ljomusic

I have the NX200t and the IS350fsport and I love them both. However since city traffic here in Manila can be a traumatizing experience for any driver, I find myself enjoying the ride, shifting of gears and gas consumption of the NX. I also had the chance to bring the NX out of town a couple of times and it never let me down.

However if I know traffic wont be bad in the city like on a Sunday or if i will be going out of town I will definitely bring the 350fsport and floor it. It's a great car. Unfortunately not enough roads to really enjoy it's potential.

Conclusion. If most of your driving will be 60kph and above then get the IS350fsport it will really make you smile. But if its a maximum speed of only 60kph then get the NX. If and when you need to hit 180kph it will also bring you there without a sweat.

Hope this helps.

User 41924

This is a great question. I had an '11 IS350, that remains my favorite among all the cars I've had (and that's a LOT). I consider the fact that I traded it in on a CT to be the dumbest car decision I've ever made, although it was well intentioned and did exactly what I expected it to do. My ONLY complaint was that the front door was too short, making it difficult for me to get in and out (I'm about 6'2", 230, and old). It was more difficult than my MINI! I dearly loved the engine, which delivered enough acceleration when I wanted, yet was comfortable and flexible for every day driving. I truly loved that car, and the new ones seem even better, with great styling, improved handling, more room, and the FSport seats.

I drove a new IS FSport when I bought my NX, and was disappointed. It didn't feel as fresh as I wanted it to feel, and I couldn't get an FSport with the luxury appointments that I really missed in my CT. One of thing things Lexus does that I REALLY appreciate, is their attention to detail. In the passenger areas, everything you touch has a nice feel and shows quality and excellent fit, finish, and materials. I felt this was lacking in the new IS, and I would notice this every time I got in the car. Passenger and trunk space have no value to me, as I rarely need either, so it wasn't a consideration.

The NX covered that quality Lexus feel that I missed so much. The leather dash with the nice stitching, memory seats, and electric steering wheel adjustments might sound exceptionally trivial, but I really missed them. I couldn't get automatic windshield wipers, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. The triple LED headlights make up for this minor omission, though. To sum it up, the NX feels a lot more like a Lexus to me, and that's what I wanted. It's just comfortable, a lot like our RX. It does bother me that I drive an SUV every day, though. It was OK when I could say it's my lovely wife's car, but less so when it's mine. In the end, I valued comfort more than sportiness. Something for which my kids may never forgive me.

What I learned from my CT experience is that in the end, it ALL about how you feel when you drive it. I really like the way the NX looks, and I really like being in it. Did I mention the cool LED headlights?That, more than anything else, is why I'm so happy with my decision.