hi all
we have been loyal Toyota customers for decades
my parents who are in the mid 60s have a 2002 camry and it is time to retire her
i am thinking of upgrading them to a lexus but i am hesitant on the model (cannot afford the ls)
pretty straight forward thinking should lead me to the es but i want awd which is not an option so the other 2 choices are is250 and gs350 with awd
but are the latter 2 more for someone a lot younger?
will an is250 be hard for my mom with back issues to get out off? will the is sit too low to the ground having my dad hit every curb?
will the gs be too much power for his heavy foot?

 

Isn't there a similar thread on the ES forum?

 

yes mine as well
is this not allowed
i'm sorry

 

If you want AWD on the Camry/ES platform, get an RX or Highlander. You'll get the added benefit of a lot more ground clearance for heavy snow.

 

great advice
i drive a highlander
my mom has bad back issues and cannot climb in and out of an suv
gotta be a sedan

 

In that case, then, if you have to have a sedan, and an AWD GS is too much for your bank account (I agree it's a good chunk of cash)...you've got several options, of course, from Lexus competitors...two that I think stand out, for the money (they're a lot less expensive than a GS), are the Audi A4 Quattro and AWD Buick Regal......but Buick's all-new Regal will drop sedans for the hatchback and wagon versions. Mercedes and BMW, of course, do AWD sedans, but are expensive and cost a lot to repair or service if the warranty is out. The Genesis G80 AWD sedan is a good alternative (and seems very well-built)...but you will pay 45-50K for one. You might also want to take a look at high-level versions of the Subaru Legacy. It doesn't have the panache of a premium/luxury nameplate, but rides nice (that may be an important issue with your mom's bad back), has good road manners, a reasonably good reliability record, one of the best AWD systems on the market, a boatload of safety features for the price, and, even maxed out with options, usually runs no more than mid 30s or do....which is significantly less than what an ES350 starts out even in base trim. Base versions of the Legacy actually start out in the lower 20s.

Or, if you really want an ES...just put a good set of winter tires on it, and that will probably give you almost as much traction as AWD. Still, in my experience, there's nothing like AWD.

 

thank you
very informative
what do you think of an is250 awd?

 

For your specific needs, I'd avoid it. It probably rides too stiffly for your mom. She might (?) have to stoop her back too much while getting in and out of its low stance. The 2.5L V6 is smooth and refined, but is sluggish and lacks power...and it has had carbon-build-up issues from its fuel-injection system. The front air dam is so low that it is easy scraped on parking-curbs. It's basically designed for a handling-bias over comfort. And the interior (particularly the back seat) is cramped, especially compared to an ES or RX.

 

May I ask why you want AWD?

I can understand if you were looking at a RWD vehicle -- like IS or GS -- and worried that an older driver may find the oversteering RWD vehicle a challenge to drive in slippery situations, so would want AWD.

In my opinion, a FWD drive vehicle -- like the Camry or the ES -- really does not need AWD. If your mother is already used to a FWD Camry, switching to the ES is a no-brainer.

In terms of styling, buy what you (and your mother) like and want, without worrying about a certain vehicle being a "young person's car".

That said, I found the driver's seat in the IS to be very low, much more so than the GS or ES, so it probably is not the car to get for someone with back problems.

 

what about an acura tl sh awd and infinity q40/q50 or volvo s60/v50/v60 awd vs legacy, buick,

 

the reason i want awd is because my dad got in 2 accidents due to snow
it was not ice. just snow and i've driven a legacy and a camry that both had new michelin tires and the legacy plowed through like a champ

 

Hard to beat Subarus for an inexpensive, tried and proven AWD system, though the flat (boxer) four engines don't always as reliable as those from Toyota and Honda. The CVT transmissions in the newer ones were questionable at first, but have improved markedly. They are also warrantied for 5/60, of course, and Subaru is usually good about extended warranties on components if problems develop. I owned an Outback myself for six years. Audi also has had many years of AWD development with its Quattro AWD systems, but tends to cost more than Subarus, and the latest-generation Quattro has shifted from a full-time, torque-split AWD system to essentially On-Demand where the AWD activates only if the primary drive wheels lose traction. Audi does a great job, though, on interiors, fit/finish, and great detail to how the cars are assembled.

I have not sampled an Infiniti Q40...I don't think it is available in the American market. I have driven a Q50...nice car, but I'd avoid the gimmicky and questionable electronic Direct Adaptive Steering option. Nissan products, though, lately, have suffered some in the reliability department.

Acuras used to be excellent cars, but, recently, seem to have suffered some assembly and reliability problems. I was impressed with how the top-level RL sedan drove when I sampled it, but I haven't (yet) tried a new TLX.

I'd rule out most Volvos simply for the stiff ride (again, thinking of your mother's bad back)...but, of course, if it doesn't hurt her back, they are otherwise well-known for safety features that would benefit older or weak persons.

I have a generally high opinion of all of the Opel-based Buicks (owned a Verano myself for five years, with no problems)...the Regal is essentially an American-spec, rebadged German Opel Insignia with a different drive-in and the famous Buick Quiet-Tuning. If you want a true sedan, pick up an end-of-year 2017 if one is still available...though not many AWD models were kept in stock. The all-new 2018 version (still a rebadged Insignia, which is also all-new) will be offered, in the American-market, in only a hatchback version (with a sedan roofline) and a Subaru-Outback style Tour-X-Wagon with AWD. Buick will also give you a nice long 6/70 warranty on the drivetrain and 4/50 bumper-to-bumper, just like many full-luxury makes.

I notice you are in Indiana. Just for the record, the Subaru Legacy is built there, right at home, at the Lafayette plant, so, if you do get one, you will be helping the local economy as well. I'm not saying to actually do that (it's your money and your decision, of course)........but just a thought.

 

what about reliability wise audi, subaru, infiniti, volvo, buick, lexus

 

should have mentioned this will be not new but a 2014-2016

 

Coming from Colorado, I find Fwd every bit as good as awd in most Winter situations. If the snow is too deep for front wheel drive then an 4wd SUV with more clearance is needed. ES w/ traction control and snow Mode engaged sounds like your best lexus. (Plus They are the best value in the used lexus lineup!)