Much has been written and reviewed regarding the three Lexus IS 350 models available for 2021 and 2022. Our test 2021 IS 350 was the 3.5-liter V6 with 311 horsepower. Plenty of power to move this handsome sedan. Our test IS came equipped with the F SPORT features including 10-way Drive and 8-way passenger F SPORT bolstered front heating and ventilated power seats, F SPORT Suspension Tuning, 19-inch Staggered-Width Alloy Wheels with Dark Metallic Finish, Black Geometric Film Interior Trim, F SPORT Exterior styling, F SPORT moveable meter and rear spoiler, amont other goodies.

Whoever said sedans were out of fashion believes only what they read in the press. It would appear that SUVs are all that’s available, but those of us who still enjoying the feel of a handsome, well-powered sedan (consider some of the competition to Lexus IS models, such as Genesis G70). To hear Genesis tell it, they’re tossing their money into sedans, offering G70, G80, G90 alongside their one and only, highly thought of GV80 SUV. Avid car buffs especially covet the beautiful and competent 2021 Lexus IS sedan. Don’t believe what you hear: That sedans are dead. They’re alive and well from several manufactures. The IS’ most faithful competition includes the Acura TLX, Audi A4, BMW 440, Cadillac CT4, Genesis G70, Infiniti Q50, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Volvo S60 T6.

Our IS 350 sedan came equipped with $12,115 worth of installed options. Crazy. The people who would opt for this particular vehicle-decked out the way it is-may not be a deliberate option chooser. Some of it might be negotiable, but once you get accustomed to all the extras, it’s hard to go back.

Some of the options included were not so crazy extras: Navigation, Mark Levinson Audio Package including 17 speakers, 1,800-watt premium surround sound audio system (our personal favorite). It’s packaged in with Destination Assist, Multimedia Display Lexus Enform, Dynamic, 10.3 Touchscreen, Dynamic Voice Command, all with 3-and-10-year warranty included.

The door edge guards are extra precaution in today’s tight parking spaces, affordable at $140. Illuminated door sills are classy but require a vote as they go for $425. The all-weather floor liners ($290) are classy and solid, sure to last a while.

Probably our favorite option and one we definitely would choose is the F SPORT Handling package including 19-inch Matte Black BBS Wheels, Drive Mode Select with Sport (S/S+), Adaptive Variable Suspension, Ash Heated Wood Trimmed steering wheels, interior trim, Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler.

Updated some for 2020, the IS 350 is distinctively Lexus and although it may not be the most up-to-date styling, it still looks good and stands the test of time. After all, do Lexus drivers, always make their choice of a Lexus vehicle dependent on style? The brand offers so many other desirable things, it’s a no-brainer when bellying up to the counter with your biggggggg check.

A compact executive sport sedan, the IS 350 is based on the non-modular Toyota N platform, shared with the beautiful RC 350 couple.

Worth it? Absolutely.

Lexus continues on the same platform it debuted in 2013. There are small styling and mechanical upgrades that have been made for 2021, creating a better, more competitive IS. The Lexus IS model is Japanese’s most important luxury sedan making the need for a revision important. Especially as they decrease in favor, and production. As mentioned above, the Genesis G70 and Alfa Romeo Giulia have garnered favor and attention for their overall performance, handling and engineering.

What the Lexus IS does well is blending comfort and luxury with sporty performance, a hallmark of sedans in the sport sedan segment. The IS is very comfortable, quiet and classy. It is an easy car to drive, park and handle. The ride is enthusiastic, the interior updated with more comfortable seating. This writer needed to spend a little more time becoming familiar with the trackpad and touchscreen.

The rear seat is a bit tight, however, not a bother for this driver as there aren’t many times she is transporting passengers-or dog-in the back seat. Due to the fastback-like profile of the backend, there is limited headroom in back. Worth sacrificing for the look, though. While the segment may be declining, the competition is still stiff for a handsome, crisp luxury sedan.
Carrying on their now famous HourGlass Honeycombed spindle grille-you either love it or hate it-it is un-mistakenly Lexus. Safety features are aplenty and include Collision Avoidance breaking, Blind Spot Warning, Front and Rear Cross Traffic Detection, Lane Departure Warning with Steering Trace Assist, Full Adaptive Cruise Control with Auto Hold, Automatic High Beam Headlamps, Advanced Safety Package-Sonar Front Rear Part Assist, 360 Bird’s Eye View Camera View and Perimeter Scan.

As expected, airbags are ITHS top safety pick-plus with rear camera. The IS 350s have F-Sport cosmetic treatment. We especially liked the 19.0-inch Matte Black BBS Wheels.

Those of us on a first-name basis with our vehicles definitely have an emotional connection. Although I don’t know it as fact, but the car companies know this is important. It’s about developing a shared experience-going road-tripping, sharing a hobby.

In a past issue of Road and Travel Magazine a survey of 2200 responses uncovered that many of the respondents had some sort of relationship with their vehicles. Ninety-percent sing in their cars, 60 percent talk to their ride, many treat their cars like babies, and even name them!

What is emotional connection and why is it important? Emotional connection is all about developing a shared experience of the world: going on trips, working on projects, partaking in hobbies, finding common ground you can refer back to for years. There’s ease born of these experiences, and they make for the strongest foundation. Think of all the experiences we have that surround our chosen rides? We make many memories together, deck it out the way we want it to look and choose a brand/style that gives a message about what’s important to us. It isn’t just about getting from point A to point B, after all. For some of us, losing a car can be heartbreak, whether it’s through an accident, age or theft. Some folks truly have an emotional attachment. It’s also a big financial commitment. Not surprising.

STATS:

MSRP: $57,015, delivery $1,025, total $58,040
Engine: 3.5-Liter, V6, 24-valve DI SFI gas, with 311 horsepower/280 lb-ft. torque at 4800 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed Automatic, front-engine, 4-dr. sedan, 5 passenger. AWD, 5 DRIVE MODES: ECO, NORMAL, SPORT, SPORT PLUS AND CUSTOM.
Wheelbase: 110.2 in.
Width: 72.4 in.
Length: 185. 4 in.
Height: 56.5 in.
Weight: 3,787 lbs.
EPA Fuel: 20/28/23 mpg.
Fuel Tank: 17.4 gal.
Models: IS 300, IS 350 F Sport
Tires: 19-inch
Installed Options: $12,115
Warranty: 4 yr., 50,000 basic coverage, 8 yr, 70,000-mile powertrain, 8 yr. unlimited mile coverage perforation warranty

My mother was homeless and missing for eight years, give or take what felt like a half-life. Especially when you are getting phone calls from the road saying, “We found your mother in a train station, sleeping on the floor. We took her home and gave her a bath, and she told us to call this number.”

She left us many times, but I’ll never forget the time she broke my heart. She moved us to South Carolina to be closer to her sister, to a small, two-bedroom apartment, in Greenville. After not coming out of her room for a week, she appeared one day, took my brothers and me to the window, and said, “Look at that sunset. Every time you see it remember your mother.”

She then started packing her car to leave when we called my aunt, who promptly showed up, and took her to the emergency room. We were moved back to Illinois, and she was hospitalized once again.

She would return to McHenry where the four of us lived together for the last time, in what would be a brief stint. This time when she left, she set out three rings, one for each boy, with a note to “be good to each other.” We knew she was gone because of the hole of clothes missing in her closet, but that’s a different story.

I want to thank Cassandra Weaver and Quora for giving me the strength to return to this memory and write about it. Though not an exercise in pity, but rather a way to release the pain, and help anyone else harboring hurt.

Former Eastern Illinois defensive tackle and University of Chicago head coach Chris Wilkerson has been named to lead the football program at his alma mater, EIU announced Wednesday morning.

Wilkerson — who played for the Panthers from 1991 to ’94 and served as an EIU assistant coach from 1995 to 2001 —  replaces Adam Cushing, the former Northwestern assistant who coached at Eastern for three seasons.

Cushing, who ironically played at the University of Chicago, left EIU to accept an assistant position at Duke University Jan. 11.

Wilkerson becomes the 26th head coach in EIU history. The 50-year-old played for and coached under Bob Spoo, who led the Panthers for 25 seasons and is EIU’s all-time wins leader.

Wilkerson is the first Eastern Illinois graduate to be hired as the school’s head coach in the modern era. He met with the EIU players on Wednesday morning.

Wilkerson got his coaching start at his alma mater, coaching special teams and being a key member in the Panthers’ successful stretch in the late-1990s.

In his nine years and eight seasons at the University of Chicago — losing 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic — Wilkerson produced seven winning seasons. His Chicago teams twice won eight games, including an 8-2 record this past fall in which senior running back Nick D’Ambrose was named a First Team Division III All-American.

EIU officials and alumni are certainly hoping Wilkerson can revive the Panther program, which has not had a winning season since 2017. Eastern posted a dismal 3-26 record in its last three seasons. EIU last qualified for the FCS playoffs in 2015.

“I’m excited to welcome Chris Wilkerson back home as the next head football coach at Eastern Illinois,” EIU athletic director Tom Michael said in a release.  “The passion with which Chris played the game as a Panther, the passion with which he speaks about EIU, show what a truly special place EIU is.  He brings with him a proven track record of building a program with success on both sides of the football.  I have no doubt that Chris will bring that same passion back to this program on the field when the Panthers suit up this fall.”

Tony Romo, a College Football Hall of Fame member, knows Wilkerson from their time together in Charleston.

“Chris was on Coach Spoo’s staff when I was a student-athlete. I thought very highly of him at that time and have followed his coaching career,” Romo said in the release. “He has the football knowledge on both sides of the ball that will enable the EIU program to be successful. He is the right person to lead our program and I’m excited to have him back home as our next head football coach.”

Wilkerson, an Indianapolis native, coached special teams all seven years as an EIU assistant. He also served as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and defensive line coach in his tenure with the Panthers.

EIU reached the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs four times and won a pair of conference championships during that time. Wilkerson’s defenses and special teams were regularly ranked in the national top 20 in numerous categories.

Wilkerson is the first EIU hiree with head coaching experience since Al Molde in 1983. Spoo, Dino Babers, Kim Dameron and Cushing were all assistants elsewhere prior to being hired at EIU. Babers, now the head coach at Syracuse, also got his start in coaching under Spoo.

Wilkerson earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from EIU in 1995. Chris and his wife, Sharna (a former EIU softball player), have three children: Isabella, Peyton and Charlotte.

According to the University of Chicago athletic website, Wilkerson’s 2021 Maroon offense broke six single-season school records, three single-game school records and seven individual records. D’Ambrose led the nation with a school-record 1,714 rushing yards, while setting new program bests for yards per carry (7.4), points scored (120) and rushing touchdowns (20).

The Maroons were highly ranked nationally in several categories on both sides of the ball.

Prior to coaching at the University of Chicago, Wilkerson was on staffs at Dartmouth and San Jose State. In 2003, he was a nominee for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

EIU, which plays in the Ohio Valley Conference, opens the season Sept. 3 at FBS member Northern Illinois. The Panthers’ first home game is Sept. 10 against Chattanooga.