The Lexus that drives like a BMW and asks for almost nothing but oil changes
carlots.ng editorial · 24 Oct 2026
The second-generation IS 250 is the car Lexus built to answer the 3 Series directly -- rear-drive or all-wheel-drive, a 2.5 V6 shared with the Camry and Avalon on this same list, and a reputation for needing nothing more than scheduled maintenance for owners who otherwise never think about the car between services.
The faults that do recur on ClubLexus's owner threads are cosmetic rather than mechanical: dashboard and door-panel trim that softens and can melt under direct sun on parked cars in hot climates, a dash rattle near the windshield that owners fix themselves with felt tape, and carbon buildup on the intake valves that Lexus covered under a technical bulletin during the warranty period but which is not a permanent fix -- a car well past that window, as most tokunbo imports are, may eventually want a walnut-blasting intake clean for rough idling. A water pump failure around 95,000-100,000km shows up occasionally but is not the norm.
Fuel consumption on the V6 runs roughly 9-10L/100km on a clear highway stretch and 13-14L/100km in Lagos traffic, respectable rather than exceptional for the class. What a buyer is really paying for is the same durability the Camry and Corolla on this list are famous for, with a nicer cabin and badge attached -- check the dash for melt damage and the idle for roughness, and there is very little else to worry about.
Sourced from the 'Common Problems with IS250' thread on ClubLexus
