Lexus has revised the IS 220d to cut CO
2 emissions. The result is lower running costs, which should make it an even more attractive choice for company car drivers.
The official carbon dioxide emission figure has dropped from 163g/km to 148g/km. This means the Benefit In Kind (BIK) rate for the IS 220d is 20%. The other tax benefit, which applies to all users, not just company car drivers, is a move from VED band D to band C. Lower emissions go hand-in-hand with fuel consumption that has improved from 46.3mpg to 50.4mpg - on the combined cycle.
Performance from the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine remains unchanged with 175bhp and 295lb.ft. Partnered with the six-speed manual transmission, top speed is claimed to be 135mph and 0-62mph should take 8.9 seconds.
There is no price penalty to pay for the updated engine. As before the IS 220d costs £22,015 while the higher specification SE-I and SE-L are priced at £24,470 and £26,585 respectively. The equipment levels remain unchanged since the 2009 model was
announced in November.
Deliveries of the more economical small Lexus will start in mid-March with dealers taking orders now.
John Lambert - 20 Jan 2009