|
(Enlarge photo)
From the front, there is little difference between the sedan and wagon flavors of the IS 300.
(Photo by Christian Wardlaw)
|
|
|
|
(Enlarge photo)
The interior is carefully assembled, but its materials are more in line with a Toyota badge than a Lexus emblem.
(Photo by Christian Wardlaw)
|
|
|
|
(Enlarge photo)
The rear incorporates design cues from the sedan, yet many of our editors showed solidarity in preferring the lines of the SportCross over the sedan's.
(Photo by Christian Wardlaw)
|
|
|
See All Photos
|
|
|
|
Road Test: Follow-Up Test
|
|
Follow-Up Test: 2002 Lexus IS 300 SportCross
Tastes Great, and Hey, It's Less Filling!
By
Liz Kim
Date posted: 08-21-2001
Ah, the Frosted Shredded Mini Wheat. You've got your wholesome wheat side for
the adult in you, and the sweet, frosted side for the kid in you. Two worlds melding
into one delicious bite-sized package.
Think of the 2002 Lexus IS 300 SportCross as the venerable breakfast cereal. While
its wagon status appeals to the furniture-lugging, dog-carrying, responsible side
of you, its driving dynamics allow the latent urchin to come out and scamper frivolously.
German manufacturers have taken the initiative to curry station wagons back into
public favor, since they fell by the wayside in the path of minivans and SUVs
about a dozen years ago. By tacking on a wagon body to their sport sedans, BMW
and Audi ensured that their customers need not choose between the functionality
of a wagon-type vehicle and a thrilling driving experience. Now Lexus is clambering
aboard the Trendsetter Express by transforming its sporty sedan into an athletic
wagon.
In fact, the wagon is slightly better balanced than the sedan; compared to the
sedan's 54/46 weight distribution, the wagon's 125 extra pounds (for a total of
3,410) over the rear wheels result in a 53/47 front to rear ratio. There is little
sacrificed in terms of handling; the SportCross glissaded down the hills of Ventura
County near Ojai, Calif., with the grace of a dancer. As the roads unfurled in
a series of kinky switchbacks, the Lexus possessed that magic combination of engine,
brakes and suspension that urged the driver to press harder and faster. It results
in one of the most satisfying driving experiences this side of $50,000 sport sedans.
Powering the SportCross is Lexus' smooth, high-revving 3.0-liter inline six (shared
by the GS 300), which rivals the motors of BMW in spirit and ability. All 215
ponies are hot to trot, and the 218 pound-feet of torque are spread evenly throughout
the powerband. And while the Lexus' 0-to-60 acceleration time of 7.85 seconds
isn't exactly warp speed, the amalgamation of the exhaust note and its playful
willingness make the most of what's there.
While a manual tranny will make its way into the sedan, SportCross owners will
have to make do with the E-Shift transmission; fortunately, its precise shifting
action serves as a shining beacon to show other manufacturers how automanuals
should work. Leave it in drive and concentrate on more important matters, as the
automatic will unfailingly select the proper gear.
Stopping power was nothing short of phenomenal, with the front-ventilated, four-wheel
disc brakes providing 60-to-0-mph halts in an astoundingly short 115 feet. Supplemental
braking systems include Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist,
both of which serve to provide optimal braking power. The SportCross rides on
17-inch wheels with Bridgestone Potenza 215/45ZR17s in front and wider 225/45ZR17s
in the rear; the performance rubbers grant immense amounts of grip and minimal
howl.
Inside, you'll find an interior that can be called fun, daring, innovative, but
not luxurious. New center console material, a black rubber, is an improvement
over the previous slick-looking but hollow-sounding and cheap-feeling plastic,
but is still not worthy of a premium marque. Another addition for the year is
a full-leather trim option in Ivory or Black; our tester was equipped with the
optional Ecsaine faux suede material. Praise be, there's finally a center console,
though tiny; and Lexus is offering a leather-covered shifter, though why anyone
would pay extra for that over the cool chrome shifter knob, we'll never know.
The instrument cluster still sports the chronograph-style gauges, a whimsical
design exercise. Everything is assembled with typical Lexus precision, and no
rattles were detected from the cabin of our prototype vehicle.
Our model was equipped with Lexus' navigation system, also new for the year. Aside
from computing with ease, a remarkable trait of the system is the fact that the
controls used to enter information into the system are located not near the screen
(which is properly mounted on top of the dashboard, and has the bonus of appealing
to your inner gadget geek by popping open at the touch of a button) but in front
of the center console between the driver and passenger seats. While initially
it was disconcerting not to see our fingers while they were working, much like
typing, we soon got used to it. In fact, we quickly realized that this could be
a superior system, since we didn't have to focus on hand-eye coordination necessitated
by traditional touchscreen or button operation.
Also new for the year are standard side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers,
and an optional Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system that comes with a limited-slip
differential that applies brakes or cuts engine power to halt wayward skids.
We had to remind ourselves that the SportCross is essentially a wagon, which still
carries the connotation of the lumbering family mobile. Not so for the Lexus;
editors previously polarized over the boy-racer looks of the sedan were unanimously
pleased by the lines of the wagon. The body only shares the hood, front fenders
and front doors with the sedan. The rear panels are unique to the SportCross,
and with a saucy spoiler topping the rear of our Absolutely Red test model, this
IS 300 obliterated the connection between station wagons and dowdiness.
The big story, of course, is its cargo capacity. Much criticism was flung toward
the miserly trunk space of the IS 300 sedan, which provides 10.1 cubic feet. Get
the wagon and more than double the amount to 21.8 cubic feet, with plenty more
available when you fold the 60/40 split rear seats and take out the standard tonneau
cover. The false floor opens up to reveal more storage cubbies, and while the
space isn't wide open as in a typical station wagon, the SportCross should serve
most of your light-duty hauling needs admirably. The cargo area houses a power
outlet, as well as a woofer, bringing the total number of speakers to nine. Complementing
the excellent Bose sound system was a standard in-dash six-disc changer.
Add it all up, and you've got a vehicle that's attractive, functional and fun
to drive. Indeed, some of its interior materials fall short of the luxury equation
dictated by its price tag and marque. And some consumers may miss an all-wheel
drive option. Yet the feature content, near-flawless build quality and driving
pleasure of the SportCross should have its German competitors reaching for the
Unisom in the wee hours.
|
|
|
Your Account | Help | Directory
