Overview

What's New for 2013:

• F Sport package with sport suspension, sport seats and design modifications
• Models with navigation get Lexus Enform 2.0 service with App Suite technology
• Available HD Radio with iTunes tagging capability
• Available automatic Bluetooth phonebook download
• Optional red semi-aniline leather
• 18-inch wheel design
• Silver Lining Metallic paint color
• Cerulean Blue paint color is discontinued

Exterior Features
The 2013 Lexus IS C is a 4-passenger, rear-wheel-drive convertible with a power-retractable hardtop. It is available in IS 250C and IS 350C model designations, the latter equipped with a larger and more powerful V-6 engine.

Standard equipment includes 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED taillights, and power heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signal repeater lights and puddle lamps. The IS C's three-panel hardtop, constructed mostly of aluminum, retracts and stacks in about 21 seconds, according to Lexus, cutting the 10.8 cubic-foot trunk down to 2.4 cubic feet in the process.

Interior Features
The 2013 Lexus IS C's interior includes leather seats, genuine wood accents, dual-zone automatic climate control, power driver seat, power front passenger seat with easy-entry feature for the rear seat, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 8-speaker sound system with a USB port, auxiliary audio input jack, and satellite radio.

Optional Features
For 2013, a new optional F Sport package contains unique 18-inch wheels with a dark superchrome finish, different grille design, front lip spoiler, leather sport seats with heating and ventilation, and a sport-tuned suspension.

The 2013 Lexus IS C is available with an optional Luxury package that includes premium perforated leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, front-seat memory settings and one-touch easy-entry functionality, memory for the steering column position, bi-xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, LED running lights, and rain-sensing wipers.

Lexus also offers an optional Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system for the IS C, as well as a hard-drive navigation system with real-time traffic and weather information, voice-recognition technology, reversing camera, HD Radio with iTunes tagging capability, and Apps Suite technology.

Additional extras include dynamic cruise control with a pre-collision braking system, Intuitive Park Assist system, and, as a stand-alone option, heated/ventilated front seats wrapped in perforated leather. Lexus dealers can install a number of F Sport performance upgrades, including 19-inch aluminum wheels, performance braking and suspension components, and a performance exhaust system.

Under the Hood
The IS 250C is equipped with a direct-injection, 2.5-liter V-6 engine generating 204 horsepower. The IS 350C is equipped with a 306-horsepower, direct-injection, 3.5-liter V-6 engine. A 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is standard on both models. The IS 250C is available with an optional 6-speed manual gearbox.

Fuel Economy
EPA fuel-economy estimates for the 2013 Lexus IS C are:

• IS 250C: 21/30/24 mpg (city/highway/combined)
• IS 350C: 19/27/22 mpg

Safety
The 2013 Lexus IS C is equipped with dual front air bags and side-impact air bags that offer protection for the torso and head. Additionally, the car is equipped with 4-wheel ventilated-disc anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction control, stability control, hill-start assist, and technology that is designed to make it impossible to accelerate when the brake pedal is depressed. One free year of Safety Connect service is also standard, including Automatic Collision Notification and an Emergency Assist Button. A reversing camera and a dynamic cruise control system with pre-collision technology are optional on this model.

As this overview is written, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests on the Lexus IS C.