spas2k

I've owned my white IS350AWD for two years now and I thought I might post my likes/dislikes that some people may not discover after a short test drive. The car has been generally great and some could argue it's close to being a perfect car in some aspects. Of course some people may want more sport to it, or more luxury/comfort, but in general the car is a compromise overall and has its good and bad points. Where you fall on this sport <---> luxury scale will determine if this is the car for you.

Likes:

Looks - After two years, I still like how it looks. BWM 3 series are a dime a dozen here and the car still sticks out. Some people WILL see it as hideous and some will see it as an aggressive sedan that tries to stand out from the sea mundane. I personally like how it looks and I still enjoy the rear line that sweeps up through the trunk. I think that the people who see it as ugly are those that see the top headlights predominately apart from the bottom nike swooshes, and again separate from the grill, and those that like the looks see the front as a whole cohesive unit, apart from the individual styling elements.

Handling - It handles well. Not great but decent, but definitely best in this segment. In AWD form it loses some of that RWD *push* that the RWD model has. I originally bought this car in Ohio and it was great in the snow. Because of the awd distribution it overseers a bit in the snow which is great fun for those looking for it, but maybe a tad touchy for someone who wants more snow stability. It is not agile per say, but it does have decent initial turn in and it holds the line confidently. A switch back will show it's weight though and there is no hiding that the car's 3800 pounds. It does better at high speed sweepers than it does at low speed hair pins. It has a very nice stable feeling when taking a fast corner at speed. That is also has a better on center feel than the 335 xdrive and better chassis dynamics in general. The 335x felt dead on center to me which is the main reason I picked the is over the bwm.

Luxury - To myself, it falls on the "just enough" luxury scale slider. I like the solid quiet feeling it it has and the granite like feel it gives when it goes over bumps. 2 years in and I do not have 1 single rattle or squeak. The car has a firm sporty feeling at all times and never feels like a camry or es350 at any point. The seats and the dash help convey this feeling as well with a decent steering wheel that feels great in hand. Wind noise is kept to a minimum but tire noise can be loud over crappy pavement.

Reliability - What is there to say here. Car as been rock solid from day 1. No problems, no issues, 30k on the odo.

Dislikes:

Power - 300hp to the crank, 250hp to the wheels has a hard time moving 3800 pounds. It's decent enough to get you up to speed but it won't put that giddy smile on your face when you stomp on it. Couple this with the too tall gearing, especially first and second, and it has a hard time getting off the line at a decent clip, and powering through slow speed corners. Throw it in second and try to power out of a corner at 30mph will leave you leisurely accelerating out at pace that a manual honda civic can match. I mean, it is what it is and 250whp with tall gearing is the #1 biggest weakness this car has. It simply does not align with the competition. The new BWM 340 is dynoing at over 330hp to the wheels which puts it closer to the ISF than the is350. I'm very upset that Lexus won't do anything with this aging motor for the next refresh. I know this tall gearing was an effort for better fuel economy but...

Gas Milage - sub 20mpg in a 14 second car is not what I had in mind. If I'm getting sub 20mpg on average, the car better have a decently powerful motor in it. There are AMG cars that get comparable gas mileage to this car.

Transmission - It's ok. I have the 6 speed auto so I can't comment on living with the 8 speed but it does the job as an auto transmission as you'd expect. What I would like personally is faster shifting that its competitors have, and decent throttle blipping rev/matching on downshifts. Some times it does ok and some times it falters and lunges behind (always in sport+ of course). Make up your mind! A dual clutch is probably out of this car's target and a manual trans is a pipe dream. The car would be better with both but maybe out of the demo for the car. Competitors offer auto transmissions that shift and act almost like dual clutches now and lexus needs to step their game up in this department.

TIRES! - Ugh, tires. This car handles well. That is a fact. The handling is the result of aggressive suspension alignment which will DESTROY your tires in short order. I'm at 30k miles and I'm already on my second set. I will most likely have to buy another set before the lease is up in a year. This is ridiculous for a car that is NOT a sports car and doesn't ride on SUMMER tires. I've owned a s2000 with sticky summer only tires that lasted longer. You absolutely have to monitor the tire pressure constantly as well. Leaving it low will chew through your tires even faster. Plan on buying a set of tires every year at close to $1600+ a pop. If you change the alignment for longer tire wear (neutral alignment) it will KILL the handling. That sharp turn in is completely thrown out the window and it will have a muddy on center feel to it.

Modability - Nothing the say here. Modding for performance is a waste of time/money on this car. If you want to tune and or mod a car and see decent results you are better off getting a turbo car.

That's all for now potential owners with questions feel free to ask anything!

phans2k

I myself had came from a s2000 ap2, kinda miss the raw feel of the 6speed tho =/

Mrg02d

Wow. I have had a much better experience with my RWD IS350, in every aspect really. Better mileage on gas and tires. Much faster/agile.

evident

I have a 14 as well. I really have no issue w/ the materials on the center console. Whats your issue w/ it? Also regarding the wheel gap, i think for a stock car it's fine. The car sits pretty low as it is, and i've already scraped underneath my front bumper twice.

corradoMR2

I pretty much agree with the OP. When I had mine for almost three years, I liked the looks, decent responsiveness (250), and overall handling, but disliked the fuel economy, highway power (250), and some of the materials on the interior which detracted from luxury status.

sistrunk05

Thanks for sharing your review. I'm in agreement with most of the observations you shared. The only recommendation I have for you for tires is to get the Michelin Pilot Super Sports. They last longer, improve handling/stability tremendously, and ride better than the OEM Bridgestones. I paid $1100 for a set including free replacement warranties for each tire from Discount Tire. Not sure which ones you purchased for $1600 but the Michelins are the way to go. If you thought your IS handled well with the Bridgestones, be ready to be impressed with the Michelins.

Mrg02d

I was wondering what tires he got for $1600. That's crazy to spend on this car.

Btw-How are those PSS in weather that dips into the 20s from time to time?

-Matt

EZZ

If it gets in the 20s, the tire can get slippery. But anything in the 40s and up is amazing. I paid $1100 from the dealer so ask the dealer what the pricing is. The PSS is cheaper for the IS than many other cars I've owned. 18 inch tires are not really expensive.

evident

PSS aren't designed to be used in temperatures below freezing. They would be outright dangerous to use at freezing temps, especially if there is precipitation. Your best bet is to run a set of winter tires along w/ summers.

DSPEED

iTrader: (2)

I have a 250, but will agree that power is lacking in these cars. I really wish I had gone with a 350 instead.

cayala0501

I honestly just hate the goddam cup holder location. I may just trade in for that reason alone.

IS2504PD2

Hi a Newbie Here. Don't mean to Hi _Jack this thread
I did a quick search and didn't see anything, but i thought this would be a good place to start.

I also did a post in Welcome Section

My question is How are is the drivers seat for for long distance drive? I do a two hour trip on way once and return trip the same day once a month and with the current car that I have I cant drive an hour without back discomfort.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jackal84

Interesting and scary about the tire wear. I got a fresh set with my used '14 I picked up a little less than a month ago, was figuring I'd be good for 25-30k miles, can't imagine going through them that fast. But $1600 in tires seems insane, what tires did get? A full set of michelin pilot sports for my vette came in much cheaper than that.

2015isboy

I have 16 is350 f sport and just bought a 340i m sport. The BMW is way ahead of lexus in tech and in drivers experience. I must say you can't beat the comfort of the lexus seats but thats about imo.

IS2504PD2

Thanks for you opinion 2015is
Not overly concerned about the Technology it changes to fast anyway. What's in a High End Car trickles down to the Lower End Cars a few years later anyway.