New Lexus IS Revealed
The Lexus IS first made its debut in 1999, fast forward 21 years and Lexus has revealed their new IS, personally, I love the new look. The grille is not making any controversial trends unlike our other friends in Munich, but it is somewhat large and I wonder how it will look with a number plate on it.
The new Lexus IS looks striking, the compact body, and aimed to make the new IS a Lexus compact sports sedan that provides high-quality ride comfort while offering a high level of vehicle control has been retained making one wonder if this is a facelift or a brand new car. However, slender headlamps featuring newly-developed compact and lightweight lamp units have been added to the car and I have to say that these are my favorite headlamps in the segment compared to its rivals.
A low center of gravity is expressed through low-positioned areas around the grille matched by lowered side character lines and the shape of the rear extremity of the trunk, Muscular fenders, straight-line-type rear combination lamps sporting an “L” motif, and three-dimensional bumper garnishes add to the aggressive look while new 19-inch tyres which evoke a sense of sporty driving have been designed and added.
The F Sport version boasts an exclusive “F” mesh pattern as well as a grille-bottom air intake, special 19-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and the F Sport-exclusive Radiant Red Contrast Layering external panel color.
In the interior, the new Lexus IS boasts a new multimedia system that features a new touchscreen, while available chromatic colors are used on the upper instrument panel.
The IS features a standard 8-inch touchscreen nearly 3 inches closer to the driver for easy access to the controls. A new 10.3-inch touchscreen is available on vehicles equipped with navigation or Mark Levinson with navigation. The new multimedia system features Apple CarPlay® compatibility, Android Auto™ compatibility, and Amazon Alexa integration. Users can also control compatible smart-home devices such as lighting, thermostat, and security systems offer added in-vehicle convenience, Alexa even syncs to the navigation system to provide on-the-go recommendations.
Safety has not been compromised on the new IS and a host of safety features are available, below are just a few of some of the safety features;
Pre-Collision System includes Frontal Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Detection, and Bicyclist Detection which features an enhancement to the single-lens camera and millimeter-wave radar elements to expand the response range. Steering Assist, which is designed to assist steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver, Lane Departure Alert is designed to help notify the driver if it senses the vehicle is leaving the lane without engaging a turn signal via steering wheel vibrations or audible alert.
Other new technologies include Automatic High Beam which detects preceding or oncoming vehicles. Various other forms of advanced safety equipment are featured on the new IS, including parking support brakes, and the Panoramic View Monitor, which supports periphery safety checks.
The new Lexus IS will be available for sale in South Africa early next year. The range will comprise three model derivatives that Lexus SA will announce at launch.
Lexus’ industry-leading 7 Year Warranty and Maintenance Plan will come as standard for IS drivers.
