It seems like you can't talk about the new Lexus IS without mentioning BMW's 3 Series, and so with that out of the way, we can get on with the business of the review proper.

Lexus hasn't been known for building cars that set your pants afire. The company makes luxury reliable and practical, or in a word bullet-proof. That inevitably makes for associations involving staid and boring.

If you're looking to get from A to B in immense comfort, and with absolute peace of mind and zero fuss, there's Lexus and then, well, nothing else really. Now, though, the company has made a deliberate effort to build a sense of the organic into its products, tempering all that Zen with a big dollop of passion.

These are mutually exclusive goals, you might say, and certainly the precision that the traditional Japanese approach predicates doesn't immediately sit well with passion, which is difficult to shape or focus without some dilution involved. Still, if anybody can get it right, trust the world's best and most efficient car company to do just that.

The new IS is the latest example of Lexus' new design direction, not counting the next generation LS which hasn't officially been launched. It looks a fair bit like a scaled down version of the GS sedan, but there's a more purposeful muscularity to the overall shape, thanks in part to the car's compact exterior.

The IS' nose is similar to that of the GS' but it's tauter and more angular, like it's been given a literal facelift. Pronounced shoulder lines extend from the front wheel-arches all the way to the tail lamps, helping to accentuate the car's hunkered down stance. Overall, the shape is very pleasing.

In addition to the aesthetics, Lexus has also paid very close attention to the IS' aerodynamic qualities, even going as far as to fitting a flat undertray in order to optimise the airflow beneath the car. In addition, fairings mounted in front of all the tyres help to clean up the airflow over the wheels, improving stability at high speeds.

DRIVING IT

The IS packs a newly developed 205bhp, 2.5-litre V6 that uses direct injection technology. The unit makes an ever so slightly disconcerting mechanical gnashing noise at low revs, but this happily builds into a sporty roar as the revs climb.

It's a very torquey powerplant, with over 240Nm of tree stump-pulling grunt available from just over 2,000rpm. The curve stays flat, too, all the way to 6,000rpm, so this means effortless overtaking ability and a 0-100km/h time that the seat of your pants tells you must be a fair bit quicker than the on-paper figure (8.4 seconds) suggests.

A six-speed automatic gearbox comes as standard, and you also get a pair of shift paddles behind the steering wheel. If you're in full attack mode, the gearbox responds by banging in the gears as quickly as it can-not smooth, but effective. When you're just cruising, you're hardly aware of what the gearbox is doing at all, which is ideal.

The low speed ride is a fair bit on the firm side, especially considering the Lexus badge, but this does improve the faster you go. Overall refinement is excellent, with wind and road noise impressively subdued. In fact, there's very little difference in the levels of ambient noise between pootling about town and at expressway speeds.

The big question which I've avoided till now is whether the new Lexus is a match for BMW's 3 Series in the twisty bits. The short answer is no, but this isn't a real criticism of the IS. There's plenty of grip, and the steering, despite not managing to weight up much in corners, is extremely accurate. The IS will take to corners enthusiastically enough but it never feels as settled or as comfortable as its German rival when you're in hooligan mode.

All things considered, the 3 Series, especially with one of BMW's superlative straight-six engines under the bonnet, is far too focused a driving machine to make for a fair comparison. Lexus adopts a much more considered approach and you do get a strong sense that the company has made a huge effort to blend or temper outright sportiness together with a hefty dose of refinement.

INSIDE IT

Plush is one word to describe the IS' cabin. Everything feels top quality, and there's a great deal of standard equipment, especially with the Luxury model tested here. The dashboard is all swoops and curves, with this theme extending to the design of the grab handles on the doors. And to lend proceedings a proper sense of occasion, the 'Optitron' instrument dials also perform a mini light show when you start the car. Neat.

Although attractive to look at, the layout of the controls on the centre console does take a bit of getting used to, as does the scattergun approach to the locating of ancillary controls like the traction control and the switch for the gearbox's shift mode. Spend a few days with the car, however, and this won't be a problem.

There's plenty of room in the front and back, although very tall rear seat passengers might have problems with where to put their feet. All the seats are incredibly comfy, too. It's almost like plonking yourself down in a big fluffy sofa.

Both the Standard and Luxury models get air-conditioned front seats, which quite frankly, are probably the most desirable options you can ask for in the tropics. You only have to experience their bum-and-lower-back dehumidifying effects once to come away convinced of their absolute necessity.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

The Standard and Luxury versions of the IS250 list for $135,888 and $150,888 with COE respectively. The Luxury model comes with goodies like 17-inch multispoke alloy wheels, adaptive xenon headlamps, electric steering column adjustment as well as a superb Mark Levinson 14-speaker sound system.

VERDICT

I suppose I can't end this review without once again mentioning a certain German mid-sized exec, so here goes. The 3 Series is designed for committed enthusiasts, and the whole driving experience is heavily biased in that regard.

The IS does everything extremely competently, and in any case, to outgun the 205bhp Lexus, you'd need to look beyond the entry-level 320i and stretch to the 218bhp 325i at least, which means considerably more expense.

The Lexus has the clear edge in terms of equipment levels, which are generous in both trim levels, build quality, as well as looks, simply because it divides opinion to a far lesser degree than the 3 Series.

It's also important to remember that the two play, fundamentally, to considerably different crowds. Still, all that aside, the fact that the price of a top-of-the-line IS 'only' bags you the entry-level 320i should be enough to make people shopping at this end of the market think twice.

NEED TO KNOW

Model Lexus IS250 (A)
Engine Type 2,500cc, 24V V6
Max Power 205bhp at 6,200rpm
Max Torque 252Nm at 3,400rpm
Gearbox 6-speed automatic
Top speed 225km/h
0-100km/h 8.4 seconds
Price $150,888 with COE
Warranty 3 years / 100,000km
Contact Borneo Motors Pte Ltd, 6749-3288

SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN

BMW 325i (A) $182,800 with COE
The 3 Series is king of the hill, dynamically. A superb range of silkily-smooth straight-six engines and a chassis honed by magic make for terrifically capable driving machines.

Mercedes-Benz C 230 (A) $189,888 with COE
A mid-life facelift plus a new 2.5-litre V6 engine have given the C-Class a new lease on life. The drive is much better too, although the Merc's forte is comfortable cruising.