay extra if you don't get the coolest stuff?

The IS 250 proved more fun to drive than expected, but less pleasing in other aspects of operation and accommodation.

It's hard to argue with Lexus' reputation for quality and reliability, but even so, Test Drive's check probably would be made out to the BMW store for a 3 Series.

Lexus IS 250: What stands out:

•Styling: Multiple personalities; almost staid in dark color, zippy in lighter hue.

•Performance:

Surprisingly good for car with modest base engine, weight of AWD.

•Rear-seat room:

None to speak of.

Lexus IS 250 details:

•What? Four-door subcompact sporty sedan with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), small or large V-6. Officially, five passenger; realistically, four's a crowd.

•When? The 2014 version — first of the new-gen models — went on sale June 2013; the unchanged 2015 now on sale.

•Where? Made in Japan.

•How much? IS 250 AWD (tested) starts at $40,010 including $925 shipping; RWD starts at $37,475. Test car, with luxury package, navigation package and other options, was $46,650.

•What makes it go? IS 250 (tested) has 2.5 liter V-6 rated 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, 185 pounds-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. IS 350 has 3.5-liter V-6 rated 306 hp at 6,400, 277 lbs.-ft. at 4,800. All have six-speed automatic transmissions, except IS 350 RWD has eight-speed.

•How big? Subcompact, similar to BMW 3 Series to which Lexus wants you to compare it. IS weighs 3,461 to 3,737 lbs., depending on model. Passenger space, 90.2 cubic feet. Trunk, 13.8 cu. ft. Turning circle diameter, 34.2 ft. to 35.4 ft.

•How thirsty? Rated 21 mpg in the city, 30 mpg highway, 24 combined for base IS 250 RWD; 20/27/23 for AWD.

IS 250 AWD test car registered 16.5 mpg (6.06 gallons per 100 miles) in vigorous suburban driving — same as the 2014 IS 350 AWD tested in 2013.

Burns premium, holds 17.4 gal.

•Overall: Friskier, more fun than expected for the base engine, but pretty darn small inside.