Hello everyone, I am new here and when I want to look up information on lexus I always come to these forums

I just graduated college, got a full time job and want to buy a new car, a lexus. I will be getting off my parents insurance as well and got quotes for both, not too bad. What I need is advice on which car to get.

Budget: willing to pay up to 42k ( can get NX below for 42)

Choices: The cars I am considering are

2013 GS 350 awd
2013 GS 450h awd
2015 NX with premium package / navi / awd

I know its a little strange that one is a small suv and the other is a midsize sedan but these are the cars that I am looking at

The GS I would obviously be buying used ...lets say anywhere from 12-25k miles on them

The NX would be brand new

I test drove the NX, GS, ES and IS 350

NX I like the extra height, its comfortable

The GS sedan, I can live without the extra ground clearance and while driving I like the 'heavy' feel to it even though the NX is actually heavier

The NX is supposed to get better gas on paper but from what ive read here and from fuelly reports drivers of both cars seem to get around the same. Also my driving will be 70-80% highway

I wish I could comment on the handling and all of that but ever since I could drive all I was driving is old cavaliers and corollas so they all seem really good

What I really want to know posting here is how reliable a GS 350/450h awd is with 12-25k miles on it assuming the driver treated it decently and didn't purposefully try to destroy the vehicle / there are no accidents in its history

I recall reading about the awd GS not being as reliable as other lexus, possibly on this forum if not another one.

NX I will have to assume is reliable as no one has had it long enough to know otherwise ..besides the recalls

I'm new to all of this and any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

btw IS 350 is out because its too expensive (dealer had us drive it for fun), ES doesnt have awd and also compared to the other cars it wasnt as fun..though used is cheaper and reports for reliability are amazing

alternatively there is also the IS 250 awd which I can get for the same price as NX with same features

 

I would take any new Lexus over a used Lexus, but I wouldn't want to drive the NX as a daily driver.

If you can get a new IS250, I think I would go for that, especially the convertible.

 

Why wouldnt you want it as a daily driver? MPG? ...did I mention roughly 50 miles a day

It seems to me that people driving the IS 250/NX 200t are getting the same mpg

http://www.fuelly.com/car/lexus/nx200t/2015

http://www.fuelly.com/car/lexus/is250/2015

this is by no means an accurate measure but its just an example of what people are getting over time, wish they had more people with the vehicle to log but I'm also going by reviews off of other automotive sites/comments/forums


Why I really want a lexus is for their world renowned reliability, I couldn't possibly link all the positive articles/awards/ratings they have received

 

Congrats on graduating from college, making your first post, joining CL, and buying that first car that you actually want. I'll have to agree with @LexsCTJill in going new if you can swing it. Sounds like you really want something sporty. It's none of my business but make sure you've put something aside in a rainy day fund for emergencies. What was your major in school? Hope you didn't accumulate any student loan debts obtaining your degree. They really make it hard on young folks trying to get through school these days. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Its not necessarily that I want something sporty but I want that famed lexus reliability, yes I'm sure other brands are reliable but I want the most reliable (at least thats what reports and studies have shown).

I know toyota is good as well and I can get better fuel economy but the camry looks ugly with a bland interior
Corolla's are incredibly reliable but I hate how they look and bland interior
Avalon is too large and I am not a fan of the interior though im sure it is comfortable which is another requirement in the car I want
Rav4, ugly and bland

I plan on keeping this car for a long time so I want the least possible problems...while keeping it comfortable and decent looking

I looked at other manufacturers of course but nothing really appealed to me besides Acura, namely the TLX

I also drove a 2015 hyundai sonata limited 2.0t and it feels nice, has tons of features and I was actually considering that too but with all the mileage I will be putting on if I ever want to trade it in or sell, it wont be worth much. Surprisingly a lot of the lexus I drove don't even have the same features unless I get the most expensive packages

I'm good at saving money but I'm also accounting for a reliable car that I can keep long term

 

If u have good credit - just lease and don't worry about reliability.

Taking out a loan for 40k+ or buying it in cash for a new graduate is not optimal if you are building for the future.
Lease an NX or IS for 400-450 month with 0 down for 36 months. Thats only $15k over 3 years.

In 3 years - get a new Lex etc.

Buying a new Luxury car is not ideal hence why most ppl lease and just pay for the depreciation portion during the lease.

 

I have good credit but I wont be leasing, I've gotten into too many leasing v financing arguments than I care to admit but lets just leave it at that, leasing isn't worth it for my specific situation.


though...everyone is making me consider that sonata more lol

 

The NX200t is not as roomy as you think. Its based on the RAV4 which is not huge. IMO, SUVs make horrible daily drivers and they cost more to maintain and keep running. I have always had an SUV or truck as a secondary vehicle while a car is my 5-6 day a week vehicle.

The Lexus renowned reliability is no different than the Toyota reliability.

 

I drove the NX for an extended period of time, it was nice for me

I thought they were the same thing but if you look up reliability for manufacturers the luxury divisions for all of them are separate. They all score independently of each other.

 

You asked for opinions, you are getting them, some of the them are obviously from people that don't own any of the cars you are looking at. I have both, the 2015 NX F-Sport and the 2015 IS250 F-Sport AWD. Both make amazing daily drivers, even though they have totally different driving dynamics. Just depends on what you want and if you can live with a sporty sedan or a responsive SUV. We use both as daily drivers and one doesn't cost any more to maintain or keep running. The NX is an SUV based on a car platform that is also used for the RAV4. This is not really comparable to a body on frame based SUV that is nothing more than a 4 door with a hatch truck. Compared to the GS' you are looking at, the NX will be just as comfortable, but the IS will be slightly tighter.

You should be able to negotiate on a dealer lot IS250 as they are being replaced for MY2016 by either a RWD 200t or an AWD 300 that will have a detune 3.5l.

Good luck

 

FYI there is no GS450h w/ AWD

 

SUV's are great daily drivers, and NX is pretty hot right now... i bet it will keep its value well. IMHO it has way better engine than old 2.5l V6. SUV's have different aero properties and NX is much heavier, so if it gets around the same mpg, that means it is not only faster but also more efficient.

 

oh wow, you're right, thank you. Just assumed it would come with an optional awd..that or I saw it and they had mistakenly put it online at a dealership

Yea I hear a lot of manufacturers are going with smaller turbocharged engines now

 

So why are they great daily drivers?

 

LexusFan93 welcome to CL and I can relate to your passion on getting into a Lexus, even if it may not be the most sensible choice seeing you're into your first job.

That aside, I have both the IS 250 and NX 200t, both AWD F Sports.

You're right in your observations on fuel. Both are very similar, in fact I find the NX is slightly better keeping all things equal such as commute and environmental. That's impressive considering the NX is 400 lbs heavier.

The IS V6 engine is more responsive than the laggy NX turbo 4 cyl, but runs out of steam with speed. The V6 is better suited for city driving for quick take-offs at red lights or accelerating out of a yield, but the Turbo 4 cyl is the better choice on the highway for safer quicker more powerful acceleration when needed at speed. As for sound, if you care about engine note, the V6 sounds a lot better over the ho-hum 4 cyl.

Turbo engine is new and will be around for years. The V6 has been around for 10 years and will be discontinued in the IS line up from MY 2016. V6 is prone to carbon build up but with regular maintenance and use of high quality premium fuel, this should not be a problem.

Ride comfort, the NX is a little softer with more body roll.

NVH, NX is more quiet at all speeds.

Interior quality and materials. The NX is more premium than the IS.

Cargo, interior room, obvious one here is the NX

Insurance... something to consider at your age since there could be a noticeable discrepancy. NX may be cheaper considering the class of vehicle (CUV) versus the IS considered a sports sedan...

If you have specific questions on either of these cars, post in the IS or NX forums, ask here, or send me a PM. Lots of options!