wazzzz

which would you prefer ? cons and pros ? thank you

LexBob2

Which do you prefer, and why?

kenji4861

You're asking this in the NX section?

I prefer the NX because it gives you a bit more cargo space and still stylish.

corradoMR2

This is a good thread I was thinking to start up since there are shoppers comparing the two because of similar price points in the same showroom! Without making this a thorough review, here are the highlights. First note I have an IS250 (not a 350) but besides power (and 8-speed if you're asking about the RWD), car/driving dynamics are 99% identical.

One would get an IS 350 because you:
- like the body style of sedans or sports sedans.
- value and can enjoy a best-in-class smooth yet sporty RWD highly-balanced handling vehicle over twisty roads.
- value the engine note of a smooth deep V6 especially from about 3500 rpms where the F Sport intake generator naturally pipes in sound into the cabin.
- do not care much for fuel economy (~ 11 L/100 km combined, Premium fuel)
- value a strong torquey launch and powerband throughout the rev range.
- value the solid availability of aftermarket visual and performance enhancing parts.
- do not require daily family and related cargo hauling capabilities.
- value the proven reliability of the car in particular the 2GR-FSE 3.5L V6.
- value the nicely crafted interior and don't mind some noticeable hard plastics.

One would get an NX F Sport because you:
- like the body style of crossover vehicles in particular compact-sized.
- value and enjoy a smooth ride with some sporty handling, further enhanced with AVS-equipped models (if avail in your country).
- value a smooth-revving quiet operating Turbo four cyl engine (smoothest 4-cyl I have ever owned compared to past Toyotas and Hondas).
- good fuel economy (~10 L /100km combined, Premium fuel) , especially for a 4000 lb vehicle.
- value highway passing power thanks to the forced induction and do not care for a small hesitation from a mid-full throttle input from a standing start.
- do not care much for customizing the NX with aftermarket parts though new vendors are slowly trickling in.
- require daily family and related cargo hauling capabilities.
- require the occasional light-duty off-road capability.
- are not risk-adverse and are faithful in the reliability in the new 2L Turbo engine. (PS, I am totally confident this engine will be bullet-proof thanks to Lexus' proven reputation).
- value the latest-tech offerings in the Lexus lineup.
- value the latest in Lexus' L-finesse styling with arguably the most aggressive front-end in the Lexus lineup today.
- value a superbly crafted interior with lots of soft-touch materials.

Which would I buy?

Both of course!

As the posters above are alluding to, you need to give us some insight on your needs and wants to further help you in a decision. Good luck!

typocl

one more vote for the "Both of course"

it does seem like a lot of the NX owners also have an IS in the family as well.

Swacer

I don't have the time for a full write up at the moment, but I'll use this post as a reminder to come back as I personally own both (2015s)

I'll get back to you

wazzzz

thank you for the inputs, keep it coming ,

IS350 is a good car, the power is good ,handling and response is also good, but the space inside is a little bit cramped , specially with the sun roof in , resulting to low headroom also ,


The NX's inside space is good,my only concern is power, coming from a subaru forester turbo , i dont think the engine power is better than the subaru's. do you guys feel the the nx is underpowered?


both car's styling is good, i like the power of the IS , but in our place, where floods and path holes are very common i think its more practical to have the NX

corradoMR2

Looks like you know what you should get, and that's the NX for the space and ground clearance you need for practical daily use and safety.

Power-wise, the NX is strong, with great fuel economy too, and I don't feel it's underpowered at all. The only time there's a hesitation is at a standing start with heavy throttle input but in all other situations, it hauls strongly.

Swacer

Welp, sorry for taking so long but here you go:

1. IS350 Fsport

Pros:
1. 3.5L V6 Natrually Aspirated, which means power on demand and with enough pep in its step to have a little fun with.
2. Very few corners were cut when this car was built. Little things like the cooling seats, and the turn signal lever not having the "click" are nice little features
3. The Fsport has the LED headlights, which are leaps and bounds above the HIDs of old.
4. Trunk space is very good for a car of its size.
5. Back seat is very comfortable and accomidating, even my brother in law is 6' 2" sits in the back seat with ease.
6. The AWD works very well. My wife had no problems at all through the PA winter.
7. The gauge cluster on the Fsport is awesome.

Cons:

1. Its small. No other way to say it. At 6', 220lbs, I feel a little big for it. The seats are made for someone smaller than myself (both the driver and passenger seats feel this way)
2. The cup holders are a wreck. They are in the position where the passenger would like to rest their arm. So the arm rest is entirely oriented to the driver. Leaves much to be desired from the passenger side.
3. Speaking of the arm rest, the storage space is really sad. My wife can fit her ray bans in and the arm rest is full. Pretty much useless storage.
4. My personal hatred is the fake sound generated by the intake.

NX200T:

Pros:
1. Interior is very comfortable and spacious. Essentially, a blimped up IS. The arm rest is entirely usable for both passengers and there is plenty of space to use in the arm rest compartment.
2. The back seat area roof goes UP, which allows for a tall person to sit back there comfortably. Our salesman was 6'4" and he had no trouble sitting back there with the rear seat reclined.
3. The 2.0L Turbo has more than enough power to get the car moving. It drives with ease and brings boost in as needed. Furthermore, I averaged 27mpg on my drive to work and back in the first 600 miles of breakin. Thus, I expect to see 30mpg with ease, which is very impressive IMO
4. The AWD drives nicely, but it will be months before I see what it can do in snow.

Cons:
1. Corners were cut. In comparing the interior of the IS to the NX, you can see where Toyota cut things out in order to bring the price down. The quickest examples are the seat quality is not as good, and the turn signal lever is a cheap Toyota part and not the nice lever used in the IS.
2. Plastic over the fender wells. While I"m ok with this and am prepared to take care of them, this plastic reminds me of the cheapness of the Chevy Avalanche.
3. As I stated in my 2 week review, I hate the programming of the 6 speed tranny. It will chronically want to downshift when you're braking which makes your soft braking seem obnoxious.
4. Overall storage is pretty similar to my Mazda3, not that its a bad thing, just it isn't any bigger.
5. The gas tank is not big enough. At almost 16 gallons, that is no near enough for an SUV. I would expect a 20 gallon tank in order to allow you to go 500 miles without a stop. I figure Toyota was concerned with weight here and went with a smaller tank.
6. I dislike that the IS Fsport got the nice LFA inspired display and the NX Fsport got a boring normal display. Furthermore, the boring display doesn't even have a digital speed readout. Just a personal grief.

Don't get me wrong, while I have complaints about both, I think both are GREAT cars and I don't regret their purchase a single bit. You can't go wrong with either one of them.

phatm3

Just noticed you're in Manila, how much would a fully loaded NX cost there?
I am from Baguio, living in Oahu.

computerwi

My turn. Sorry Swacer, stole your layout.

2015 IS350 AWD F-Sport (F-Sport Series 2 package)

Pros:
• Smooth and plenty of power. No head snapping acceleration, but readily available power whenever you need it. The engine makes a great sound.
• F-Sport instrument cluster is awesome.
• F-Sport seats are incredibly comfortable. I have not had any issues with seat comfort. In 2015 models, F-Sport is available with ventilated seats.
• A/C is coldest I’ve ever had in any car in the past 15 years.
• AWD is impressive. With a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4, I had zero problems in the harsh Alberta winters.
• Mark Levinson audio system has impressive high and low notes but mids are just average.

Cons:
• World’s stupidest cup holder design. The driver has to reach over with their left hand and the passenger has no armrest regardless when either cup holder is occupied. The size of the cup holder doesn’t fit anything except a disposable water bottle or coffee cup. Forget aluminum mugs or water bottles.
• Complete lack of interior storage.
• Stock AWD tires (Bridgestone Turanza EL400) produce lots of road noise and have very poor tread life and provide a choppy ride. Handling is average but provides decent traction in light snow.
• HIDs do not have very good range compared to other vehicles I’ve had before.
• Relatively poor fuel efficiency (11L/100km in 70/30 Highway/City driving).
• Lack of premium features on F-Sport trims in North American markets.
• Can only store 1 set of TPMS sensors (not sure if the NX is the same...)
• Huge hump in the rear seat floor. Keep rear occupants to 2 adults.
• No mudflaps available. The lower areas of my car has suffered much abuse after only one winter. Suggest getting paint protection film for rocker panel, fender arches and lower rear bumper.

2015 NX200t AWD (Executive Package)

Pros:
• Lots of power available once the vehicle is moving. Very smooth transmission, even with turbo.
• Whisper quiet interior below 2000 rpm and when turbo is not active.
• Triple LED headlights have excellent range and very sharp cutoff.
• Heads-up display, which I initially thought would be a useless feature, is cool. I use it all the time now to glance at my speed. It’s also helpful for navigation guidance.
• Plastic wheel arches help defend against rock chips (important in Canada where we use gravel on roads for half the year.
• Much better cup holder design than the IS. The improved rubber at the bottom really does allow you to open bottle lids with one hand.

Cons:
• Snow, mud and dirt gets stuck on the bottom of the doors. There is a post on this forum with a DIY fix, but that’s not really acceptable in a $50k vehicle.
• Center seat belt buckle design is clumsy, requiring a secondary buckle that intrudes into the adjacent passenger’s seatback.
• Slow and noisy power rear liftgate. The safety reverse is also not very sensitive. Careful!
• Large rear corner blind spots and small rear window. The standard backup camera is very helpful here. Blind spot monitor is also invaluable.
• No way to manually release the electronic parking brake if the battery dies (unlike the GS or LS)

wazzzz

There are only 2 models here in the Philippines

nx - 2.848 m
nx fsport - 3.288

but there are some features taken off like the power trunk , power rear seats , etc


thank you for the inputs

danes

Hey wazzz the hybrid is the one with power folding rear , panoramic moonroof and power tailgate.

Here in the Philippines no option for bsm, hud, auto highbeam, lane departure, cross traffic, pre collision safety, panoramic moonroof.

I know it sucks compared to other countries like EU and US which can have those options installed. Lexus PH says it was region spec by Lexus Japan
also the luxury tax here in the PH is absurd a base NX in the US only cost $34k equivalent to 1.530m our base model costs 2.848m

danes

Bought the F Sport version of the NX though. Just liked the interior of the NX compared to the IS350 was going for the IS350 F in the first place but after the test drive it was the NX lol

phatm3

Holy cow, I knew it was more expensive in PI, but dang! Thanks. Are the accessories over there cheaper? Like running boards, rims, floor mats, trunk mats, etc? I think running boards in the U.S. Run around $600 for a set.