2008 Lexus IS F Styling

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Reviewers from around the Web had criticism for the add-ons that turn the quiet and luxurious sedan into the rip-snorting 2008 Lexus IS-F.

Lexus has a difficult task with the herculean power and grip of the new IS-F. The brand’s built its reputation on comfortable rides, flawless cabins, and perfect reliability—and the IS-F is all about brute power and flash. The Detroit News says there’s no need to worry that the “IS-F might blend into the IS crowd” with its new hood, fenders, and rear spoiler. The subtle good looks of the Lexus IS, however, have been overshadowed by “gimmicky styling,” Edmunds.com notes. Some details like the rear exhaust are simply dummy shapes put in the place of real quad exhausts, they add. Motor Trend appreciates the “pronounced hood bulge that hints of something menacing lurking underneath,” and Road & Track takes the minority view and calls the add-ons “tasteful and appropriate.”

Inside, the Lexus IS-F fared a little better. Under the hood, Jalopnik says, the engine cover reminds them of “Darth Vader’s chest plate.” The cabin, however, is more sedate, offering “the style and quality we’ve come to expect of the Lexus brand,” Road & Track thinks. “Inside, it’s still al Lexus all the time,” Autoblog agrees, noting the white carbon fiber on the console, the “easily readable gauges,” and “beautifully finished seats.” Car and Driver likes the “bling of braided aluminum trim on the doors.

For more comments on the Lexus’s styling, you can also read TheCarConnection.com’s review of the 2008 Lexus IS.

Conclusion