Category: Convertibles 
Price Range: £34,550 to £39,350
Refined and comfortable, quiet with the roof up, likely to be very reliable.
Dull driving manners, underwhelming V6 engine, expensive.
A good choice for anyone after a smooth boulevard cruiser, but it's pricey and won't satisfy keener drivers.
This is where the IS 250C really disappoints.
Unlike BMW, Lexus does not prioritise sharpness and athleticism in its car design. But we cannot excuse how bulky and sloppy the IS 250C feels to drive.
The steering has an artificial vagueness that discourages the driver from pressing on along twisty roads. Of course the car handles safely enough, but it doesn't respond with the panache of its rivals in this class, so it's just not as much fun.
The engine - a smooth-revving 2.5-litre V6 with 205bhp - doesn't have the low-down urge required to give the IS 250C any real zest either. It's fine for pootling along and can return 30mpg, but it won't satisfy keener drivers and doesn't like being revved hard. Sadly, a more powerful version of the IS C with an additional 100bhp is not coming to Europe, presumably because the engine's CO2 emissions are deemed too high.
At least the IS 250C rides well, particularly on standard 17" wheels. And, if you put the roof up, the noise levels in the cabin are impressively subdued. But this has only been achieved by adding lots of extra sound deadening - even more weight that reduces the driving pleasure still further.
