Everyone picking on the IS250 should look at the sales numbers. Lexus built the 250 for a larger target audience, and it's selling a lot of cars. It's a nice car, and it's a Lexus. Not beating a certain car off the line doesn't make your Lexus a POS, or certain parts of your body any smaller.

 

One of the dumbest statements I've seen here on CL..........why would engineers working on the IS250 share information with engineers working on the TC two different platforms two different target customers. Should the IS250 be faster because it costs more than double the TC?

 

The 250 was built for a purpose. That purpose is to get GREAT mileage with average power. It does that VERY well. It sells much better then the 350 (a good 2/3 to 1). If you like to line up next to other cars, you should have did a little research before buying the 250. The 250 is not a slow car if you know what you are buying!

Koz

 

The only reason why I got my IS250 is because I got an outstanding deal $29,400 before tax. And because I love the looks of it and I treat it as my cruiser. If I wanted speed I would of gotten an STI. My gsr can probably take my IS250.

If you are racing your IS250 and complaining that you lost than I'm sorry you bought the wrong car. I bought the car knowing the IS250 wasnt that fast. The most important thing to me is that it gets great gas mileage and looks good doing so! I was getting 34mpg on a short road trip a few weeks ago.

 

I agree with MrMark. If you wanted a faster IS you should have gotten the IS350. The 250 is marketed to more people due to its fuel effiecieny, AWD option and price. If you really wanted to blow the doors off a tC, the IS350 would have been a better choice. I wont say the tC is slow, its fast enough for those who are comfortable with it.

 

Let me ask you this, now that you know the TC is faster, would you rather drive in a IS250 or a TC?

If you answered IS250, good for you! You like most people value luxury, safety and class more than speed.

If you answered TC, then speed is obviously the most important thing. Sell your IS250, get an EVO, STI, C5 Z06. The IS350 won't be right for you because you'll complain a $32k car beat yours.

 

In Puerto Rico the base is250 cost me $39,995 and the dealer cuote me $81,900 for a 08 335i convertible. A little bit expensive for a daily/fun car to have so now im looking for a second car and keep my is250 as a daily driver and maybe a bmw Z4 or a used M3 on convertible for the weekends and hang around with my wife.
The Truth is that the is250 is no performance ride but its one good looking luxury car and all my friends compliments the car so being "The Roadruner" on the street its not my style in my lexus its just to look good with great style.

ps. Im in love with my is250 and its a great car!

 

Amen brother!!! I dont care what POS cheaper car is fast than mine, at the end of the day, who wouldnt rather be driving a Lexus home?

 

YES! It should! Like I said IMO. I`d still like to see a TC truely out perform an IS250, in a real race road course or some good mtn roads A drag race means nothing!

 

When will people stop bashing the 250 because they don't think it's fast enough. If you don't like it sell it, you drove it before you bought it, nobody put a gun to your head...now stop your f&^%$*@ whining and enjoy the ride.

 

First of all I just want to point out that the TC is a Coupe.

Anyways, if you think about it though, when the IS250 first came out, it had the most power compared to it's competitors in it's class. Base on the numbers from countless car websites, it was faster than the A4, TSX, C230 and 325i. It's not until recently have they released a faster vehicle, TSX added 5-8 hp (not sure how much) and 328i received it's 320+hp.

Just remember, although it's off topic, IS250 comes with a lot more features than any of it's competitors. My friend bought a new $37k 328i sedan and it didn't even come with power seats. I got my IS250 for around $32k and it had a lot more features and gets bette rmileage. Compared to the TSX & A4, the IS250 is still a RWD.

I say be happy with your purchase or you can trade your 250 for a 350 or TC.

 

take it to the twisties!! i hang on the asses of cars with 75-100 more hp than me.. no joke.. and they are not bad drivers either.. haven't done any hard driving after boosty woosty yet..

peddle mashing is NO FUN!!

 

Seriously? You bought a 204HP 4 door luxury car, and you're upset it's not "fast" in a straight line? All of that wonderful Lexus leather, sound isolation material, electronics (you'd be surprised how much wiring actually weighs) etc add up to a pretty heavy car for its size. 200-something horse and 180-something torque are just NOT going to make a straight line rocket ship in a car like this.

I am able to get consistent 7.2 second 0-60 runs in my IS250 (RWD, Auto), but I haven't run a full 1/4 mile out yet. Just looking at Sport Compact Car's review of a '05 TC (http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/fe...est/index.html) it looks like the magazine guys only got a 7.8 out of the TC (faster than Lexus's rating of the IS250, but faster than what I see). Here's another site that claims 7.5 0-60 for the TC (http://www.modernracer.com/sciontc.html) and both of those reviews are manual cars. An Auto TC would be slower. I imagine you didn't run a full 1/4 mile, so you really should have been ahead of the TC anyway.

But regardless, drag racing is NOT the point of any Lexus, particularly the IS250.

In my case I bought mine because I have a fast car, but I wanted a very very very very nice daily driver with some "curb appeal" and some very nice features (such as the best NAV in the industry) but I also need good MPG (I'm in sales, I drive a lot). However, I still need a car that's fun to drive. The IS250 never feels underpowered, until you floor it. I know that sounds weird, but the six-speed Auto keeps it in the power range when you need it, and daily driving I'm just not going around mashing on the car. The car is VERY well balanced in the twisties, the brakes are very communicative and strong (even though the 250 has smaller brakes), and the car is overall a blast to drive.

There is not a better car for what I need than my IS250. Keep in mind I go racing on a regular basis (true, sanctioned racing) and my ‘other car’ has over 450RWHP. If I say a IS250 is fun to drive, that’s saying something.


****, I wish they did make a dizzy IS250 for the US. In fact, I know it'd be faster anyway with a few tweaks and the MPG would be amazing. Torque is also what makes a car "feel" fast in every day driving, and that's what dizzies have plenty of.


Amen.


Compare the IS to cars in its class, not "pocket rockets" like the TSX, SI etc. Civics and such are NOT IS competition. They are 2 door, sub-compact econo-boxes with some pep. If that's what you want, buy that. Compare an IS to a similarly priced C-Class or BMW 3-Series and you'll see you get a FASTER car, a much nicer interior, waaaaaaaaaaay more features, reliability etc. As I mentioned above there is a LOT of weight that comes with being a true luxo car (as well as a 4 door), how can you compare to a Civic SI (granted, they have a 4 door now too)!?!?!?!?!

Why didn't Lexus put a 250+ HP motor in the IS250? Simple: it doesn't NEED a 250+ HP motor to do an exceptional job of what it is meant to do.


Who in the hell said Toyota/Lexus are “supposed” to be the same!!??!! They actually go to great lengths to build brand identity, and the IS platform has nothing to do with any Toyota (at least in the US, I don’t know about JDM).

That being said, I’m sure Lexus is fully aware of the TC’s performance specs AND DOESN’T CARE. The TC is NOT in the same class, nor direct competition to an IS. Lexus should care about the C-Class, 3-Series, A3/4, G35/7 and such. The Audis and Infinities might be able to come close to the IS250 price-point, but not with as much equipment. And they’re not going to get the MPG etc. a 250 does. A G35/7 will run circles around an IS250 but its base-price put it in competition more with the 350 than 250.


Lexus hit the mark with the IS (both 250 and 350) and they have been (and will continue to be) very successful because of it.


Yup. Low 7's really isn't that bad 0-60 anyway.


Somebody that bought their 250 for the right reason!


Haha, preach on!

-TJ

 

AND you are??? Shumacher? Earnheart? Foyt? LOL *cough*ego*cough* haha, well then if he can say that then let me say:

I live in Hawaii, beautiful scenery, beautiful women, beautiful weather so.... If I say a IS250 is a beautiful car, that's saying something.

 

Well i'm not bashing the IS at all.. Heck i'm even considering one down the road wheather its a 250/350 not sure.. I really like the 250 because you can pick it up for around 30k-34k.. With a nice downpayment it maybe possible..