Long Term Update 5: 2008 Lexus IS F
By Ron Kiino
Photography by Brian Vance
"Simply put, the IS F has too many gears," claims associate online editor Scott Evans. "While it's nice to see the revs under 2000 at 70 mph and the accompanying fuel economy, downshifting to pass becomes a chore. To get to the real power, you have to drop the car four gears and then run back up through them.
"While making a pass on the freeway, my brother actually asked me what all that clicking was and I had to explain I was running down to fourth gear and back up to eighth. Even for less aggressive passes, you're often skipping at least one gear. Giving credit where it is due, the transmission is quite smooth and shifts very quickly, so the problem isn't the box itself but the number of gears it contains."
| 2008 Lexus IS F |
| Months/miles in service | 13/20,314 miles |
| Avg econ/CO2 | 19.0 mpg/1.02 lb/mi |
| Unresolved problems | None |
| Maintenance cost | $990.49 (4 - oil change/inspection, 2 - replace cabin air filter, replace engine air filter) |
| Normal-wear cost | $790.00 (replace tires) |