Yes this is another I drove the IS350 thread...
10-15-05, 06:34 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes this is another I drove the IS350 thread...
But I'm still excited dang it!! 
I was sooooo excited! My friend that works at a Lexus dealership here in ATL called me on Tuesday and said that they were going to have an IS350 for the day and that I should come up there cause I would get the chance to drive it. You best believe I was there as SOON as I got off work. I didn't really get a lot of room to play with it because traffic here sucks big time BUT I did get on it once and let me tell you, this car owns all. OMG The exhaust tone is awesome, and the pickup is UNREAL, and the handling??? OMG It was like driving my car with all the suspension stuff done to it but this car is stock! This sucker hauls ***** I can't even begin to discribe how this thing is just the shiz. I BARELY got on the gas from like 20mph and before I new it NO LIE I was at 70. I couldn't hardly get on the gas because I would have been going WAY too fast. It's nuts. Great torquey feel to it too. The ONLY way to really feel the power of this car though would probably be to get it on the highway or something.
Size wise, this car is a bit bigger on the inside which is neat. Not that I really care since I never drive with 4 other people in my car or anything but for those with families and stuff that is some important info!
It's absolutley gorgeous inside and out. I would get rid of the wood grain though. Not a big fan of wood grain but that is all I would change. This car is phenominal. Comfortable seats, the mechanical steering wheel is a nice change, it has a great console with plenty of room for your cell phone, wallet, or whatever you want in there. Plus it has an extra cup holder inside. And all the other standard features which include: 13-speaker premium audio system with an in-dash, six-disc CD changer and an auxiliary input for iPods or MP3 players, separate driver and passenger climate controls, HomeLink®, direct tire-pressure monitor, outboard rear-seat pretensioner seatbelts, steering wheel audio controls and Optitron gauges with personalized shift and speed settings.
The car I drove was FUUUUULLY loaded. There wasn't an option it lacked. It had the navi upgrade with a Mark Levinson stereo, rear sunshade, trunk mat with net, parking assist, radar cruise control, the preventable collision system. Heated and cooled seats and every other option you could imagine. The price reflected this too. HOLY FING *****!!! $47,800 :eek: I nearly had a heart attack.
So without further adu, I will post my pics now. If you have any questions feel free to ask, cause I'm still so excited I am sure I skipped over any info you guys may want to know.
But I'm sure all of you know more about this car then I do at this point. I really haven't followed it quite as much as I did the first gen. I will now though!! 
This is it! A charcoal grey color. Very nice, similar to the GGP.
I was sooooo excited! My friend that works at a Lexus dealership here in ATL called me on Tuesday and said that they were going to have an IS350 for the day and that I should come up there cause I would get the chance to drive it. You best believe I was there as SOON as I got off work. I didn't really get a lot of room to play with it because traffic here sucks big time BUT I did get on it once and let me tell you, this car owns all. OMG The exhaust tone is awesome, and the pickup is UNREAL, and the handling??? OMG It was like driving my car with all the suspension stuff done to it but this car is stock! This sucker hauls ***** I can't even begin to discribe how this thing is just the shiz. I BARELY got on the gas from like 20mph and before I new it NO LIE I was at 70. I couldn't hardly get on the gas because I would have been going WAY too fast. It's nuts. Great torquey feel to it too. The ONLY way to really feel the power of this car though would probably be to get it on the highway or something.
Size wise, this car is a bit bigger on the inside which is neat. Not that I really care since I never drive with 4 other people in my car or anything but for those with families and stuff that is some important info!
It's absolutley gorgeous inside and out. I would get rid of the wood grain though. Not a big fan of wood grain but that is all I would change. This car is phenominal. Comfortable seats, the mechanical steering wheel is a nice change, it has a great console with plenty of room for your cell phone, wallet, or whatever you want in there. Plus it has an extra cup holder inside. And all the other standard features which include: 13-speaker premium audio system with an in-dash, six-disc CD changer and an auxiliary input for iPods or MP3 players, separate driver and passenger climate controls, HomeLink®, direct tire-pressure monitor, outboard rear-seat pretensioner seatbelts, steering wheel audio controls and Optitron gauges with personalized shift and speed settings.
The car I drove was FUUUUULLY loaded. There wasn't an option it lacked. It had the navi upgrade with a Mark Levinson stereo, rear sunshade, trunk mat with net, parking assist, radar cruise control, the preventable collision system. Heated and cooled seats and every other option you could imagine. The price reflected this too. HOLY FING *****!!! $47,800 :eek: I nearly had a heart attack.
So without further adu, I will post my pics now. If you have any questions feel free to ask, cause I'm still so excited I am sure I skipped over any info you guys may want to know.
But I'm sure all of you know more about this car then I do at this point. I really haven't followed it quite as much as I did the first gen. I will now though!! This is it! A charcoal grey color. Very nice, similar to the GGP.
10-15-05, 06:34 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is the dash before you crank the car.
Here it is after its been cranked. The lights in the needles turn on and the needles themselves spin and then go back to their place before all the lights come on. TOTALLY HOT! The steering wheel also moves down to position. Which is also a mechanical tilt unlike the manual one we have now. You can also see the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. I didn't get a chance to use them though, like I said traffic was nuts and I didn't want to go blazing any trails in a brand new 47k Lexus. NO SCHPANK YOU.
Here is the nav and the radio before I cranked the car.
IS350 baby!!! WOOT!
The L emblem in the front is protected by a plexi glass looking material so it's flush with the grill.
Here is a shot of the gear shifter and if you look right in front of it you can see a glimpse of the heated and cooled seat dials.
I had a blast in this car, I can't wait to get one sometime in 07 stay tuned!!!
Here it is after its been cranked. The lights in the needles turn on and the needles themselves spin and then go back to their place before all the lights come on. TOTALLY HOT! The steering wheel also moves down to position. Which is also a mechanical tilt unlike the manual one we have now. You can also see the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. I didn't get a chance to use them though, like I said traffic was nuts and I didn't want to go blazing any trails in a brand new 47k Lexus. NO SCHPANK YOU.
Here is the nav and the radio before I cranked the car.
IS350 baby!!! WOOT!
The L emblem in the front is protected by a plexi glass looking material so it's flush with the grill.
Here is a shot of the gear shifter and if you look right in front of it you can see a glimpse of the heated and cooled seat dials.
I had a blast in this car, I can't wait to get one sometime in 07 stay tuned!!!
10-15-05, 06:45 PM
#3
Thanks for the review, from your first paragraph it makes me want to drive the 350 so bad. Yeah I agree I don't like the red wood, I really hope Lexus will offer it next year with blackwood. Your pics are a little grainy but thanks for the review. 
10-15-05, 08:08 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah the pics are a little grainy sorry about that. Thats the best I could do with a camera phone. But I'm just glad that I had a camera at all to capture my experience! But if you get the chance to drive this car I highly suggest you do it. Only I will tell you that you will want this car so bad that you won't be able to stand it! lol It is such an awesome car that words can't describe how great it is. I can't wait to get one!
But I'm just glad that I had a camera at all to capture my experience! But if you get the chance to drive this car I highly suggest you do it. Only I will tell you that you will want this car so bad that you won't be able to stand it! lol It is such an awesome car that words can't describe how great it is. I can't wait to get one!
10-15-05, 11:43 PM
#5
Impressions from a 330i owner
Just thought I'd put in my 2 cents here. Got to drive an IS350 with Sport Package today. Overall, I think it's a great package for the money. Black Onyx looks great, it's much more like a graphite color than a black. Interior materials are first rate, and the seats are very comfy, very Lexus. Handling seemed tight, but was tuned more for comfort than my 06 330i with Sport Package. Rear seat room was definitely much tighter than the BMW (I usually do a, can I sit behind myself-test). Trunk also looks smaller than the 330i.
In the end, I respect the IS350 for what it is. And it is not a 3-Series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure Lexus will hit their target demographic.
Until the IS350 gets a manual transmission, and maybe a tighter sport package, I don't think I'll fall into that group... but hopefully my future wife will, as I wouldn't mind have an IS350 around for fun.
In the end, I respect the IS350 for what it is. And it is not a 3-Series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure Lexus will hit their target demographic.
Until the IS350 gets a manual transmission, and maybe a tighter sport package, I don't think I'll fall into that group... but hopefully my future wife will, as I wouldn't mind have an IS350 around for fun.
10-16-05, 09:25 AM
#6
Pole Position
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm confused. You say the black onyx looks like graphite. The web site shows a black onyx and a smoke granite mica. I would think the onyx would be a brillant dark polished looking black.
To make this even more confusing my dealer has 2 cars that are marked BLACK PEARL. And yes the vin number on the car and sticker match. That color was mention in pre-release but is not one of the official web site colors. On top of that the color of the cars are really more like smoke granite mica than true black. The dealer was as confused as I was.
Guess I had better see black onyx before I put any money down. I think I drove an onyx at TOL and it was totally back and I liked it.
Confused again.
To make this even more confusing my dealer has 2 cars that are marked BLACK PEARL. And yes the vin number on the car and sticker match. That color was mention in pre-release but is not one of the official web site colors. On top of that the color of the cars are really more like smoke granite mica than true black. The dealer was as confused as I was.
Guess I had better see black onyx before I put any money down. I think I drove an onyx at TOL and it was totally back and I liked it.
Confused again.
10-16-05, 09:46 AM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: ON
Posts: 1,430
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The IS "Black Onyx" (which I believe is the black pearl you're referring to) does have a little more grey in it than some non-metallic black cars, at least the one I drove did. For example, Infiniti's "Black Obsidian" is a non-metallic black that looks very "black", and that's confirmed by the paint mix. The IS black still looks pretty black in anything but direct sunlight, though.
While flat black does look good I actually prefer a little grey in the paint since it makes the paint that much easier to maintain. My two black cars are incredibly difficult to keep scratch/swirls/marr free. Just imo, of course.
While flat black does look good I actually prefer a little grey in the paint since it makes the paint that much easier to maintain. My two black cars are incredibly difficult to keep scratch/swirls/marr free. Just imo, of course.
Last edited by picus; 10-16-05 at 09:51 AM.
Trending Topics
10-17-05, 11:11 AM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
Thanks "amy011079" for your enthusiastic review. Please pardon my rant, but I'm still gaging at the sticker - $47,800! That's about what I paid for my wife's `04 GX470, and about $9,000 less than what I paid for my `04 SC430. In all seriousness, is this car really worth this much money? If it true that dealerships are holding to the sticker for now, up here in Maryland with tax and registration fees we would be talking about a little over $50K for this ride. Granted, I know that you indicated that the IS350 you tested had every possible option, but that's a scary amount for a so-called "near-luxury" automobile (not to mention that, at $47,800, that car is seriously competing with the entire GS line-up).
10-17-05, 12:39 PM
#11
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by LeslieRC
Thanks "amy011079" for your enthusiastic review. Please pardon my rant, but I'm still gaging at the sticker - $47,800! That's about what I paid for my wife's `04 GX470, and about $9,000 less than what I paid for my `04 SC430. In all seriousness, is this car really worth this much money? If it true that dealerships are holding to the sticker for now, up here in Maryland with tax and registration fees we would be talking about a little over $50K for this ride. Granted, I know that you indicated that the IS350 you tested had every possible option, but that's a scary amount for a so-called "near-luxury" automobile (not to mention that, at $47,800, that car is seriously competing with the entire GS line-up).
that is what I also think, as I said in my previous threads.
10-24-05, 01:10 PM
#12
Driver
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by upbull340
I'm confused. You say the black onyx looks like graphite. The web site shows a black onyx and a smoke granite mica. I would think the onyx would be a brillant dark polished looking black.
To make this even more confusing my dealer has 2 cars that are marked BLACK PEARL. And yes the vin number on the car and sticker match. That color was mention in pre-release but is not one of the official web site colors. On top of that the color of the cars are really more like smoke granite mica than true black. The dealer was as confused as I was.
Guess I had better see black onyx before I put any money down. I think I drove an onyx at TOL and it was totally back and I liked it.
Confused again.
To make this even more confusing my dealer has 2 cars that are marked BLACK PEARL. And yes the vin number on the car and sticker match. That color was mention in pre-release but is not one of the official web site colors. On top of that the color of the cars are really more like smoke granite mica than true black. The dealer was as confused as I was.
Guess I had better see black onyx before I put any money down. I think I drove an onyx at TOL and it was totally back and I liked it.
Confused again.
10-24-05, 02:25 PM
#14
Pole Position
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: kjhklh
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by that_guy
Is it just me, or does that L badge look a bit two dimesional (and cheap like a sticker)? I would've though that they would make the 3D badge, and then moulded a guard over that...
