First off, let's stop with all this "it's not a BMW this, and it's not a Mercedes that", and review the Lexus!
And in case you haven't checked, you and almost any other driver is not going to be taking it out on the 'road-course-track', so leave the 'expert-driver fantasy' at the door Mario.
OK, now that we got that out of the way, let's look at the day-to-day driving most of us will be doing in the Lexus IS 250 - 6-speed manual shift. The aforementioned shifter is silky smooth and very precise. The steering/handling is exceptional, and would get you out of most emergency situations admirably. Ride comfort is very good, and it really has that 'whisper-quiet' Lexus interior.
Engine power is more than sufficient, unless of course you want to win all the races at the local drag-strip. I mean how much difference does it make if it takes around 7 seconds to reach 60 MPH than only 4 seconds (I guess about $40,000 depending on what overpriced gas guzzler you're driving)? Again, the 205 HP in this car means you'll get on that access ramp ahead of most of the other cars on the road, and do it in style I might add. Speaking of...the styling is very up to date, and sleek. It has a wide, low stance, and clean lines, without a lot of cheap looking 'body-armour' found on other models. The interior room is decent, especially for the front passengers; a little less room in the back, but the comfy seats make up for the tighter leg-room. The trunk is quite large with a lot of useful space. The IS 250 is very technologically advanced with all the latest convenience and safety features standard. You really do get "a lot of car for the money". Not to mention the Lexus reliability and high resale values. I would, without hesitation, very highly recommend the Lexus IS 250 - just drive one for yourself and see.