All hail the new kid in town! Lexus IS300

MANILA, Philippines - Apparently, some good things don’t take too long. Less than two weeks after the Lexus brand’s official touchdown on Philippine soil, I got a call from Lexus Manila president Danny Isla, who then offered me first dibs on the IS300 test unit. First crack at an official Lexus test-drive story? Of course we grabbed the bait!

For the benefit of the uninitiated, the IS300 is the base model being offered by the premium Japanese automotive brand – at least here in the Philippines. It is, in the Lexus hierarchy, the first in a stable of five variants that are initially available to luxury car enthusiasts this side of the Asia-Pacific rim. And it’s quite the stunner.

Priced at a serious P2.9 million, the IS300 presents itself as a realistic alternative to luxury brand volume sellers like the BMW 3-Series, the Mercedes Benz C-Class, the Audi A4 and the Volvo S60. Curvaceous and sleek, once you explain to curious folk where it positions itself, they’ll immediately understand the car’s profile. Now, being the new kid in town, the Lexus IS300 has a lot of showing up to do. And, believe me, it does in so many ways.

Spec-wise, for example, it’ll more than hold its own. Under the hood is a 24-valve double VVT-i 3.0-liter V6 powerplant that commands 228 horses and brings a whopping 300Nm of torque under your control. And though all that might seem like a mouthful on paper, the IS300 is anything but brutal. In fact, it is quite the refined performer. I took it, for example, all the way up to Tagaytay on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the twisties and the straights were relatively car-free. The ride was comfort defined, I tell you. Whenever the need to squeeze on the throttle came, however, the car would wheeze ever so lightly and obey its master’s command. We made quick work of many a slow moving vehicle that’s for sure – whether on flat surfaces of up curving inclines.

Steering response, though not BMW-esque, is sweet. You feel enough of the road to be able to react accordingly. It is neither harsh nor too pillow-y. Baby Bear proportions, I’d say. Just right.

What I really like about the IS300, though, is the interior treatment. First off, tasteful black leather wafting of prime material greets you. They’re semi-anniline leather, we’re told (that’s Filipino-Japanese for expensive/tasteful). Take a seat and the ergonomics of the seats all but embrace you. The standard seats are so snug, you’d think they were half-meant to be racing seats – albeit of the comfortable kind. Then you’ll notice, after a while, that the little perforations on the two front seats actually emit air. The knobs located at the foot of the shift lever indicate that you can have an air-conditioned or heated butt/back combination. Very clever touch!

The goodies inside are punctuated by an idiot-proof layout that gives you access to a dual zone automatic air-conditioning system as well as a multi-information display panel (there are a couple of steering wheel mounted controls as well). There’s power seat adjustments for both the driver and the front passenger. There’s power lumbar support for both driver and front passenger. The steering column is of the telescopic kind. The rearview mirror has an electronic auto-dimming function. The iPod friendly premium sound system has 13 (count ’em) speakers that deliver superb balance and clarity. In other words, once inside, you’ll feel really spoiled.

As for theIS300’s safety features, it has practically the entire gamut. It has an Anti-Lock Braking System, Brake Assist (a very smart feature that has prevented many an accident in the past), Vehicle Stability Control, an Adaptive Front Lighting System (which is very pleasing indeed), Traction Control and the now requisite (at least in luxury cars) Parking Sensor. There are also airbags galore (I counted at least eight spread out through the cabin). And the alarm system actually has an engine immobilizer that’ll cut off the engine’s power in case a carnapper decides to run off without your IS300’s smart key.

In other words, to sum it all up, the IS300 is one packed vehicle. Now, I’m not one to strictly define and cut and paste a car’s intended customer – and his preferences and needs for that matter. But I’d be damned if I don’t admit that – for the price – the IS300 is the best entry-level luxury car alternative available today. Why? Because it simply has everything in spades! True, the Lexus badge has yet to approximate the immediate wow factor of a logo with a propeller or a tri-star, but barring those little emblems…at the same price point…this is a lot more car than any of its competitors can offer, for the same price.

THE GOOD

• Interior features galore.

• Exclusivity factor.

• Reasonably priced.

• Responsive (though not overwhelming) performance.

THE BAD

• We wouldn’t say shady, but more an untested aftersales experience awaits all Lexus buyers.

THE VERDICT

• For its price point, the best entry level luxury car sedan in the market today.