DESPITE the sliding consumer interest of sedans in Australia, Lexus has stuck to its guns by bringing its new, fourth-generation IS mid-sized passenger car to market, continuing a run that first started in 1999 when the first-gen IS arrived to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Twenty years later, the interest in sedans may not be the same however Lexus’ commitment to the sector remains clear with the IS joining the ES and LS in the brand’s sedan line-up.

Lexus has promised improved technology, dynamics and styling in the new IS, so we took the IS300 F Sport ($70,000 plus on-roads) out to see how far its new-generation contender has come.