is250 slow?
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 430
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From: TX
I am highly critical of the tires because tires make the biggest difference in handling between two otherwise identical cars. Also, if the 350 was on standard suspension and the 250 was X-Package, there's a suspension advantage too.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,121
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento, CA
I agree. No one complained about 204 horses 10 years ago, but yet it seems "slow" today. I drive like a grandma, but I do hit the gas when I need to enter a freeway or pass someone on the highway. The IS250 has no problem with acceleration, and seems reasonable for 204hp.
The 250 is normally my daily beater, and traffic here is horrible, so I couldn't justify an IS350 to get me to work and back. Besides, I get over 33 mpg on long highway trips with the AC on, and yes, it is a Lexus.
The 250 is normally my daily beater, and traffic here is horrible, so I couldn't justify an IS350 to get me to work and back. Besides, I get over 33 mpg on long highway trips with the AC on, and yes, it is a Lexus.
Lead Lap
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 745
Likes: 1
From: California
I agree. No one complained about 204 horses 10 years ago, but yet it seems "slow" today. I drive like a grandma, but I do hit the gas when I need to enter a freeway or pass someone on the highway. The IS250 has no problem with acceleration, and seems reasonable for 204hp.
The 250 is normally my daily beater, and traffic here is horrible, so I couldn't justify an IS350 to get me to work and back. Besides, I get over 33 mpg on long highway trips with the AC on, and yes, it is a Lexus.
The 250 is normally my daily beater, and traffic here is horrible, so I couldn't justify an IS350 to get me to work and back. Besides, I get over 33 mpg on long highway trips with the AC on, and yes, it is a Lexus.
Overall, performance is ok. I am getting better mpg with the IS250 when compared to the IS350, guaranteed making the IS250 the best daily driver around for commuters.
Also, it's a Lexus as he has mentioned. I would've felt the 07 Camry SE may have been a better choice when it comes to performance, but you can't beat Lexus luxury and much better customer service.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: ontario
guys it was about money my 250 in toronto was $43,000 CDN which equals almost $41,000 US.in canada they want $54,000 Cdn for the same package in the 350, that's over $50,000 US it's just about the money!!!!.besides my 250 looks pretty good,besides if I wanted a rocket I would not recommend any lexus,it would have been a bmw335 with so much more potential than a 350 and faster out of the box. I bought the car for it's all around package I could not justify to my wife the difference in price.
I drove the IS250 back-to-back with the IS350 at last year's Taste of Lexus event. The track was really short, but the power difference, imo, was huge. I purchased the IS350 without considering the 250, and when the dealer lends me a 250, it seemed sluggish.
But for daily driving, you probably wouldn't need to worry about the 100 horses. Unless you have a heavy right foot - then you already know which car is for you.
But for daily driving, you probably wouldn't need to worry about the 100 horses. Unless you have a heavy right foot - then you already know which car is for you.
i suggest lms make a supercharger for our 250's.. so what it will probably be as fast as a 350.. but i think its just cheaper to get a supercharger then trade it in since my car is already partially modded.. plus you get the cool whining sound in a 250! lol and people wont know what hit em when they see a 250 run pass by em haha 
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Pole Position
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: AL
if you are concerned about your car being "fast" don't get a 250. i wouldn't even get a 350 if i wanted a fast car. the 250's purpose is to be a luxurious daily driver with good gas mileage and decent power. there is more than enough power in the 250 to pull out into traffic and daily drive. it's obviously not a track car though.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Canada
204 hp is not bad at all for daily drive....in cities how fast can you go during traffic jam....my parents own 3 BMW, and i have a Is350....and they like my car better than their M5, 5series and 740iL...so once you go for lexus, you cant go wrong.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,553
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From: San Diego, CA
i suggest lms make a supercharger for our 250's.. so what it will probably be as fast as a 350.. but i think its just cheaper to get a supercharger then trade it in since my car is already partially modded.. plus you get the cool whining sound in a 250! lol and people wont know what hit em when they see a 250 run pass by em haha
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: cali
http://www.caranddriver.com:
Straight-line performance aside, the IS250 is a pleasure to drive, even more than its big brother. The IS350 weighs 135 more pounds than the 3465-pound IS250, and with extra weight carried over its handsome nose, the 350 understeers more than we’d like. Also, the more powerful car’s suspension feels a bit overdamped and overzealous, whereas the 250’s feels composed and tight. There’s predictable understeer on corner entry, but a midcorner squeeze on the throttle is enough to tighten your line for a precise and pleasant blast to the next corner. For better balance, we’d take the IS250 over the IS350.
Straight-line performance aside, the IS250 is a pleasure to drive, even more than its big brother. The IS350 weighs 135 more pounds than the 3465-pound IS250, and with extra weight carried over its handsome nose, the 350 understeers more than we’d like. Also, the more powerful car’s suspension feels a bit overdamped and overzealous, whereas the 250’s feels composed and tight. There’s predictable understeer on corner entry, but a midcorner squeeze on the throttle is enough to tighten your line for a precise and pleasant blast to the next corner. For better balance, we’d take the IS250 over the IS350.
You mean the same guys who reported the twin turbos in the Supra were different sized? Maybe it's because they don't know beans about reading the spec sheet. Here it is:
So according to Toyota's own statistics:
The base model GSE20L-AEFLHA (IS250 6MT RWD) weighs 3455 lbs with a 52.2/47.8 split f/r.
The base model GSE20L-AETLHA (IS250 AT RWD) weighs 3435 lbs with a 51.7/48.3 split f/r.
The base model GSE21L-AETLHA (IS350 AT RWD) weighs 3527 lbs with a 52.4/47.6 split f/r.
Finally the base model GSE25L-AETLHA (IS250 AT AWD) weighs 3651 lbs with a 54.3/45.7 split f/r.
I'd hardly say the IS350 has all its weight in the nose, and I'd say the boneheads at C&D botched another one. FWIW, the Supra NCF says my hardtop 6 speed TT (JZA80L-ALFVZA) weighs 3415. It weighed EXACTLY 3415 on a certified scale with 3 gallons of gas and all fluids at normal levels. I trust Toyota's numbers far more than I do C&D.
There is one HOWEVER - add the luxury package and nav to either one (250 or 350) and the weight increases nearly 100 lbs. My lux/nav/ML weighed 3620 at the drag strip - AFS w/HID, motorized steering columns, 18" wheels, the sunshade and various other do-dads certainly have a weight penalty - but these options are available on both cars.
So, do you think C&D got a fully loaded 350 and a stripped 250?
So according to Toyota's own statistics:
The base model GSE20L-AEFLHA (IS250 6MT RWD) weighs 3455 lbs with a 52.2/47.8 split f/r.
The base model GSE20L-AETLHA (IS250 AT RWD) weighs 3435 lbs with a 51.7/48.3 split f/r.
The base model GSE21L-AETLHA (IS350 AT RWD) weighs 3527 lbs with a 52.4/47.6 split f/r.
Finally the base model GSE25L-AETLHA (IS250 AT AWD) weighs 3651 lbs with a 54.3/45.7 split f/r.
I'd hardly say the IS350 has all its weight in the nose, and I'd say the boneheads at C&D botched another one. FWIW, the Supra NCF says my hardtop 6 speed TT (JZA80L-ALFVZA) weighs 3415. It weighed EXACTLY 3415 on a certified scale with 3 gallons of gas and all fluids at normal levels. I trust Toyota's numbers far more than I do C&D.
There is one HOWEVER - add the luxury package and nav to either one (250 or 350) and the weight increases nearly 100 lbs. My lux/nav/ML weighed 3620 at the drag strip - AFS w/HID, motorized steering columns, 18" wheels, the sunshade and various other do-dads certainly have a weight penalty - but these options are available on both cars.
So, do you think C&D got a fully loaded 350 and a stripped 250?
Last edited by lobuxracer; Aug 14, 2007 at 12:49 AM.
The IS250 is far from what I would consider slow. It would be more appropriate to say its 7.9 0-60 is about average with most cars on the road. Now the IS350 hauls some serious *** with a 5.3 0-60. However, you have to take into consideration if you really want/need that kind of power or not. It carries a pretty hefty price premium over the 250 as well as gets worse gas mileage. My previous car was a modified 2004 Nissan 350Z 6 speed and I would consistently run low 13's to high 12's through the 1/4 however I rarely could use that power on the road due to the insane amount of traffic here in Phoenix. So, when I went to get the IS I felt the 250 was just fine. Plus as mentioned...you are rolling a Lex, so its all good. I'd rather be slower in the Lex than faster in a Neon SRT4...just my 2 cents.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: San Jose, CA
The IS250 is far from what I would consider slow. It would be more appropriate to say its 7.9 0-60 is about average with most cars on the road. Now the IS350 hauls some serious *** with a 5.3 0-60. However, you have to take into consideration if you really want/need that kind of power or not. It carries a pretty hefty price premium over the 250 as well as gets worse gas mileage. My previous car was a modified 2004 Nissan 350Z 6 speed and I would consistently run low 13's to high 12's through the 1/4 however I rarely could use that power on the road due to the insane amount of traffic here in Phoenix. So, when I went to get the IS I felt the 250 was just fine. Plus as mentioned...you are rolling a Lex, so its all good. I'd rather be slower in the Lex than faster in a Neon SRT4...just my 2 cents.
