The rear-wheel-drive IS 350C is the convertible model of Lexus' popular IS line. It's a two-door hardtop that seats four and has a super-fun 3.5-liter V-6 engine. What's really great about it, though, is that this little number is on the softer side of sporty, with a smoother ride than a true sports car. It's not meant to go screaming around the track, but it was plenty sporty enough to tempt me into trouble on the highway or twisty mountain roads. Not that I followed that impulse. Of course. I moderately enjoyed the 306 horsepower and six-speed automatic transmission while gently cruising at respectable, mature speeds up hills and through switchbacks and never once found myself getting overexuberant. Ahem.
Living with kids in this little beauty took some creativity, but we managed. The IS 350C only has room for my kids or my husband, but not both at the same time since the backseat's legroom is limited. Taking kids to school and running errands was no problem, but the small space left in the trunk when the convertible top was down gave me pause. I also wasn't in love with the navigation system's touch-screen controls, but I was having so much fun just driving a convertible with a V-6 that I was willing to overlook it. While the IS 350C isn't cheap – it starts at $44,890 – fun like this is worth the $49,415 on the sticker of my test car.
EXTERIOR
The 2010 IS 350C is one hot, little number, particularly in the Matador Red Mica of my test car. It's really beautiful, according to everyone I spoke to on the subject. In front, the IS 350C crouches low to the ground, with strong sculpting angling back from the chromed grille to the corners of the windshield. With the top up, the profile is reminiscent of the more expensive SC model. With the top down, the IS looks longer and roomier, even breezier.
There's very little chrome on the IS 350C, which is surprising for a Lexus. Only the front grille is wrapped in chrome, leaving the door handles and windows clean. The Lexus badging is also chrome, but aside from that, the IS is sleek and monochromatic. Twin exhaust tips are also chromed.
Getting in and out of the IS 350C is a breeze when the top is down. It's less so if the top is up, which is another excellent reason to leave the top down. The IS sits fairly low to the ground, so it's a slide-in-and-down motion to get in it. When the roof is up, even little ones need to watch their heads climbing in. There's plenty of headroom while seated in front and enough in the back for small folk. The doors are pleasantly solid and not too heavy, but they can be difficult for kids in the backseat to close since it's a coupe.
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