Numbers, letters fall short of describing Lexus IS 350

This review first appeared in the June 2021 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California ­– I understand the need for alphanumeric car model names.  Really, I get it.  They're running out of names, right?

Any day now, I expect an automaker to introduce the Wile E. Coyote crossover sport-ute.  Don't laugh. Remember, Plymouth gave us the Road Runner.

The point is, sometimes, letters and numbers don't quite say it.  Take the tested 2021 Lexus IS 350, a luxury compact sport sedan made more spicy with the automaker's F Sport treatment.

It should have a name like Lightspeed or Flashflame.

On my tester, the name of the exterior paint job -- Ultrasonic Blue Mica -- spoke louder than IS 350.

How so? Well, of the major changes Lexus made to this extensively reworked 2021 model, enhancements to performance and rigidity spoke loudest, an absolutely blissful marriage of suspension and chassis.

My IS 350 produced a satisfying rumble on start-up, and that was the beginning of a spirited run up into the Sierra Nevada and back.

Exceptional acceleration came via the 3.5-liter V-6 with 311 horsepower.  Slight blips on the throttle brought immediate response.  The car didn't merely speed up at high revs.  It zipped.

Cornering at speed was a blast as the IS 350 held a rock-solid line throughout.  I think I could have balanced a glass of lemonade on the center console without spilling a drop.

Yet the tester seemed to instinctively sense when to drift slightly on a cornering pass.  This provided a feeling of security when I passed 18-wheelers rounding bends at 70 miles per hour.

Inside, the vehicle was comfortable, with good 360-degree vision from the driver's seat.  The expected Lexus suite of comfort, convenience and luxury features was included.

Fuel mileage was fair at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

My tester looked good with sporty sculpting and the F Sport treatments, which included 19-inch staggered-width alloy wheels with a dark metallic finish.

Overall, the tested IS 350 was stuffed with perks, bringing the bottom line to a fairly hefty $55,360 -- quite a boost from the starting price of $42,900.

I was surprised to see widely varying reviews of this sport sedan from auto-reviewing colleagues, but I'd give it a solid 8 on a 10-point scale. It might not be every motorist's cup of tea, but fans of sporty luxury in a nimble, practical-size four-door model should give it a good look.