First-time Lexus IS convertible raises roof on style, drivability

The 2010 Lexus IS convertible strives pretty successfully to bridge a gap between two similar yet distinct car types.

Those are the coupe, with its spaciousness and luxury perks, and the open top that lets the outdoors in.

Up until now a four-door-only vehicle, the new IS maintains its sedan style, providing interior features such as leather perforated seats, tilt steering wheel and dual climate control.

It's powerful, motored by a 2.5-liter 204 horsepower V-6 engine in the 250 model, and a 3.5-liter 306 hp V-6 in the 350 edition.

And the lightweight aluminum hardtop can open and close in 21 seconds, with three panels folded into the rear trunk but still providing enough space for golf clubs, groceries or a handbag. When the convertible hood is not in use, the trunk has 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space.

While both models are geared to convertible customers, they can appeal to a wide range of buyers or leasers, said Mike Warren, general sales manager at Lexus of Charleston.

"It's fills the (coupe-convertible) niche," he said. "We've had people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, a lot of SC customers." The Lexus SC is the company's sports car. Warren said the new ISC also is popular with customers who own a sport-utility or high-end Lexus such as the LS and want "a second car for a toy."

Warren said the first IS convertible models arrived last week at Lexus of Charleston. A few have been pre-sold. The 250 edition has a base price of about $38,490 and is available with a host of extras for $44,000 or so. The 350 starts at $43,940 and can cost several thousand dollars more with premium equipment packages. A test model was $51,140.

Other than the engines, the 250 and 350 are quite alike. And from the hood up, little has changed from the IS sedan. Both have six-speed automatic transmissions with the option of flicking the shifters to a manual-like drive using steering wheel paddles and no clutch.

Both models come equipped with a novel "fold and slide" feature - with one touch, the driver and front passenger seats electronically move forward and at an inward angle to make it easier for passengers to ease into the back. Meanwhile, the rear head restraints can be flipped down via a lever to give the driver more visibility out the rear.

Safety highlights include six air bags, power-assisted anti-lock disc brakes and Vehicle Stability Control.

An optional navigation and communications system has high-end audio, rear backup camera display and gadgets to adjust the climate. There are ventilated seats for heating and cooling.

The models are fuel-conscious. The ISC 250 lists 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. (The 350 is 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway.)

A moderate-length drive one afternoon this week of the Lexus IS 350 convertible offered a telling impression of what should be a popular model.

The hardtop has a tight fit, so that the car can operate fine as a coupe on those cold or rainy days when the top doesn't need to be down. At the same time, one easy-to-reach button opens the hydraulic roof to fit it into the trunk or pop it up and reattach to the hood.

As a driving machine, the 306 hp Lexus motors along like a sports car (0-60 mph speed is listed at 5.8 seconds), although it takes a punch or two of the pedal to pick up speed. The clutchless shift changes gears with almost unnoticeable smoothness. (The 250 is available with a six-speed manual transmission). Even with the top down and in low gear, interior noise is minimal.

The premium audio system, which Lexus said is developed specifically for the IS convertible, is high-quality. Eight speakers keep musical notes clear even at higher volume.

Fine tuned double-wishbone front and rear suspension systems provide a silky ride. And while Lexus promotional materials don't address handling much, the coupe-convertible steers with ease whether zipping around tight corners on Dills Bluff Road or switching lanes on the James Island Connector.

If there's one area where Lexus could improve, it's reliability. Maybe it was unfamiliarity with the car. But the remote access, which includes push button start and stop, is supposed to unlock the driver side door automatically as long as the key fob is nearby. It worked most, but not all, of the time on the first try.

Also, the trunk must be set with a maneuverable blocker in place before the hardtop can be lowered. The move is a precaution so that the hardtop doesn't fold on top of anything it could break.

Still, the driver or passenger needs a bit of dexterity to lock the blocker in four points, and once, a warning went off because it wasn't in place. As a safety feature, that's good. But from a convenience side, it can be a little trying.

Taken as a whole, though, the 2010 Lexus IS convertible is masterful example of how carmakers can create a car that is at once a comfy, luxurious coupe and sporty, topless roadster.

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com