2002 Lexus Is300
| Estimated Price | $34,180 |
| ENGINE |
| Engine Code | 2JZ-GE |
| Type | In-line six, iron block, aluminum head |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, four valves-per-cylinder, |
| | VVTi variable intake cam timing |
| Displacement | : 2997cc |
| Bore & Stroke | 86.0 mm x 86.0 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5:1 |
| Claimed Flywheel Hp | 215 hp at 5800 rpm |
| Measured Wheel Hp | 184 hp at 5700 rpm |
| Claimed Flywheel Torque | 218 lb-ft at 3800 rpm |
| Measured Flywheel Torque | 196 lb-ft at 3800 rpm |
| Redline | 6400 rpm |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Layout | :Front engine, rear wheel drive |
| Transmission | : Five-speed manual |
| GEAR RATIOS |
| 1 | 3.566:1 |
| 2 | 2.056:1 |
| 3 | 1.384:1 |
| 4 | 1.000:1 |
| 5 | 0.850:1 |
| Final drive | 3.727:1 |
| Differential | Helical limited slip |
| CHASSIS |
| Chassis Code | :JCE10 |
| EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS |
| Curb Weight | 3,255 lbs |
| Weight Distribution F/R | 54/46 |
| Overall Length | 176.6 in. |
| Wheelbase | 105.1 in. |
| Overall Width | 67.7 in. |
| Track F/R | 58.9 in./58.5 in. |
| Height | 54.9 in. |
| SUSPENSION |
| Front | Upper and lower control arms, |
| | anti roll bar |
| Rear | Upper and lower control arms |
| | with toe control link, anti roll bar |
| BRAKES |
| Front | 11.65-in. vented discs, |
| | two-piston sliding calipers |
| Rear | 12.09-in. solid discs, |
| | two-piston fixed calipers |
| WHEELS AND TIRES |
| Wheels | 17 x 7-inch aluminum |
| Tires | 215/45R-17 |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Acceleration |
| 0-30 mph | 2.5 sec. |
| 0-60 mph | 7.4 sec. |
| 30-50 mph | 2.8 sec. |
| 50-70 mph | 4.2 sec. |
| Quarter Mile time | 15.3 sec. |
| Quarter Mile speed | 90.2 mph |
| HANDLING |
| Slalom Speed (700ft slalom): | 67 mph |
| BRAKING |
| 60-0 stopping distance | :125 ft. |
Test NotesThis is a car I'd like to own. In fact, after two days of driving the red IS, I crunched the numbers to see if I could scrape together the monthly. Nope.
Such is life.
The reason I enjoy this car so much is its style, which doesn't really need improvement. The car's size fits me perfectly and its performance isn't high enough to get me into real trouble, but is enough for daily grins.
Sure, a little more power would make the IS 300 better, but the new manual transmission is a giant step in the right direction. I really like the shifter action and the clutch pick up. This is an easy car to drive smoothly, as opposed to other cars in this class, which need perfect hand-feet synchronization to keep drivetrain lash under control.
Maybe I'll own a manual IS 300 someday, and maybe, Lexus will find some horsepower by then. -Dan Barnes
Lexus IS 300 SportCrossLexus says the new IS 300 SportCross blurs the lines between body types, offering a new silhouette that places unique design ahead of maximum utility.
Please, allow us to translate.
The new IS 300 SportCross is a small station wagon that looks cool, but doesn't carry all that much.
Whatever it is, we like it.
With the exception of its unique front fascia, the SportCross is basically an IS 300 sedan from its B-pillars forward. It even rides on the same 105.1-inch wheelbase as the four-door and closely mimics its exterior dimensions. Aft of its B-pillars, however, the SportCross is a unique animal, sharing only taillights with the sedan.
It adds up to a pretty useful little wagon, with 21.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats upright and 41.1 with the rear and passenger seat folded flat, which proved plenty when one of our editors was recently evicted and moved one small apartment's worth of junk.
The SportCross, which starts at $32,305, is powered by the same 3.0-liter inline six and five-speed automatic transmission found in the sedan. Lexus says the engine makes 215 hp at 5800 rpm and claims the SportCross can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, only one tenth of a second slower than the automatic sedan. Sadly, the sedan's new five-speed manual is not offered in the SportCross.
Just as the sedan, the rear-wheel drive SportCross comes with standard 17-inch wheels and tires, traction control, ABS and side curtain airbags. Lexus even sweetened the SportCross pot with a standard rear wiper and nine-speaker audio system. -Scott Oldham