truciet

iTrader: (5)

i'm not sure about the "feel" but the "graby" feel like on my friend's m3 was like that for my stock is350. when i switched over to the TSB brake pads, it does not feel like that anymore and i really have to step down on the brake pedal harder than normal

o well...i still wish i had my old pads but i do love the fact that after weeks of driving....dust free

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

That's exactly what feel is. It feels different.

Slam on the pedal and it stops in -exactly- the same distance though (as physics requires it to).

Personally I much prefer the TSIB pads feel, it's a lot more linear and a lot easier to stop the car smoothly and predictably instead of the car jerking around the second you touch the brake pedal.

Sexi_Lexi

Is it just my imagination or does the screen size on the navi look bigger for the '09 than it's previous ancestors? I have an '06 IS350 with navi and I got to drive an '09 IS250 loaner with navi this past weekend. When I went back to my car, the navi screen in my car definitely looked smaller.

As for the feel of the car, the '09's door feels a lot heavier than my door. And for some reason, the '09 IS250 I had feels more sluggish than an '08 IS250 loaner that I had last year. In the '08, it felt zippy but in the '09, I had to really punch it before I felt the car go. And this is even with ECT/Power mode on the entire time. Weird.

Jefe's IS

VVT-I

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VVT-i

SC300T

Nice link, but what does that have to do with anything? They didn't make any announced changes to the engine from 08 to 09. From 06 on, the 2.5 has always had the latest dual VVT-i (L) stuff on it.

Jefe's IS

Everything. You see the I in VVT-i is for intelligence. The intelligence part actually learns your driving habits. The 09' may have been driven softly w/ care and "learned" that the driver preferred that type of engine mgt. The loaner could have been flogged by every driver that it has been loaned to hence the I "learned" that the driver prefers more aggresive driving style.

This is why I exageratted the I in VVT-i.

SC300T

I thought you were implying that they changed something from year to year... The 08 demo I drove was lickety split. It shifted quickly and held lower gears later. Driving the 09 sedately, it climbs up into 6th gear quicker and delivers better fuel economy under the same conditions. Haven't had the opportunity to test it out as its stuck in the garage until the midwest ice relinquishes its grip. I suppose if you don't like the character of your car, you can always pull the battery cable for a few minutes and start over.

Infra

iTrader: (1)

I recently had a brand new '09 IS250 loaner while my car was being service ('06 IS250MT).

Some things I noticed different:
Leather used in the seats has a different feel; it is "softer" and the seats felt squisher. More "luxury" and less sport
The door lock / unlock button is different; not sure why they changed this but the new one looks like it was taken from a ford.
The power window buttons are also different.
The power windows roll up differently; on auto up they will automatically reduce speed at about 80% of the way and the closing is not nearly as audible, whilst in my car they haul *** all the way up and make a "thud" sound when they hit
I don't like the new green time clock when everything else lit is white.
I had the steering recall performed on my car; can't say I really notice a difference between before, after, or the '09's steering.
I have a dial and one-button open close for my moonroof. The '09 had the standard 2 switches to operate it.

I have never been inside an '07 or '08 so I am not sure if these changes were made in those model years.

The cosmetic changes outside have been pointed out.

Not sure why but it seems Lexus wants to take some of the edge out of the IS.

kargahi

i personally hate the tail lights on the 09!!!!! does anybody agree with me????? i think they are hideous!!

tex2670

I can't understand why they got rid of the dial...

IS-SV

Some good comparison pics above. But in looking at the changes for 2009, not much of significance in my opinion.