Fans of the long-lived BMW 3-Series did not look kindly on Japan's first attempt at building a head-to-head competitor to the legendary German sport sedan. The 2002 Lexus IS arrived on the scene amid much scorn and derision, from Internet chat rooms to mainstream motoring journalists.
It took Toyota's premium division just four years to field a replacement model, and in typical Toyota fashion, the redesigned 2006 IS improves on many of the flaws in the original.
In short, it's a terrific little sport sedan, especially the new IS 350, with its potent 3.5-liter V-6.
Unfortunately for Toyota and Lexus, BMW did not let the 3-Series molder in the meantime.
A fully redesigned Three surfaced several months ago, drawing nearly universal accolades. It too is pretty sensational, easily the best 3-Series ever.
But is it still the benchmark in the compact sport sedan class? We tested the two 2006 models in nearly identical trim, including a Lexus IS 350 priced at $44,929 and a BMW 330i priced at $42,390 (base prices on each start at just over $36,000).
A clear winner emerged, but the margin in most categories was whisker-thin. The only exception was the powertrain department, where the Lexus was the victor by a comfortable spread.
In the end, we gave the nod to the car that displayed an intangible appeal that is difficult to quantify. And that indefinable edge is what really separates these two outstanding vehicles.
Full review here