Until the Lexus IS debuted for the 2001 model year, Toyota’s luxury brand hadn’t offered a model that could be called fun to drive. During more than a decade of relentlessly pursuing perfection, it focused mainly on building four-wheeled serenity chambers. But without a true rear-drive sport sedan in the mix, A-list status among car enthusiasts eluded the company. The first Lexus IS resolved the issue to a large degree. Aggressive looking, with a harder edge to its cabin and handling, the original IS combined European driving dynamics with Japanese durability. At first, only a sedan was offered with a manual or automatic transmission driving the rear wheels, but then a slick five-door hatchback called the SportCross arrived.

Lexus redesigned the IS for 2006, ousting the SportCross in the process. A dedicated performance model called the IS F arrived for 2008, and now for 2010, a four-seat convertible variant debuts with a power retractable hardtop. Because the Lexus IS was the top-ranked model in its class in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study, we elected to review the new IS 350C convertible model.

Highlights of the 2010 Lexus IS Convertible include:

• Second convertible model ever made by Lexus
• IS 250C and IS 350C models available
• IS 250C can be equipped with manual or automatic transmission
• Standard power retractable three-piece aluminum hardtop
• Standard roof clearance sonar system
• Roof stows in trunk when driving with top down
• Four-passenger seating capacity
• Instrumentation offers higher contrast for top-down driving on sunny days
• Structural, suspension and steering changes made specific to convertible model
• Prices start just under $40,000


Model Lineup

The Lexus IS Convertible is offered as the IS 250C and the IS 350C, each with a power retractable hardtop that folds into the trunk for top-down driving enjoyment. In addition to a more powerful standard V-6 engine and stouter brakes, the IS 350C adds a smog sensor and automatic recirculation to the climate control system. Otherwise, the models are identically outfitted and can be optioned with similar packages of additional features.

Standard equipment includes expected amenities on a luxury vehicle, including Bluetooth, Homelink, a USB port, an auxiliary audio input jack, and XM satellite radio. The IS Convertible also has a Smart Access keyless locking and ignition system, dual-zone climate control, a power tilt-and-telescopic steering column, heated side mirrors, and a six-disc CD changer. The front seats offer 10-way power adjustment with lumbar support, and the cabin is coated in leather upholstery.

Options are mostly bundled into packages. The Navigation System Package includes a hard disc drive navigation system, enhanced Bluetooth technology, Lexus Enform telematics service, and XM NavTraffic, NavWeather, and Sports and Stocks services. A similar package includes these items plus a 270-watt, 12-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound audio system.

A Luxury Package adds perforated semi-aniline leather, heated and ventilated front seats, Lexus Memory driver settings, rain-sensing wipers, and auto-dimming interior and side mirrors. The Luxury Package also includes bi-Xenon HID headlights with an Adaptive Front Lighting System that swivels the lights to help illuminate around corners, one-touch power slide and fold front seats to more easily load and unload rear passengers, illuminated door sill scuff plates, and special dark gray Bird’s Eye Maple wood interior trim.

Additional options for the IS Convertible include a two-tone Blue/Alabaster interior treatment, a parking assist system, a wind screen, several replacement wheel designs, and numerous dealer-installed F Sport performance upgrades, among others. On models equipped with an automatic transmission, Lexus offers its Pre-Collision System and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control technologies.

Under the Hood

The 2010 Lexus IS 250C is equipped with a direct-injected, 2.5-liter V-6 engine driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. This engine makes 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 185 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4,800 rpm. According to the EPA, the IS 250C is rated to return 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway with the manual, and 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway with the automatic.

The 2010 Lexus IS 350C has a direct-injected, 3.5-liter V-6 engine powering the rear wheels through the automatic transmission with paddle shifters. This engine is significantly more powerful, making 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 277 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4,800 rpm. The EPA says the IS 350C is expected to get 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Our review vehicle, the IS 350C, averaged 20.2 mpg during a week of mixed driving with a highway emphasis. Combined with the car’s 17.2-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 345-mile range between fill-ups of premium unleaded.

Safety Features

Standard safety equipment on the 2010 Lexus IS Convertible includes dual front airbags, side impact airbags for the front seat occupants which have been enlarged to provide head protection, and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger. Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist are also standard, along with a stability and traction control system. Through Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), the IS Convertible’s stability, traction, braking, and steering systems all work together to minimize loss of control.

Additional safety technologies available on the IS Convertible include a reversing camera system, an Adaptive Front Lighting System, and Safety Connect service. With Active Front Lighting, the IS Convertible’s headlamps swivel with steering inputs to help illuminate around corners for better visibility at night. Safety Connect operates through the Lexus Enform telematics system, and features Automatic Collision Notification which sends for help after an accident, even if you can’t. Safety Connect, free for the first year of ownership, also includes an SOS emergency button, enhanced roadside assistance protection, and a stolen vehicle tracking system.

When equipped with an automatic transmission, the Lexus IS Convertible is also available with a Pre-Collision System and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. Each employs a radar unit to measure the distance between the front of the IS and an object ahead. The cruise control system uses this information to maintain a set distance behind traffic ahead, while the Pre-Collision System identifies a rapid close rate as a potential impending collision, readying the seatbelts for impact and priming the brake assist system for maximum braking the moment the brake pedal is depressed.

The Competition

J.D. Power and Associates says the 2010 Lexus IS Convertible competes against other entry premium convertibles such as the Audi A5 Cabriolet, BMW 3 Series Convertible, Infiniti G37 Convertible, and Volvo C70.

Compare entry premium convertibles

Note: This review was published on December 29, 2009. It may not reflect data that has become available for this vehicle since that date.