Aeromotive

Hi all.

Intro : I've been a Lexus guy since high school (never owned one, but loved them). I never gave much attention to german cars because to me they were "trouble right when the warranty is over", along with expensive repairs and maintenance.

Fast-forward 12 years : Now that I graduated and my wife graduated last week, we're looking for a car for her. I'm in love with the 2014 IS350 after all I read, but my wife wants the 335 (we're talking AWD and Xdrive here). One would say : is it really a question? If the wife wants the 335, then that's what she'll get! Anyways, I test-drove both, and just for the sake of discussion, I thought I'd share my opinion on the forums.

Disclaimer : I don't pretend to be a professional car reviewer, and those are just the main points that struck me on each car.

IS350 F-Sport AWD
LIKED

• Exterior design (not everyone likes it, especially the spindle grill, I know...)
• Interior design (completely redesigned, especially liking the LFA-style gauges)
• Luxurious, refined interior compared to the BMW
• The seats in the IS completely wrap you. I felt like I was in a race car cockpit. I loved the higher waistline/beltline because it added to the "wrapping" feeling, but my wife (5'2") didn't.
• Reliability
• Customer service (best one years in row, although I'm sure BMW isn't far down on the list)
• Lower cost maintenance? Is this true?
• Driving seems to be pretty close to the F30
• Less expensive for a similarly equipped car
• Slower depreciation

DISLIKED

• 6-speed transmission on the AWD
• Older engine
• Power is available when RPM hits 4-5000 (which is OK, but definitely worse than the BMW)
• Worried about it not aging well due to the re-design
• First model of its generation = potentially more trouble
• Navi screen is tiny compared to the BMW's (just can't get over the left-out space to the left and right of the screen... that's around 1 inch on each side!)
• System menu is slower than BMW's iDrive

335 Xdrive M Sport
LIKED

• Superb driving
• Great engine response at low RPM
• Engine noise is also more pronounced and present in the F30 when flooring it at low rpm's while it's virtually absent in the IS until 4500rpm
• Shift-response seems to be faster than the IS
• Beautiful engine/exhaust sound
• 8-speed transmission
• Conservative design may age better than the IS
• Seems to have a bit more room in the rear
• Larger navi screen with easier navigation
• Seems to have more gizmos (HUD, Comfort access... people say once you try them you can't do without them, but to me they're gadgets)
• Wife prefers it (yeah, this one pretty much overrides everything I just said)

DISLIKED

• Worried about reliablity
• I wouldn't buy it, just lease, which changes all the plan, as I hate to lease
• "Bland" exterior to my tastes, but this could be a good thing... (see PROS)
• "Bland" and conservative interior (no eye-striking differences from last gen - at least to me, the average buyer!)
• Not liking how the X-drive sits higher

Note : I read every single online review about the IS and every comparison between the IS and the F30, including Edmunds' BMW hands-down win and C&D's Lexus win.

Bottom line : we ended up getting her a 335i Xdrive M Sport, which is still growing on me. The IS disappointed me with 2 things : Navi screen and system menus and older engine/transmission (AWD). Even my wife could tell the difference in terms of "driving feel".
The IS is a huge improvement over the last one and gets dangerously close to the BMW, but while I was driving I kept repeating to my wife : "The F30 begs you to push it, while the IS makes you want to take your time and cruise along". I guess that would summarize the comparison.

I hope this helps anyone make their decision... I'm still looking to get myself an IS350 F-Sport AWD next year (thinking USB to contrast with her Alpine White) because I'm in love with the IS. Just not sure about having 2 sports sedans in the driveway...

Aero.

doctorttt

Congrats anyway. Did your wife get the Dynamic Handling Package on the 335i?

D&G

Congrats on the 335i F30. It's a much faster car than the is350. That was one disappointment I had was no increase in hp for the 3IS.

Ramon

Congrats on the purchase. We share many if the same likes/dislikes on both models and if I were to buy a car today, between the two I'd have made the same choice. I'm hoping by the time I'm ready to buy my next car, the 3IS will have ratcheted up enough "likes" to keep me in the Lexus family.

Aeromotive

Thanks all.

@doctorttt : in Canada we don't get DHP, but we got the M Adaptive Suspension and Variable Sport Steering, which (I've been told) is equivalent...

Stillhart

Gotta say, I just drove both today and I'm feeling the same list of pro's and con's. ATM, I'm leaning ever so slightly towards the BMW.

peteharvey

There'll be a big contest between the 335i and the IS350.
Each of the two cars has a set of strengths and weaknesses.
It just depends on personal and individual priorities.
If the past is an indication of the future, I'm sure more buyers will lean towards the 335i.
However, a number of buyers, even if small, will still lean towards the IS350.

Personally, I still haven't had time to test drive the IS350 yet, but I myself would still lean towards the IS350.
I just prefer the reliability, and the atmospheric engine more, even though I'm cheesed off at the lack of bottom end punch.

My C Class with a 90 degree V6 and only 40,000 miles just spent $1k for a new alternator!
2k for a new driver's ignition switch on the dashboard last December!
And 2k for a new heater in the past!
It's not a lemon; it's just the way it is with European cars.
And Benz are supposed to be the most reliable of the Europeans.
My brother in law had to bring his brand new Audi Q5 back 5 times for a faulty water pump.

So overall, it just depends on personal priorities really, as to which way to go.
Both are great cars.
Can't go wrong with either car...

Stillhart

Just sayin, not sure where you heard that about Merc, but both Merc and Audi are off my list for being chronically unreliable. Merc was the benchmark for reliability like decades ago, but not so much anymore. And Audi/VW...yeeesh.

Other than that tho, I get your point about the BMW.

SecPole14

I'd never buy a BMW, but your post reinforces my opinion that the IS is better suited as a more relaxed, more luxurious cruiser/DD that can still do some "sport", instead of the other way around. And there's nothing wrong with that.

pinipig523

My Benz has been completely reliable. In fact, all my cars have been. We have a reliable Lexus RX and I've had good luck with infiniti also. I think the new waves of Benzes are a step up from the other less recent offerings.

Aeromotive

In the last 3 months I went from an 11-year Lexus lover to getting a BMW. It just speaks for itself. However I still love the IS, and I'm planning to get one next year.

But I just can't get over the difference in engine response (AND mpg!) and the tiny navigation screen (AND slow menus in the Remote Touch). I hate laggy menus, especially when I'm on a red light trying to input a destination or change the radio station. I really hope they fix both of these in the near future because they're both main components of the car

I don't even need to downshift the 335 to get my 3xx lbs of torque. It's there, right at 2000 rpm. WIth the IS, I had to step down at least 2 gears to get to 5000rpm in order to hear that sporty engine sound and feel the power. I'm not disappointed with the IS, but it's just not "up there" yet.

SecPole14

1) It's ok, everyone makes mistakes.

2) First-world problems..

LexFather

Nice pick up, its a great car. That said the recent comparo shows MT prefer the ATS and IS handling and drive and ironically the 3 series is easier to live with. Mind you this IS was not the F-sport and the 3 series had every performance option.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post8041360

Ramon

1) everyone does,, luckily for him he didn't.

2) with a first world solution. He bought the BMW.

Glashub

Just so I'm clear -- we're talking about a car -- the BMW -- that costs $47,000 in it's base model -- is that right? Or is it more? And are we comparing AWD drive with RWD? I just like to keep track of these things -- because everyone loves a BMW -- or at least in LA they do since it seems everyone has one. But then again with the liberal lease plans offered by BMW it seems everyone can afford to lease. Funny personal observation -- most of the BMW's I look at closely are base models with few if any options. It's all about the look here.