Hello nub member here......kidcere signing in from the dmv. currently looking to get into something newer. a yr ago i was looking for something fast, rwd, and 2doors that same month i find out i'm having a daughter -so i kissed my inspirations of modding out a G35

now im looking for that samething but with 4 doors. i personally think the g sedan is fugly and im not keen about audi's rep for reliability. im not a huge fan of lexus purely based off WHAT I THINK: lexus is sorta at distance as to what ppl want or expect from their brand basing this of their design on the 1st gen IS.

IS250 is the only model to come manual which is the most upsetting thing to find out aside from the fact they're no performance mods for the IS and the compression is 12:1. i've have been ghosting this site for almost 4months now reading and gathering as much info on this car to persaude me to buy it, the only thing that has kept most of my interest is well the pics, the IS has mass amounts of potential for cosmetics. i guess since i'll be transporting my daughter around perhaps not getting a fast car is the way to go.....atleast i'll look good.

 

if your looking for speed IS350 will do you but if you really want a manual IS250 is your only choice i would really test drive both before you make a def choice but welcome to CL

 

Welcome to CL post-four months. Quite honestly you really should just test drive all the models that you are potentially looking into to see which one you like. The 250 is plenty fast for a daily driver at least up here in Massachusetts where you really don't have any particularly long straights. I do recall Maryland having particularly wide and long straight roads which I think you might end up being happier with a 350. The automatic is quite smooth which might be a plus since you have a daughter. Just my 2 cents.

 

Like you said, with kids on board, the IS250 has plenty power to spare, I also have 2 kids and can't drive as fast as I want to when they are on board. Whatever you end up buying, follow your heart as you will make the ultimate decision and you will have to be happy with it. Good luck...

 

I had already made up my mind I wanted a less powerful car that got better gas mileage than my previous Nissan Maxima. I got too many speeding tickets in that car, and once I finally got used to paying closer attention to my speed, I realized I only used a fraction of the power the car had, and everything else was wasted fuel.

All that said, I wondered if I was going to be missing something when I got the IS250. I'm happy to say I'm not. In the past I've owned underpowered cars, and this does not feel underpowered, it feels just about right for regular (not racing) driving. The HP is actually perfect for me - doesn't put me in constant trouble with cops, yet has plenty of oomph to pass people or whatever when needed, and runs smoothly / confidently at all speeds. I guess it depends on what you're after. I'm older now than when I bought the Max so maybe maturity-wise I outgrew the need for "sling your head back" acceleration?

Anyway just test them both I guess to see which is for you. IMO, a 250 with a minimum of options on it is a pretty amazing value for the car you actually get -- remember there is really no such thing as a "stripped" Lexus, even the base models come with enough creature comforts / technology gadgets to keep most happy. But like any car make, you can buy at the "amazing value" range or the "money to burn" end of the spectrum depending on what you order on it.

I'd have to disagree that the G37 sedan is fugly though. I thought they were nice looking cars. Slight upgrade in power (over the 250) and slight downgrade in overall quality or reliability maybe. I just didn't want to pay several more grand for HP I didn't really need, and reading indicated the IS reliability was better.

 

i mean not just speed but all around performance, what drives me away from the IS350 is that its an automatic and i absolutely cant seem myself driving an auto it really steals my joy in driving. i mean probably test drive it anyway to make the comparison but its the IS250 im gunning for.

thanx 516IS

@MBTC the G37 is slightly better on the eyes no doubt, and it almost seems to be a better buy (price vs. lexus, mods vs. lexus, etc..) it would almost seem to have the IS beat IMHO, but the IS looks 6x better and slightly more cost effective. and yeah i read the samething on realiability

 

If I had kids I would of bought a 250 but no plans for another 5years. Thats why Igot a 350. But it seems to me that the love of your driving is a manual so I would back up your 250 decision. I know for a fact youll love it once you get in and drive it. This car IMO has the best Interior and Exterior for its price range.