Lexus IS200 2.0 24v Sport 4dr Review

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Lexus IS200 2.0 24v Sport 4dr
4.4 stars
Average rating for this product is: 4.4 out of 5

From 10 ratings and 25 reviews

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marinetrooper's Review of Lexus IS200 2.0 24v Sport 4dr

14th Aug 2007

Overall Rating

4.5 stars
  • Value for money
    4.5 stars
  • Length of ownership
    7 years
  • Performance
    4.5 stars
  • Reliability
    5 stars
  • Year Manufactured
    2000
  • Doors
    4
  • Practicality
    5 stars
Good Points

Very comfortable and quiet.
Silky smooth engine, precise 6 speed transmission.
Excellent handling outperforms many so called "sports cars".
Very cold air-conditioner can beat any desert sun.
Incredibly reliable.


Bad Points

Could use a bit more power and torque for cities where there are lots of hills.


General Comments

I purchased the IS200 Sport (6 speed) brand new in 2000 and have driven it until now. The car is simply a perfect blend of practicality and sportiness. If you can only own one car and yet need the 5 seats to hustle people around in, with cargo to boot, yet want to race through the mountains and twist through back roads, then this is the car you need. Handles like a BMW but with a much smoother experience, the car sometimes feels like its a marble running on rails. The engine is a little underpowered but remember that the small displacement means this car is very good on gas (I get close to 500 kms on each fill-up). But if you need to really race it, revving up to 4000 - 5000 RPMs gives really makes the car hustle and you can chase down many other more "sport inclined" cars. From 0 - 3500rpms, the engine is quiet and smooth as you would expect from a Lexus. After 3500rpm, the VVTI (VTEC) kicks in and the engine starts growling like a sports car! Extremely reliable and with few problems over the years, which might explain its high resale value. I would highly recommend this car to anyone.

I recently purchased a BMW M3 with the intent of replacing the IS200 as my daily driver. Sure the M3 is powerful and solid, but upon returning to my IS200 after 3 weeks in the M3, I realized that the IS200 is much more comfortable, has a much stronger air conditioning (I sweat in the BMW since it's A/C simply isn't as good), and has a much smoother transmission and sharper steering. Handling wise, the IS200 does not lose out to the M3 by much, while the ride in the IS200 is much more plush. Ironically, spending time in the M3 has made me appreciate the refinement in the I200 even more.

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