Lexus - IS Euro NCAP - 5 STARS
From its beginning as the luxury car division of Toyota, Lexus has stressed the pursuit of perfection. Sporting bulging muscles and a purposeful stance the IS combines superb performance with all the luxury youd expect from a Lexus. Swift and refined the IS eagerly
grips the road, yet still provides all the cutting edge toys youd expect.
The IS is available with two smooth, refined and responsive engines, a 2.5 litre petrol and a 2.2 litre diesel. The 220d has a 6-speed manual gearbox whilst the IS 250 is available in both automatic and 6-speed manual versions. Both models are rear-wheel drive.
Equipment levels make many other brands look very stingy. Even base models are fitted with climate control, alloy wheels, cruise control, and a 13-speaker MP3 compatible sound system with CD changer. SE models add larger alloys and electrically adjustable and heated leather seats, while top-spec SE-L seemingly has just about every electronic gadget you can think of.
Lexus has led the way in recent What Car? Security Super tests, and was the first car manufacturer to pick up a faultless 100% score. The IS is about as safe as a any car currently in production. NCAP gave it a top rating of 5 stars in its crash test rating and scored it four stars for child occupant protection. The IS is fitted with whiplash reducing seat design, eight airbags including driver and passenger knee airbags, and headlamps that swivel with the steering to give better lighting on corners. An optional Pre-Collision System is available that anticipates when a crash is imminent and reacts accordingly. It will tighten seatbelts to pull passengers into the safest position and trigger the brake assistance for maximum braking.
Lexus has for some time been at the forefront of green motoring so it should not come as a surprise to learn that, along with its parent company Toyota, it was joint winner of the prestigious WhatCar? Green Award for 2007.
Lexus has consistently ranked at or near the top in independent ratings of quality, reliability and durability, even so, all Lexus models come with a 3 year 60000 mile, 3 year paint and 12 year perforation manufacturers warranty. In addition you also receive 3 years free Lexus Roadside Assistance, provided by the RAC.
About the manufacturer
Despite it's luxury image, Lexus is one of the leading players in advancing motoring technologies to reduce the impact on the environment. Perhaps not so surprising when you realise their connections with Toyota.
Lexus understands that cars produce exhaust emissions, consume raw materials and energy, emit certain harmful substances during manufacturing, and have to be disposed of properly at the end of their lives. Whilst understanding these impacts on the environment are of concern to most of us, it also accepts that doing without a car altogether isn't a viable alternative for most people, and therefore petrol and diesel engines will probably continue to form the major source of automotive power for years to come. Accordingly Lexus is directing its efforts toward advancing existing technologies as well as developing new technologies to reduce, and ultimately eliminate the effects of each of these processes.
The 2015 EU target is for 85% of all vehicles weight to be reused or recycled and 10% energy recovery, leaving only the remaining 5% for disposal. Along with the benefit of reduced waste, recycling also helps cut back CO2 emissions as it reduces the need to use fossil fuels in the creation of new materials. This is on top of the 2003 UK's End of Life Vehicle Directive which also seeks to prevent and limit waste, improve reuse, recycling and recovery of end of life vehicles.
To help achieve these goals, Lexus is pioneering the use of high recoverability materials, researching and using parts easy to recycle at the end of their lifecycle. This includes many rarely seen parts, like body sealer and interior skin material, as well as more obvious things like bumpers.. In fact recycled bumpers are already being used to make trim for luggage compartments and recycled soundproofing material is being utilised for the silencer behind the dashboard.
Lexus has also introduced a policy of free take back for all qualifying Lexus vehicles from the 1st of January 2007 and they have appointed Autogreen Ltd as the service provider to manage the scheme.
Lexus now uses a number of lead free car parts and anti-corrosion coatings, mercury-free lighting and switches, and asbestos-free friction materials and engine gaskets. In Japan, Lexus has developed ways of using certain foam products found in vehicle residue to create recycled soundproofing products. Glass can also be recycled to make tiles for use in landscaping pavement. It also avoids Substances of Concern in various kinds of paints and in solvents
Plastic components used in the interiors and exteriors of Lexus vehicles are molded from highly recyclable and lightweight materials. Enviromentally preferable materials have largely replaced mercury and lead, some of the more challenging substances to deal with, when a car is dismantled.
Lexus uses its Automobile Shredder Residue Recycling plant to recover urethane foam, fiber, copper, glass and plastics from dismantled vehicles.
When it comes to fuel technologies ultimately the aim of Lexus is to produce a zero-emissions car. In the meantime, a host of innovations and initiatives such as lightweight engineering, a sophisticated fuel-injection system, 'clean diesel' technology and recycling solutions are playing their part in helping to limit the immediate ecological burden. This includes hybrid technology, a combination of petrol and electric power which greatly reduces emissions and boosts economy. Lexus recently launched the GS 400h, the world's first luxury hybrid SUV and hope soon to incorporate this new technology into the GS range.
Thanks to the existing sophisticated VVT-i combustion management controls all Lexus models already meet Low Emission Vehicle or the more stringent Ultra Low Emission Vehicle EPA certification standards.
All eight factories that build Lexus vehicles are ISO 14001 qualified, having received an internationally recognized certification for environmental management systems. In-plant water use, waste volume and scrap material generation have been cut dramatically, along with improvements in plant energy efficiency.
The Lexus Environmental Assistance Network allows all Lexus dealers access to a customized web site that provides up-to-date waste-management information enabling them to return numerous components for precision factory remanufacture and ultimate sale as rebuilt parts.