AndyL

Agreed. It also applies to the power rear window shade in my case.

Glashub

I've learned to adjust to parking with the improved backup camera utilizing the lines. Don't need the auto tilt really.

G8rGirl

The rear window shade is invoice $192 and MSRP $210. I wonder if you can have the dealer install it? I have it in my current car and while it isn't critical, it is certainly helpful and beneficial.

spwolf

in my 2IS, back window is at such angle that shade is useless... i dont ever keep it on. Not sure if it is the same, but in general, in 2IS, you are not going to get sun on the back seats or heads of people on the back seats due to the design.

interestingly when i was buying it, i thought it was a "big" deal to get that.....

AndyL

YMMV, I find the power rear sunshade useful in my 2IS. It did cut the sun rays on the rear headrests. I use this rear sunshade frequently while on the roar as well as while the car is parked under the sun.

Granted, I don't have many passengers sitting at the back regularly but so far the comment from rear passengers are it helps to block the sun a bit.

Toys4RJill

As a pure "drivers" car, I can see why Lexus does not offer the rain sense wipers on the Fsport. You want the driver to have as much control over the car as possibe, wipers included I guess.

As for wood, wood and sport don't really go hand in hand.

Otherwise, the Lexus IS for 2014 has a nice interior and has a very nice style to it.

The only cost cutting thing I noticed is the lack of rear door courtesy lights, they have tbem on the front doors but are totally missing on the rear.

yowps3

Impressive review.

Would be nice if all the 'professional' reviews were as consistent as your review!

Ramon

Sorry but this makes NO sense whatsoever, none, at all. Rain sensing wipers can be set manually so that you can continue to have "full control" over the wipers, you simply don't put it on the "auto" setting. And if Lexus was going for a "pure drivers car" It wouldn't have cup holders, an audio system with a couple dozen speakers adding weight, electric steering assist and a whole host of other features that have thing to do with being a drivers car.

Anyone wanting a "pure drivers car" isn't going to buy a 2014 IS. Anyone buying an IS isn't going to look at the wiper controls, see the word "auto" as one of the settings and walk away.

AndyL

I have to agree on this. It has no intention from Lexus to skip the auto rain sensing wipers in The F Sport 3IS models in order to make them pure drivers' cars.

In Japan, the rain sensing wipers are standard across regular and F Sport models whereas it is an option available in some other countries.

IMO, this is a strange decision for Lexus to skip such a common feature in a highly anticipated and advertised F Sport model. If they want to differentiate the buyers between the IS and the GS camps, there are more subtle ways.

IanP

My 3IS 300h is my first Lexus; it has fewer features overall than my 2008 Volvo S80 did, so a few thoughts...

Lane Departure Alert/Blind Spot Alert:
Had these on my Volvo; don't on my Lexus. LDA was irritating, frankly. BLIS, as it was called, was a talking point to passengers but was fundamentally useless. I don't miss either.

Park Sensors:
Had only rear on my Volvo; now have both on my Lexus. Superb.

Reverse camera:
Didn't have this on my Volvo; now have it on my Lexus. Superb, just follow the lines and you're straight in. Haven't hit the kerb once so am unworried about tilt (I lie, I did hit it once, but that was going forward!).

Auto-folding mirrors:
Had these on my Volvo; don't on my Lexus. Would rather have them than not (they were actually a useful confirmation that you'd actually locked the car as much as anything), but not a huge loss. I do have power-folding mirrors anyway, so I just hit the button as part of my exit routine.

Electric seats:
Had these on my Volvo with memory; don't on my Lexus. Haven't missed them at all, to my surprise, as the Lexus seating position is just superb.

Heated/ventilated seats:
Had both on my Volvo; opted for only heated on my Lexus. Haven't missed ventilated (mind, I haven't needed the heated either!)

Rain sensors:
Had these on both my Volvo and Lexus. Find them easier to operate on the Lexus, as there is a pop-up display clarifying they are on, and they come on at start-up (with the Volvo you had to turn them on, although even that was an improvement as in previous Volvos they were a setting on the stalk replacing intermittent).

Bluetooth:
Had this added to my Volvo, 2008-style (with voice control and no screen); have it on the Lexus. Time has moved on, to my advantage, although I still haven't fully cracked it (thus far the screen only displays the actual number, not the name, even if it's in my address book).

Chassis/Mode:
The Volvo had "chassis settings"; the Lexus has "modes". To be honest, I'd love to have both: essentially with the Volvo you could fiddle with the suspension settings but not the throttle response (although you could actually change the steering weight); on the Lexus you can change the throttle response but not the suspension (at least on non-F-sport models). On balance, given one or the other, I'd go for modes - it really is like having two different cars in one!

For reference, mine is a UK-spec Luxury with navigation and leather (but not memory).

Hope that helps some of you choose options - be careful, options really can add to the price of the car and you really should aim for significant reductions off the options you purchase, if not against the original car price. If you don't get those reductions, consider whether you really need the option. Frankly, even the base model in any market is a great car with plenty of gadgets!

Toys4RJill

Well, I was looking at the car specs on Lexus.com and both the luxury and f-sport packages top out at about $49.5k for the configuration I looked at. If it is not to give the driver ultimate control then it must be so that neither the luxury version/fsport version do not top out on one another price wise. It forces a decision at that same price point, the reasoning behind that is that both will be able to sell equally well whereas there would be less interest in the fsport if it were to top out for more money than the luxury version.

If you really want the luxury features then you need to get the luxury version and if we really want the sport features than you have to give up some of the luxury options.

I still think having manual control over certain items has more to do with it from a "purists" point of view.

Glashub

BINGO! Why is it so hard for some to apprehend pricing structures. The IS could not be priced above 50K. Several reviewers said it -- fantastic cars especially if they keep it under 50K for the US market. Some things had to go. About rain sensing windshield wipers -- you have to remember to set it to auto and unset it -- or you're driving around with the wind shield wipers in manual mode -- which if it starts raining defeats the purpose of having the rain sensing wind shield wipers.

SW17LS

I agree with Ramon, this is definitely an issue of cost cutting not giving the driver "total control"

Not really. When I got my 03 ES I scoffed at rain sensing wipers, but now that I have had them on three cars, I really miss them on the Jeep which does not have them. You can leave them in auto all the time, you never have to turn auto off. Even if you did turn them on and off, modulating the wiper speed is really where the auto wipers are nice.

Ramon

Well that's why they're called options and not standard features. You add them if you want to pay for them, don't if you don't. Your manual control theory still doesn't make sense saying it a 2nd time. In fact, it sounds rather ridiculous for reasons already mentioned. Again, you can control them manually. I can post pictures of how to do it if you don't believe me... I assure you I have just as much manual control over my wipers that ARE rain sensing as anyone that doesn't have them.

The mere fact that SW13GS agrees with me should be enough to put this "ultimate wiper control" theory to rest, as he and I rarely agree on anything. Some could say, go out of our way to disagree.

Glashub

Really? You know this? You have proof? It's cost cutting? For what reason? So they can lose market share i.e. those people who need rain sensing windshield wipers, etc.? Help me to understand why in an extremely competitive environment Lexus would pull a fast one and cut cost.