1st gen IS300, First Impressions
03-09-16, 07:27 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
1st gen IS300, First Impressions
Ok so my Ls400 is in the shop right now, which everyone knows is a big, heavy, floaty car, and I love the way it drive, anyways, my mechanic gave me an 1st gen IS300 to drive around for a couple days while my LS is getting fixed. I work in a lexus dealership so ive driven just about everything with an L on the front of it both new and old, but ive never had any REAL seat time behind the wheel of a 1st gen IS besides taking one around the block from the dealership just to see what its like. this is the first real world everyday driver time ive had with one and ive gotten to know it pretty well, and ill say its unlike any lexus ive ever driven...
the test subject is not only a 1st gen, its a very early one built in the last quarter of 2000. the body is small, and im a big guy so getting used to it took a bit but once I was adjusted the car is quite pleasant. it has a completely different feel to it than the 2IS and night and day from the current. the car inside feels very very solid and still has the "old" lexus feel to it, yet also has the "old school Toyota" feel as well. driving this car it makes me think of an armor plated corolla, with a bigger engine and RWD. is it blazing fast? absolutely not. but the way it handles is absolutely amazing. the steering is heavy but very accurate with great driver feedback, the car absolutely hugs the road like glue and can absolutely rip around corners with no body roll at all. very very fun to drive little car that has a very different feel to it, which is refreshing to me. unlike the current IS which is a luxury car, this one is a sports car and you can really feel it. the early paddle shifters are a little weird and it took me a little bit to figure them out but honestly it drives better in normal mode. the factory stereo was replaced with an aftermarket one so I really cant judge it. one thing I thought was very cool was the huge sunroof, which I swear is as big as the one on my LS, or atleast feels like it. and some of the styling cues that were unique to that car and never seen again, like the instrumentation cluster that mimics a fine jeweled watch. and the chrome ball shifter. the example that im driving is in pristine condition and everything on it works so I have been able to try just about everything. I like the reddish orange lighting too.
this is how I sum up the early IS. its a fun little sports sedan with a touch of rice, in a tuxedo. its got timeless styling and apologizes to no one. it stands out from the crowd of the rest of its stablemates and is all around solid performer. the only thing that is a little unsettling to me about the early IS is that they seem to be slowly vanishing off the road alteast around here, most likely due to a younger crowd that drives the hard and clapps them out. sports sedans never seem to have happy endings because of this. and being that production ended on these in 2005, they are not getting any newer. everyone should have a chance to be able to experience these cars atleast once in there lifes, and hopefully there will still be enough of them on the road ten years from now so that the next generation can enjoy them as much as you guys obviously do, and I know that I have.
the test subject is not only a 1st gen, its a very early one built in the last quarter of 2000. the body is small, and im a big guy so getting used to it took a bit but once I was adjusted the car is quite pleasant. it has a completely different feel to it than the 2IS and night and day from the current. the car inside feels very very solid and still has the "old" lexus feel to it, yet also has the "old school Toyota" feel as well. driving this car it makes me think of an armor plated corolla, with a bigger engine and RWD. is it blazing fast? absolutely not. but the way it handles is absolutely amazing. the steering is heavy but very accurate with great driver feedback, the car absolutely hugs the road like glue and can absolutely rip around corners with no body roll at all. very very fun to drive little car that has a very different feel to it, which is refreshing to me. unlike the current IS which is a luxury car, this one is a sports car and you can really feel it. the early paddle shifters are a little weird and it took me a little bit to figure them out but honestly it drives better in normal mode. the factory stereo was replaced with an aftermarket one so I really cant judge it. one thing I thought was very cool was the huge sunroof, which I swear is as big as the one on my LS, or atleast feels like it. and some of the styling cues that were unique to that car and never seen again, like the instrumentation cluster that mimics a fine jeweled watch. and the chrome ball shifter. the example that im driving is in pristine condition and everything on it works so I have been able to try just about everything. I like the reddish orange lighting too.
this is how I sum up the early IS. its a fun little sports sedan with a touch of rice, in a tuxedo. its got timeless styling and apologizes to no one. it stands out from the crowd of the rest of its stablemates and is all around solid performer. the only thing that is a little unsettling to me about the early IS is that they seem to be slowly vanishing off the road alteast around here, most likely due to a younger crowd that drives the hard and clapps them out. sports sedans never seem to have happy endings because of this. and being that production ended on these in 2005, they are not getting any newer. everyone should have a chance to be able to experience these cars atleast once in there lifes, and hopefully there will still be enough of them on the road ten years from now so that the next generation can enjoy them as much as you guys obviously do, and I know that I have.
03-10-16, 06:03 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
im still driving it. my car should be ready today and no doubt ill be glad to get back into my LS, but I gotta say, after spending the last few days with this little thing, im kinda gunna miss it! fun little car. m a big ole boy tho. 6'4" and 235lbs, so its too small for me and just not practical, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. I still cant get over that instrument cluster!! its so cool!!!! oh, not to mention the thing sips gas! the needle has barley moved on it vs my LS that would already have burned a quarter tank! hey, I could get used to this! 
03-16-16, 10:48 AM
#5
Very nice to read your impressions of the car. I had very similar feelings when I pulled the trigger and bought mine last fall. I had driven quite a few of them (all AUTOs) and remembered them being cool little cars. When the opportunity arose for me to purchase a low mileage, one owner car that had never been modded in the least and always meticulously dealer maintained, I had to pull the trigger and I could not have been happier (save for it being an S2000).
It definitely differs from anything else Lexus has done here in the States. Steering feel is excellent. The JZ runs like a sewing machine. You can see and feel how it was obviously Lexus' shot at the 3 series. Having driven literally hundreds of 3 series in my life, this would have been a very difficult decision to make back in the early 2000's. If the brand's focus on "performance" would have came about a decade sooner, we probably would have seen the GTE go in this car, which would have made the choice to buy an M3 over this very very hard. Unfortunately, you didn't get to experience the 5spd which is excellent as well. 3rd and 4th are absolute dream gears. Basically all driving can be done with just these 2 and the linear power of the 2JZ means that you are always right in the power and never running out of steam until well into handcuffs territory.
It definitely differs from anything else Lexus has done here in the States. Steering feel is excellent. The JZ runs like a sewing machine. You can see and feel how it was obviously Lexus' shot at the 3 series. Having driven literally hundreds of 3 series in my life, this would have been a very difficult decision to make back in the early 2000's. If the brand's focus on "performance" would have came about a decade sooner, we probably would have seen the GTE go in this car, which would have made the choice to buy an M3 over this very very hard. Unfortunately, you didn't get to experience the 5spd which is excellent as well. 3rd and 4th are absolute dream gears. Basically all driving can be done with just these 2 and the linear power of the 2JZ means that you are always right in the power and never running out of steam until well into handcuffs territory.
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