NEW year, new car range; this is my first ever review of a Lexus.
With Swedish company Saab about to make a comeback, currently the only alternative to the big German manufacturers in the compact premium saloon category is Lexus.
The Japanese company competes with Audi, BMW and Mercedes with their IS range.
The IS was introduced in 1999 as an entry-level sport model slotted below the ES in the Lexus line up. The IS has in the past been available in petrol and diesel, but this new version of the IS 300 is only available in Ireland as a petrol/hybrid.
This was my second hybrid in a few weeks and sometimes it can be difficult to know if the engine in a hybrid is running. With a regular petrol or diesel, when you turn the ignition you will know straight away if it has started.
But hybrids are so quiet and it can be frustrating. However, unlike the Toyota Auris I had a few weeks earlier, you cannot engage the automatic gear lever in the Lexus until the engine is running.
There is no clutch and Lexus say that the starter motor and alternator will not need to be replaced during the lifetime of the car.
This is certainly a frugal motor to run and the fuel gauge is the slowest moving part. Also the tyres will only need to be replaced just once over 90,000km.
Power is provided by a 2.5 litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. Sometimes when taking off from traffic lights it appeared a bit fluffy, but overall handling is excellent and it really is a smooth ride either in city streets or country roads.
The car has its own distinctive look at the front, with the famous Lexus logo dominating the grille. You also get L-shaped daytime LED lights, which are separate from the headlights cluster.
However, the front is very low and you need to be very careful if you are parking with the front of the car due to go over the kerb; you could end up hearing that horrible sound where metal meets concrete.
The interior was a gorgeous shade of cream and there is a huge chunky centre console that separates the driver and front seat passenger. It certainly acts as a kind of demarcation zone, which allows the front seat passenger have full control of the radio. There are various slave controls on the steering wheel.
The back seat could take three people at a push, but the middle passenger would probably be uncomfortable, so I think two people in the back would be ideal. The boot is a decent size, naturally you get a battery, but no spare wheel.
After being ranked number one in the luxury cars section by J.D. Power in their annual survey for Sales Satisfaction Index in the US in 2011 and 2012, Lexus had dropped to third place this year, behind Jaguar and Porsche.
Overall I thought the IS 300h was an attractive looking motor, very frugal and a good start to the 2014 motoring year.