It’s not easy to stand out in the ultra-competitive compact luxury-sports-sedan segment: automakers throughout three continents are all constantly vying for a limited group of international buyers. If you want a bit of a thrill out of your drive, the IS will appeal to you, but if you want to arrive at your destination feeling like you never left the comfort of your lounge, the ES is the sedan for you. The Premium Package ($1,510) adds heated and ventilated front seats to the models that don't have them as standard, as well as driver-seat memory, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering column, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and heated exterior mirrors. Three engines are available on the sedan. Lexus Safety System+, comprising pre-collision avoidance, lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control, covers the advanced driver-assistance features. Sport S and Sport S+ also sharpen the stick with which the engine and eight-speed automatic transmission are poked. A power moonroof is installed as standard, and the cabin receives a seven-inch multimedia display, Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, Siri Eyes Free, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and a ten-speaker sound system. A more refined eight-speed automatic gearbox rows the gears for the rear-wheel-drive models, while the all-wheel-drive models get an adequate six-speed automatic transmission. The Lexus ES is the larger brother the IS, and it doesn't try to be anything other than what it is: a large, luxurious cruiser. In fact, the 3 Series, and other German rivals like the Audi A4, offer better fuel economy, utility, and reliability, too. If you opt for the F Sports models, you can choose from Black, Chateau, or Rioja Red Nuluxe with Dark Gray Streamline accent trim. While it may not be the high-performance thriller it tries to be, the Lexus IS is still an enjoyable luxury sedan with a well-appointed and comfortable interior that should earn it some consideration from buyers who value luxury with a smattering of adventure. Tap a steering-wheel button and the tach scoots back to the gauge pod’s center. On spicier tires, the 3-series has nuzzled close to the 1.0-g mark, an achievement no IS350 we’ve tested has approached. There is enough small-item storage around the cabin to satisfy most sedan owners, with spacious front door pockets and a standard glove compartment. It handles well enough, even at speed, but you'll push up against its limits a lot sooner than you would in rivals. Roadside assistance is provided for an unlimited number of miles over the first 48 months of ownership. A 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine powers the RWD IS 300 models, developing 241 hp and 258 lb-ft. It's true that a fully decked out Lexus IS won't cost you as much as a high-tier BMW or Audi, but you get what you pay for.