Auto Car | Lexus IS 250C 2009 | We all saw it coming, each one of Lexus’s competitors has a convertible, and it was only a matter of time before the Japanese marque produced one of its own.Lexus has taken the roof off the Lexus IS250 to produce what it terms as the Lexus IS 250C – surprisingly enough.At first glance, you could mistake the IS 250C for a regular IS 250, it’s only when you see the side and rear profile of this hard-top convertible Lexus that you realise it’s unique.
While it’s difficult to overcome oversized doors in a convertible, the IS 250C’s driver and passenger doors are the first part of a driver’s impression and left a sour taste in my mouth from the get go.Even on level ground, the doors weigh two to three times more than a regular IS 250 door. When you get to an incline they become countless kilo’s heavier as you attempt to open them against gravity.
The reason the doors are so heavy is because of the extra structural components required to maintain the vehicle’s safety regime, considering they must stay intact when the car is both upright and upside down.Heavy doors aside, the interior is a pleasant place to be, all the switchgear is easy to find and the updated satellite navigation system is quicker, while the updated graphics and resolution make it better to look at.If you enjoy long distance driving, brace yourself for regular rest breaks as the seats are extremely firm and very flat.
It feels like you’re sitting on an old couch that has wooden planks fitted underneath the covering. Presumably this is due to the seats needing to be lower to accommodate driver and passenger heads during roof operation.While you will drive uncomfortably to each destination, you can rest assured that you will do so quietly with the fantastic noise suppression. Even on windy highways, it’s hard to tell you’re sitting inside a convertible, which is a commendable effort on Lexus’ part.
Even if noise was an issue, the incredibly powerful 12-speaker Mark Levinson sound system would quell such a problem, because despite having the roof off, everyone will be able to hear you coming.The sound system reproduces bass extremely well and features high clarity tweeters, in addition to a six-disc in-dash CD player which doubles as a DVD player for those lonely nights in.
The rear seats are more a novelty than an operational feature. Even squeezing kids into the rear seats is an ask, making you wonder why Lexus even bothered with them.The roof operates via a switch located next to the driver’s knee. The silent roof operation takes around 20-seconds and uses some 13 motors and 33 sensors to open and close.Our Sports Luxury test vehicle was loaded to the hilt with features, including: DVD satellite navigation system; electric windows; electric mirrors; retracting roof; dual zone climate control; heated and cooled driver and front passenger seats; auto dimming rear and side vision mirrors; reverse parking camera; Xenon headlights with adaptive function; electric seats with memory; trip computer; auto windscreen wipers; auto headlights and Keyless start.
Source : www.caradvice.com.au
The reason the doors are so heavy is because of the extra structural components required to maintain the vehicle’s safety regime, considering they must stay intact when the car is both upright and upside down.Heavy doors aside, the interior is a pleasant place to be, all the switchgear is easy to find and the updated satellite navigation system is quicker, while the updated graphics and resolution make it better to look at.If you enjoy long distance driving, brace yourself for regular rest breaks as the seats are extremely firm and very flat.
It feels like you’re sitting on an old couch that has wooden planks fitted underneath the covering. Presumably this is due to the seats needing to be lower to accommodate driver and passenger heads during roof operation.While you will drive uncomfortably to each destination, you can rest assured that you will do so quietly with the fantastic noise suppression. Even on windy highways, it’s hard to tell you’re sitting inside a convertible, which is a commendable effort on Lexus’ part.
Even if noise was an issue, the incredibly powerful 12-speaker Mark Levinson sound system would quell such a problem, because despite having the roof off, everyone will be able to hear you coming.The sound system reproduces bass extremely well and features high clarity tweeters, in addition to a six-disc in-dash CD player which doubles as a DVD player for those lonely nights in.
The rear seats are more a novelty than an operational feature. Even squeezing kids into the rear seats is an ask, making you wonder why Lexus even bothered with them.The roof operates via a switch located next to the driver’s knee. The silent roof operation takes around 20-seconds and uses some 13 motors and 33 sensors to open and close.Our Sports Luxury test vehicle was loaded to the hilt with features, including: DVD satellite navigation system; electric windows; electric mirrors; retracting roof; dual zone climate control; heated and cooled driver and front passenger seats; auto dimming rear and side vision mirrors; reverse parking camera; Xenon headlights with adaptive function; electric seats with memory; trip computer; auto windscreen wipers; auto headlights and Keyless start.
Source : www.caradvice.com.au
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