2010 Lexus IS 250C - Trims

The new IS C isn’t the softest and most comfort-oriented vehicle, but it isn’t the most performance-focused either.

In this pack of luxury-brand convertibles, the IS C has more of a performance edge than the Volvo C70; the front-wheel-drive Volvo has great seats and a roomy trunk, however.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK feels heavier and more grown-up than the IS C, and it’s offered in a powerful V-8 CLK550 model, but even the base CLK350 is a lot more expensive than the Lexus, and it comes with a soft-top setup that’s not quite as isolated from the elements as the IS C’s tight top.

The IS C’s most direct rival is probably the BMW 3-Series Convertible.

The 2010 Lexus IS 250C just doesn’t keep up with the 328i Convertible, but compared to the 335i Convertible, the Lexus IS 350C is a sportier, more compelling alternative, priced at thousands less and with more usable backseat space; like the IS C, the Volvo and BMW come with a retractable hardtop.

Two new rivals to be introduced this year will also be hot alternatives for open-air motoring: the Audi A5 and G37 Convertible.

Audi sticks with a traditional soft top for the A5, but its interior is absolutely stunning.

Meanwhile, the next G37 Convertible promises performance near the front of the pack; it also will get a retractable hardtop, done in steel rather than the IS C’s lighter-weight aluminum.