Price Cuts in the Sports-Sedan Aisle: 2014 Lexus IS Starts Now at $36,845

After eight years in the same clothes, Lexus has taken a razor to its new 2014 IS and hacked away. And what we have, after hacking the front fascia into a frenzy of slits and slash marks, is a decent price cut. The IS350–the top-dog IS before the next IS F returns–starts at $40,360 for rear-wheel-drive and $42,595 for all-wheel-drive models, a respective savings of $855 and $1080. The entry IS250 goes up by nearly the same amounts, to $36,845 and $39,380. However, the price difference between a rear-wheel-drive IS250 and a comparable IS350 is down by one-third from the 2013 model year. Plus, Lexus says the 2014 model has more than $1400 worth of standard equipment which was previously optional.Among those features are xenon headlamps, dual-zone climate control, touch-capacitive dashboard switches, paddle shifters, and new LED daytime running lamps that have us convinced Zorro was on the Lexus design team. Drive Mode Select, like that on the bigger GS and LS sedans, offers adjustable throttle and transmission settings, while the total airbag count is now up to 10 (rear passengers now get thorax-mounted airbags). A previous package for real-time weather and traffic information is no longer optional: that's because Lexus has made it standard, thus eliminating having to pay for a monthly data subscription. Lexus jettisoned the six-speed manual transmission on the IS250 for 2013, and we know it's never coming back. For 2014, we at least get the IS F's eight-speed automatic fitted to the rear-wheel-drive IS350. All other models get the carryover six-speed automatic. All engines remain the same, and the new IS 300h hybrid is just for Europe. First Drive: 2014 Lexus IS / IS250 / IS350 Sedan Comparison Test: 2012 BMW 328i vs. 2013 Cadillac ATS Comparison Test: 2010 Audi A5 2.0T Quattro vs. 2010 BMW 328i, 2009 Infiniti G37, 2010 Lexus IS350C Of particular interest to enthusiasts is the F Sport package, available on rear-wheel versions of the IS250 and IS350 ($3115 and $3620); for the first time, the F Sport is also available on all-wheel-drive versions ($2675 for the IS250 and $3180 for the IS350). The new F Sport package features a unique grille and fascia, LED headlamps, and 18-inch five-spoke wheels and a revised sport-tuned suspension. The IS350 adds Lexus's Adaptive Variable Suspension with Sport plus drive mode. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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