Model Mix Pricing will be available later this summer, and the car goes on sale in October. You can bet, though, that the new Lexus IS will come in around its erstwhile competitor – the BMW 3 Series, with a base model available for those not quite ready for luxury prime time.

In addition to being all new, the 2006 Lexus IS also offers three trims from which to choose. There’s the base IS 250, the cold climes IS 250 AWD and the top dog IS 350, which is powered by a 3.5-liter, V6 engine – a variation of the 3.0-liter engine that resides in the uptown GS 300. That 3.5-liter V6 manages a nice 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, and though the IS 250’s 2.5-liter V6 is also a fine engine, at 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, you may well want the extra oomph on the straight-aways. Getting friendly with those engines are two transmission choices: a manual six, available on the Lexus IS 250, and a six-speed automatic with steering wheel paddles, optional on the IS 250 and standard on the IS 250 all-wheel-drive and IS 350.

Pricing will be available later this summer, and the car goes on sale in October. You can bet, though, that the new Lexus IS will come in around its erstwhile competitor – the BMW 3 Series, with a base model available for those not quite ready for luxury prime time. All models come with an array of features designed to make your ride safe, smooth and sublime.

Scintillating.
As with most luxury cars, features such as power doors and windows are standard on the 2006 Lexus IS. Other standard features on all models include SmartAccess keyless entry and engine start – the button you see on all the Lexus commercials – a six-disc in-dash CD changer, driver and passengerair bags all around, including knee bags for the front passengers. There’s also a 13-speaker audio system, and dual-zone climate control. Other standard features include steering wheel paddle shifters and low-profile 17-inch front and rear tires.

Standard safety equipment includes traction control (TRAC), antilock brakes (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Daytime Running Lights (DRL). There’s also a standard tire pressure monitor system on all IS models. Options seem to be where it’s at when you think IS, and according to Lexus this was done with the intent to have an attainable model – the IS 250 -- for the average 29-something crowd who made the IS popular. They’re betting that if they can keep the price within reach, they may be able make these young people fall in love with the new IS – don’t bet against it, though truth be told the new IS has lost some of its Wonderdog charm.

I suppose you have to grow up sometime. What makes the IS grow up quick is the option list, which includes an Adaptive Front headlamp System (AFS), High Intensity Discharge headlamps (HID), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) – a plus, as laser-powered cruise controls are less accurate because of road conditions and weather. Also available are heated and ventilated front seats, a power tilt and telescopic steering wheel and the requisite Mark Levinson 14-speaker sound system.

The options list also includes many of Toyota’s most advanced safety innovations, such as a Pre-Collision System (PCS), which assists occupants before a possible accident by applying more power to the brakes and tightening the seatbelts. Another available feature, on the IS 350, is Toyota’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, the latest bit of safety wizardry that helps keep you on the road. Unlike the VDIM system on the GS, which is a bit intrusive, the VDIM on the IS is a nicely tuned gatekeeper for the car’s performance.