2008 Lexus IS Safety Review [ 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 54 IS reviews and test drives.
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
Endowed with active safety features and respectable crash test ratings, the Lexus IS wins praise as a safe car. In addition, the 2008 IS does well in both government and insurance industry crash tests.
In government crash tests, the 2008 IS earned four out of five stars for the front passenger and driver's protection in frontal impact crashes. In side impacts, the IS earned five stars for the front seat and four stars for the backseat occupants' protection. Both all-wheel and front-wheel drive models earn a five-star rollover rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, gives the IS the highest rating possible, "Good," for both frontal offset and side impact crashes.
The Lexus's "carefully designed passenger compartment and front and rear crumple zones protect occupants," reports Road and Travel. The IS can be fitted with the optional Pre-Collision Safety Package for added assurance.
Accident Avoidance
The 2008 Lexus IS has a full suite of active safety technologies, including traction control, stability control, brake assist and antilock brakes. New Car Test Drive says the four-wheel disc brakes are "large and effective." The advanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), as well as the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) are standard safety features on the IS. Both of these features, packaged with the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, use a sensor to detect obstacles in front of the car. These features help control loss of traction during turns.
Crash Protection
Standard passive safety features on the 2008 Lexus IS include driver's and front passenger's knee air bags, front seat-mounted side air bags, and front and rear side curtain air bags, and twin-chamber air bags for the front passenger, featuring two chambers that indent on impact to disperse force on the passenger's shoulder. The IS is structurally reinforced, with front and rear crumple zones for optimum crash protection. In addition, the IS features three-point seatbelts, with force limiters. Daytime running lights are standard on the Lexus IS, assisting other drivers in spotting your vehicle.
Advanced Safety Systems
The IS' Pre-Collision System can detect a vehicle ahead with a front radar detector. When an unavoidable collision is detected, the computer stiffens the suspension, retracts the front seatbelts and initializes the brake assist.