Interior Car Lexus ES 300h 2013

Interior car Lexus is approaching its first quarter century, but it hasn’t yet managed to loosen the stranglehold the Germans have on the executive car market. So could this new IS, driven here for the first time in the UK, be the interior car to do it? 

There are some things that interior car Lexus does better than anyone else – its dealers for example. You will not get better levels of service from any other car maker – fact. Lexus topped our annual Driver Power poll last year and is a regular at the top of customer satisfaction surveys.

 Interior Car Lexus ES 300h

By contrast, the ride and handling, so long a black spot for most Lexus models, is really quite good. Even the F Sport, on 18in rims and tuned suspension, is comfortable in both of its adjustable damper settings. Other models have fixed dampers and there's a bit of bounce over long waves, but body roll is well controlled and there's a poise and purpose that feels quite sophisticated.

The handling, too, is much the best that Lexus has ever offered. The steering is accurate, with good weighting and a reasonable amount of feedback. Even the single-piston swing caliper brakes are responsive and powerful.

Which makes it all the more frustrating that Lexus hasn't kept it simple and offered a four-cylinder diesel with a manual 'box, albeit one more refined than the noisy oil-burner it offered on the previous model. Interior Car Lexus ES 300h