Unfortunately I will have to wait 2 months. I'm beginning to have second thoughts about my Blue/gray color combo selection! I haven't seen the car in blue yet, nor have a seen one with the gray interior!
Blue on sterling is an amazing combination IMHO, and I am not usually a fan of grey leather in a car. I saw a blue onyx GS 430 with sterling leather and black bird's eye maple and that particular car changed my perspective on the sterling leather. I have to say that blue onyx is a gorgeous colour and is very rich; very well done.
Personally, I know black is a pain in the [non-permissible content removed], but black on cashmere or sterling, or blue onyx on cashmere or sterling is what I am feelin' at the moment.
Very good and a pretty accurate review. I don't know if your salesperson showed you the trunk but it is surprisingly large for the IS. My theory is if they used to back 4-6 inches for the backseat and extended the wheelbase about an inch and a half rearward it would make the backseat of the IS very comfortable. BTW I saw the new IS again today because one of my friends wanted to try it out earlier today. Overall I feel the same about it as before but that was another thought I had today.
I agree with you that this car will move very well once the discounts start and the option packages are rethought. I personally coud easily live with the IS350 for $36,500 OTD with sport package and Nav/ ML. Especially knowing it invoices for about 31K now.
I went down to my local dealer to check out the new IS today. For the most part, loved it! Beautiful exterior, muscular, powerful, smooth, aggressive, basically everything its big brother GS wants to be!
Halfway through my inspection something became disturbing apparent. Lexus dropped the ball big time in a major design flaw!
By the looks of the other customers, they are so excited and overwhelmed by the nice things on the IS they don't realize IS has this hidden flaw.
Are you ready for this? IT'S THE BACK SEATS!
Well, let me take that back, actually it's not the back seat, they are quite comfortable, the leather is really really soft and supple, I could fall to sleep on it.
The FLAW is the FRONT SEATS! Yes these incrediblly supportable comfortable FRONT SEATS.
It appears whichever engineer designed the interior of the car had decided to use absolutely BIGGEST, THICKEST, TALLEST, HEAVIEST seats for the front seats!! Don't get me wrong, I think these front seats are extremely comfortable. So why the flaw? These big thick front seats absolutely taken up all of the interior back seat space.
Here's the kicker, zero room for your feet if your shoe size is 8 or above, zero room for your knees if you are taller then 5 feet! By the head, shoulder, hip room are all TIGHT! I am only 5'7 and weight 165lbs, and shoe size 8.5, I felt like a rat trapped in a closest back there! I can't move my feet, or knees.
If you are planning to sit in the back of IS then you better keep your trip under 20 minutes, because in no time you will feel like trapped in a tiny elevator on 10th floor!
The front seats are large enough to use in Toyota's biggest SUV, but someone at Toyota had decied since these seats are comfortable then why not use them in the new IS. The major downside are these, first, these SUV sized front seats wipes put any interior space gain from overall size increase from redesign of the car itself. Second, effectively IS becomes a coupe with 4 doors, the back space is useless unless you plan on use it as a leather lined trunk!
Everything else about this car is on par. But the back seats space most likely a no go for anyone who tried it, or actually plan on use it sometimes. Any serious buyer should try it out and decide for themselves. Can you honestly picture youself sit back there for an hour or more?
blk/grey base w/18's. paid sticker but got free tint and some free lexus logo pro v1 golf balls. i really wanted to wait for navi or a package with HID. but i had to get rid of my wife 03 A4. that thing was breaking down on me. dealer gave me 17500 for it so i had to jump on the IS. i love the smart key system, even though its kinda confusing at first. ive looked at C230, 325, B7 A4. i picked the IS because in the long run i think this car will last longer then the germans. me and my wife currently own 04 320CLK, 04 RX330 and now the IS250. as much as i love the A4, and CLK..i dont think i will be getting anything eles but lexus. the service can not be matched.
As far as anyone is concerned, this is by-far the most ridiculous attempt to dissuade IS consumers. People who opt for the IS are bent towards personal comfort and semi-spirited driving, not backseat passenger accomodation. That's what the GS, ES and LS is for, Einstein.
They don't call these cars entry-level or compact sport sedans for nothing.
OAC, nice write up. My god it seems the 3 series was only missing active steering and that weird radar/laser cruise thing - thats a lot of coin.
So the Is350 was essentially a base model? According to the lexus guy I spoke with last week they won't even order an IS350 for El Cajon without the premium package. Is that true at Kearny Mesa too?
pzykofart, dude I am a potential buyer. I am not some BMW owner trying to talk anyone out of buying an IS. I simply pointed out a glaring issue. If you read of of the forum on IS you will many people pointed it out. No one said we are looking for GS or ES alike back seat space, there are simply NONE! Especially for the feet. And you know what, you obviously don't speak for all of potential IS buyers. I for one do look at back seat space because I have friends who will ride back there. But I suppose there are people like you who have money coming out their pockets and just don't give a damn about certain aspect of the car. Fortunately, I am not an emotional buyer like you. I look at the car carefully, and judge it by what is really is and is not. Get it? Don't point finger unless you know what you are talking about. Do some research and sit in a few "compact sport sedans". For example, the Bimmer 325 and even Audi A3 has FAR more space back there than the IS. I NEVER was so shocked by the lacking of space in any small car until today when I sat in the new IS.
People check it out for yourself and judge for yourself, and see if you can live with the back seat space for the next 5 years. Let's exclude these who "will never use the back seats" types. They should go buy a Honda S2000.
I have been reading this board for a few months. If we could take out the basically useless banter about the BMW vs IS, there may be some good information and feedback. Obviously, there are the BMW fans that no matter what is proven, won't like the IS and vice versa. The bottom line is, drive the cars and choose the one that you like. Beyond that there is no reason to bash the other car. In reality, both are extremely nice in certain areas. Beyond that, HP and handling are not the only attributes that determine a car's value.
I have driven each car many, many times. I find the BMW very nice, but not for me. I notice that first gear is very short and for me it creates an odd and uncomfortable feeling when leaving from a stop. Otherwise, the BMW is very tight and should satisfy those liking that driving style BMW is famous for. The IS is completely different. It is typical Lexus: Quite, refined, smooth. Just what Lexus is famous for. There is no way that Lexus was going to sacrifice their image to create a car that would feel like a BMW. I am not an autocrosser, but an average middle aged dude that wants to roll the windows up and enjoy the comfort and quietness while maintaining the ability to let it loose sometimes. I am more the former than the later. The IS works for me.
The IS is very small. The back seats are small and may limit the cars ultimate satisfaction with many. Otherwise, the engine is the best I have felt in quite a while. The handling is more than adequate. The interior is nice. The NAV is pretty advanced. Overall, a great car. I think that if it was a bit larger, it would be a no brainer for most.
I have seen the green, black, silver and blue. Also the sterling and black interiors. The black makes the cabin appear smaller. I think the sterling really opens the cabin up. The green is not my style, the silver maybe too common, the blue somewhat dark......I will stick with the darker gray or the red.
I hope the new model does not suffer from the transmission problems so many other Lexus vehicles have had. The "jerkiness" and rough shifting seems to be endemic to recent vehicles, including 2005's. Discussion groups, such as this one, are packed with postings, yet Lexus chooses to basically ingore the problem.
Well, while I will agree, and have posted, that the back seat is smallish, and may be limiting for some (including the poster who wanted to put his elderly (read: my age :-) ) mother back there), my 11.5s fit under the seat, and I felt it was acceptable for modest length drives. YMMV.
For those many drivers, including me, who do 98% of their driving with one or two people in the car, it's a handy place to stow my laptop bag, and plenty big enough for that. Tim
Next time you're at the dealer, take a close look at the winder sticker on the IS. Look down below the "compare this vehicle box," and you'll see that the IS is considered A SUB-COMPACT! That's right, $44K + for a sub-compact vehicle. Why the surprise about the back-seat leg and foot room? This was the major reason, after months of studying this car, and a deposit on the IS350 since August, I decided it TOO SMALL and opted for the GS. The IS still an exceptional car and will meet the needs of most drivers; just don't expect any praise from back-seat passengers.
I sat behind the salesman with my size 12's while my wife drove. It was fine. True, it's not the car to take your friends across country in, but I kind of like that. People used to fall asleep in the back seat of my GS, and while I loved the feedback, it means that I'm the one who drives to lunch - EVERY STINKING DAY!
I agree with you (the seats are very thick). However, I don't agree that it's a design flaw. It believe it was intended that way. Those wishing more interior space can move up to the GS (of course it will cost more). It's all part of the Lexus marketing game.
Back to the seats. They do take up space, but not only in the back. They make, as others have commented, me feel cramped inside. I won't say it's a bad thing. It just excludes the IS off my shopping list. Really tried to like it. It's just not practical for my needs. It is a beautiful car (inside and out). Oh well time to move on.
The divergence of opinions on the back seat thing is confusing to me - I understand that what is acceptable is up to the individual, but the physical reality of the seating space doesn't seem to be a matter of opinion. Heck, you can measure it...
I'm 5'9 and after driving the IS, I sat in the backseat, leaving the front seat as it was during my test drive. Compared to taller friends of mine, I know I sit closer to the wheel than they do because of my leg length.
When I got into the back seat of the IS, I had to turn my feet sideways to get them down, and my knees were up against the front seat, even with my legs turned slightly sideways. That was the physical reality of it for me - whether this is acceptable for each person is their own decision. But for the people that found it fine - were your legs up against the front seat and/or were your legs sideways by necessity? I generally only have one passenger so back seat size is down on my list of priorities, but the reality for me is that rear seats in the IS are very small, and not what I would consider usable by adults for anything other than short in-town trips. (Not that having a small back seat is always even a bad thing - years ago when I had a two seater I could get out of driving some nights out because I couldn't fit everyone...
please voice your honest opinion of bmw530i vs lexus is350 what are some of your pros and cons of the vehicles. the lexus dealer keeps saying buy my lexus is350 bmw are unreliable. i realize there is about an 8-10 thosand dollar difference
I will say this, YES you can find a way to get in put your feet down somehow and shut the door. JUST DON'T EXPECT TO MOVE PERIOD, UNTIL YOU ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION. Yes, I understand this is a compact car, but does that mean unusable back seats? Again, check out Scion XB. A truely tiny car, but incredible amount of room! So roomyness is possible in a small car. A better example would be the A3, I sat in front and back of the Audi find it to be more than enough room to be comfortable.
When I say Design Flaw, it's really to get people to think, I am sure Lexus thinks the front seats are a good idea. In reality, front seats simply do not have to be that think and bulky to be made comfortable.
They say the new IS gained several inches inside out over the old IS, all is lost due these seats. Yes I understand GS is large, however, IS is made to compete with A4, 325, C class, I like the car overall it's on par or better except back seats.
As much as I want to like this car, the back seat is deal killer. I am looking to buy a modern 4 door, advanced high performance compact luxury, this will be the car I look good in and with my friends in the back seats once awhile. Can you imagine drive this car with 2 friends in the back to Las Vegas from LA?
So my advise is once again, anyone who wants to buy I am with you! But please do yourself a favor, sit in the back and make sure you adjust the front seats where you would normally. You will what I am talking about. Then, close the door picture youself back there for more than 20 minute, so if you are able to adjust your feet or move a little to get you blood flowing again!
IS gets an A for the most part Lexus made a beautiful car. BACK SEATS SPACE for feet and legs? TOTALLY "F". My brother's 325 coupe has more room back there. Will people ignore this and buy the car, YES, probably won't affect some people because they knew the problem and simply won't use the back seats, for the money what a waste! For others you will continue to see excuses so they can feel justified to buy a 4 doors with basically no back seats room. Oh well.
Having this said, I am not a Lexus hater because I am actually interested in this car, I will go to dealer check it out again today so I have no doubt when I cross IS off my list.
Of course the dealer would say that they want to move their product. The BMW 530i is more comparable to a Lexus GS300 though in terms of size, space, and competition. The IS is more in line with the BMW 3-Series. Both cars are very nice it just depends on what you want. Go test drive both and form your own opinion. If you have a family or require space then a 530i or a GS would be a much better fit for you. If you are like me and single with no immediate plans for a family or children then an IS or a BMW 3-Series will probably be the better choicee. Again just try them all- and their competitors too. There are more manufacturers than Lexus and BMW.
When I look at the new scion tC which is another Toyota, does the IS have anything common. At least the looks resemble to some extent. Is the relationship between Toyota camry and ES330 similar to Scion tC and IS?
The leg space in Scion tC is similar to the IS, the dash in Scion is similar to the new GS....
I wrote Scion Xb not tC, no they don't have anything common. Did I say that? I was using Xb a tiny car as an example, how interior can be made roomy. I repeatly pointed out Audi A3 as a comparsion, did you miss that?
That observation certainly isn't out of the ordinary. That was the first thougt me and one of my friends who has a Scion tC had. We both were thinking it looks like a 4 door luxury tC. I think the tC actually has a bit more useable space in the rear as I can actually fit back there. It could have something to do with the seat though too.
BGDC: Kearny Mesa had 3 IS350s stickered at $38,xxx. All base with 18" + other packages. Seems this dealership will order it for you which ever way you want it, except you cannot get ML, a decision credited to Lexus. No IS will be equipped with ML period. I would prefer the IS350 with the 18"s, Nav + Premium Lux. Sticker at $40K, but after a couple of months maybe get $2K off. At $38K, that would be a pretty good price point, imo.
WRT to the 330i, I asked to drive a non-Nav, SP-equipped 6MT car. None was available on the lot for test drive. The base 330i/6MT + SP + leather + dest = $39K sticker, which can be had for $36,xxx (inv + $1000, roughly). I think that will be an awesome car, if you are a Bimmer fan.
I don't know if your salesperson showed you the trunk but it is surprisingly large for the IS. My theory is if they used to back 4-6 inches for the backseat and extended the wheelbase about an inch and a half rearward it would make the backseat of the IS very comfortable.
I agree absolutely ! A design flaw in an otherwise well executed car in the IS, imo. But I sat back there and it was OK for me. What it lacked in space, it more than made up for in the comfort and suppleness of the leather. The interior materials are top notch in the IS....
Like I said, I sat behind the passenger seat while my wife drove. I had zero problem getting in and my knees were far from touching. My legs were slightly spread, but I was very comfortable. The only issue I had was that the doors are fairly high, giving me a feeling that I was sitting pretty low. Did I mention that I'm only 4' 2"? Just kidding, I'm 5' 9".
For me my GS, while an awesome car and the best car I have ever owned, was a bit on the boring side. My kids are only 4 and 2, and frankly I'm sick of being the only one with a clean, spacious car to shuttle the office around to lunch.
I've said this before, but I am going to enjoy driving an IS-size car while I still can. I have plenty of years left before I need to go back to the GS.
That's not true about the ML. There are cars with it, they are just mostly in the mid west. Tell your dealer to call around, or go to another dealer. I think your one is telling you that just so you buy the cars they have. They can order ones with ML and probably get them from other dealers around the US. It seems that for now, the ML is a regional thing, I don't know why, but again, you can find cars with it. Just look and call around if you want it bad enough .
I stand firm on what I said. Your "I-never-knew-I-could-feel-so-cramped-in-the-BACKSEAT-of-a-COMPACT-car" position continues to baffle me (though, I could care less). You seek practicality in the wrong segment (as if mid-size sedans don't exist in your world), but when push comes to shove, who will be riding in the backseat of your IS? Obviously, not you - and, not everyone will nitpick quite like you (yes, I'm pointing a finger.)
You think I'm emotional (which is beyond me), and I think you're picky and lost. Fair enough. Audi seems more suitable for your taste. "A" is for anal and Audi, and anal you are.
You are correct. I received a voice mail message yesterday afternoon on my cell phone from a salesman at the local Lexus dealership here in North Carolina. He said that they just got in a matador red IS350 with nav and ML both--and invited me to come down and test drive it on Monday. I probably will go ahead and test drive it, but most likely I won't sell or trade my 2002 IS300. Personally, I think that the IS250 and IS350 are both very nice cars. However, I am having a difficult time justifying the cost for one when I already own a fairly nice vehicle with only 27,000 miles on the clock. To a degree, I feel as though it would be somewhat ridiculous for me to purchase one of these cars at this point in time. Maybe later on it will make better sense to consider buying yet another new car. Believe it or not though, my wife wouldn't really mind if I bought an IS250/IS350 because she wants my IS300 to be her next car.
Hi, I was just wondering if this is a good offer, an IS350 with premium package and 18 inch summer wheels, with cargo net carpeted mats for 41,500, including tax and all that other junk?
"I sat behind the salesman with my size 12's while my wife drove. It was fine. True, it's not the car to take your friends across country in, but I kind of like that. People used to fall asleep in the back seat of my GS, and while I loved the feedback, it means that I'm the one who drives to lunch - EVERY STINKING DAY!"- It is not so much the driving 1 or 2 friends that I mind, but driving a boatload full of jabbermouths that is tiring.
I really like your take on this... honestly.
I drive my car, with gas being so expensive, err, I mean I drive my friends 95% of the time in my Corolla, which is roomier than the IS (kinda funny to think that), with respect to the backseat, and I think things are going to have to change!
Hey, if I need the backseat for something, then all I have to do is move both seats all the way up and, voila!
The Scion tC and Lexus only have exterior styling cues in common. Lexus ES 330 and Toyota Camry have a platform in common, as the ES is basically a luxurified Camry. Other than the styling cues being similar between tC and IS, there is absolutely nothing in common. Nothing.
I was just wondering if this is a good offer, an IS350 with premium package and 18 inch summer wheels, with cargo net carpeted mats for 41,500, including tax and all that other junk?
Seems about right, if that's OTD price.... based on MSRP... But its $3K over invoice, at least. Unfortunately dealers are still asking for MSRP. I'd wait a couple months (December-to-Remember) and see what they are selling for then...assuming you can wait, of course.
I just picked up my new IS350. Luxury package with NAV. Black/Sterling.
I don't know where to start. AMAZING. I will post more later, but basically I dropped off the best car I have owned: my '01 GS300, and picked up the most fun car I have owned: the IS350.
What stood out the most: how much firmer the ride is from my GS. I hear a lot about BMW's still feeling the road more, but I wouldn't want any more that the IS already offers. Frankly, I am happy I didn't get the sports package. Don't get me wrong, I love the ride, but based on all the talk I was expecting it to be a lot softer than it is.
So I went to the dealer again to look over the back seat situation. By the way I still like the car, but the back seat limited space is an issue. I would not have griped this much but this issue is big. I was able to readjust the way I sit, re-adjust the seats 4-5 times, re-positioned my legs, all but take the car apart. Finally I found a barely acceptable way to sit back there!
Getting back to the design flaw again, I learned that the IS DOES NOT EVEN OFFER FOLD DOWN REAR SEATS! The lame excuse I got from the sale person was Lexus wants to keep the cabin quite, what a bunch of BS. Every car luxury or not comes with fold down rear seat nowdays.
Here is the true reason why rear seats can't fold, they simply have NO room to let it fold, they will jam on the front seats if they did!
All the seatings are too thick inside, Lexus was not able to find a way to fold the rear seats! It's odd that they don't offer it, that's because they simply CAN'T.
Another reason could be that trunk openning is very narrow as well. So won't do you much good. Trunk itself is pretty tiny. My sales guy even said this is not the car to take across the country loaded. Is he kidding? This is really not a car to take a full load across town.
IS really is a coupe with 4 doors.
It all boils down to the type of seats they used, as lovely as these soft leather are, they simply taken up all the interior room to all passagers to relax in the back.
Having that said, IS is a ultra modern luxury car, nice but flawed. Wait, haters, I didn't say doomed. If I was to give it a grade I say solid B but far from an A. Especially when two of the Lexus dealers I've been to this weekend in So Cal are pretty cocky. Don't know what happen to Lexus' famous customer experience. The Sales dudes were all standing still like a stiff outside the showroom, none were smiling or actively showing car, explaining benefits, and design.
They all seem like order takers, basically very lazy. None even seem to be interested in customers inside, all were outside talking and waiting for commissions to fall into their hands!
These two lame [non-permissible content removed] dealers which I will NOT do business with are in So Cal. They are Lexus of Westminister, and Lexus of Tustin Ranch.
Since I was only interested in the 250, that's all I drove. There'll be plenty of time to drive the rest later. I sold 2 sports cars because I get stupid with too much power so the IS350 is out of the question. I've never wanted a new BMW so that would have also been a waste of my time. So there's no 3 series comparison.
My impressions...Love the exterior of the car. Especially the lighter colors. Mine will be silver or white. 17" wheels are nice but I like the 18's better. It's what I have been wishing for for a long time. A RWD Civic sized car with a zingy, Honda like engine. Looks like my wish has been answered. Although....there is an AWD small Honda sedan in the works now. Figures. I'd better lease my IS then.
Interior "IS" tight though. But I like it like that. I'm 6'6' 210 with long legs and I currently drive a Civic daily. My car is a three passenger car when I'm in it. I have no problem with that. Not to mention I sit with my seat tlited back a bit. I wouldn't expect too many people to be able sit behind me in a car this size. The front was cozy though. Seems like it would be awesome on a long dark drive with that awesome lighting display. It kind of reminded me of my 1986 RX7. Loved that car. Dropped by the dealership on the way home and they had one with the silver leather. Mine WILL have that color leather. The two tone effect is striking.
It drove just fine to me. I'm not planning on doing any competitive autocrossing so I don't expect to feel a 1mm pebble under the wheels. In the confines of the course, it felt fine to me. It was a little softer than my Eibach/Progress equipped SI but I find that to be a good thing. As long as it felt better than the Odyssey we drove up there.
I'm sold. I don't expect the stick to be as solid as the ones in my Honda but i sure hope it feels better than the one that they put in my FX16 GT-S's(plural since I owned 2). I'm waiting for the better deals though. I have 4 cars right now. There's no rush.
calm down. the trunk in the is350 is pretty much on target with everything else in this class. want a trunk that's big enough to take the luggage of 4 people cross country...buy a Crown Victoria. The IS, Audi, 3 series, etc are fine for luggage for 2 for a week. Want a backseat that'll comfortably hold 5 on a 1000 mile trip...get a Honda Odyssey.
As for your fold down rear seat, my BMW doesn't have one and if I order another there's no way in hades I'd order one with a fold down. The chassis' weakened with a fold down rear seat on the e46/e90. Different priorities...
" I was able to readjust the way I sit, re-adjust the seats 4-5 times, re-positioned my legs, all but take the car apart. Finally I found a barely acceptable way to sit back there!"
I don't know about that, well, for me at least. I am 5'11" and quite muscle-bound and even I fit in the backseat fine, although with less room than my Corolla. You can only fit 2 people in the back of the IS, which would be fine by me. One gripe - you cannot fit your feet underneat the front seats. Ah well. As of late I am annoyed with driving my friends around all the time so only 1 or 2 passengers would be fine by me.
The IS having a small back seat is most definitely not a design flaw but designed that way on purpose. For people who want a larger sedan, there is the GS. For people in the price range on an IS, the ES, or dare I say, another brand. I believe that Lexus wanted to market this sedan for the much younger, affluent generation, thereby making it a car for those who don't have 3+ kids to haul around. I could be wrong, but this isn't a design flaw, simply a compromise that all sedans make. If all sedans were to be the same, why so many brands then?
"Here is the true reason why rear seats can't fold, they simply have NO room to let it fold, they will jam on the front seats if they did!"
Hmmm, nope. Like I said, I have a Corolla, and guess what? Folding rear seats. Guess what? If you want to fold down the backseats when I am driving, you have to take off the headrests and then move my seat up to fit them all the way down. So, in actuality, if Lexus wanted to fold down the backseats, they could. This was another compromise that Lexus made to make the cabin quieter.
Bottom Line: All cars have compromises but these are simply the two ones that are of most concern to you, whereas the compromises that are made in other models in this same segment are compromises/flaws in my eyes that are unacceptable to me. Therefore, buy what you want, I am sure others will find flaws in it too.
Has anyone ordered a manual transmission IS250 yet? When do they expect them to be at dealers lots? We drove a base automatic IS250 last weekend. Great looking car but I cant order or even deal until I first drive one in a manual.
There are 2 main things that matter to me in my next car.
1) Needs to be a manual transmission. Strange as it may seem, I despise driving automatics. I just need a clutch pedal. I would definitely go for the IS350 if it were offered in a manual. It looks like MPG is not too much different. Also the 250 in automatic is actually better mpg than the manual? You don’t usually see that!
2) Must have navigation, and a good one at that. The DVD based nav in Acuras/Hondas is quite good. Great in TL/TSX/MDX etc. In fact one of the main reasons I didn’t get an S2000 is that there is no nav offered. So for the fun car that’s why we have a Mini Cooper S with the optional DVD nav. Its not the best out there but it is still useful enough to see a map and know where you are in relation to other roads. The BMW/Mini nav for 2004 was not nearly as good as the navigation in our 2004 RX330 but at least it does not lock you out once you start moving. At least there is a software hack you can to temporarily every time you start it up to enable the passenger to enter in info on the go.
I am still tempted by the G35 coupe with manual and nav. The nav is not as easy to use as the one in the new lexus.
Also drove the Acura TL last weekend. Liked it but the wife didn’t like the clutch. She said it was too high up before it started to grab. We wanted to test out the TSX in manual too but the dealer claimed they did not have any there with manual. Then spoke to dealer again this weekend to a different sales guy and he said they did have a manual and had it for 20 days! So basically the first salesman didn’t think it was worth letting us drive it so he made up a lye about not having any.
As for German cars, drove the A4 a while back and it was nice enough but I don’t really like the new nose much. I do not like the dealer and have had a bunch of expensive problems on my older A4 so Audi is out.
BMW is no doubt a great driver but I drove the 325 and was not that impressed and it gets expensive quickly with options. Plus the infamous “I-Drive” really was confusing to figure out. We were even having trouble with the radio! Just not very intuitive.
Anyway – does anyone know when the first manual tranny IS250s will be at the dealers???
Comments
Personally, I know black is a pain in the [non-permissible content removed], but black on cashmere or sterling, or blue onyx on cashmere or sterling is what I am feelin' at the moment.
Go for the blue/gray!
Tint the windows and you are set!
I agree with you that this car will move very well once the discounts start and the option packages are rethought. I personally coud easily live with the IS350 for $36,500 OTD with sport package and Nav/ ML. Especially knowing it invoices for about 31K now.
My salesman says that discounts are not going to ocurr in Winterpeg because this is the only Lexus dealer that is not hundreds of km's away.
"I personally coud easily live with the IS350 for $36,500 OTD with sport package and Nav/ ML. Especially knowing it invoices for about 31K now."
So could I.
Where would be a good place to find out the best way to sneak an American IS 350 over the border to Canada?
it! Beautiful exterior, muscular, powerful, smooth, aggressive, basically everything
its big brother GS wants to be!
Halfway through my inspection something became disturbing apparent. Lexus dropped
the ball big time in a major design flaw!
By the looks of the other customers, they are so excited and overwhelmed by the
nice things on the IS they don't realize IS has this hidden flaw.
Are you ready for this? IT'S THE BACK SEATS!
Well, let me take that back, actually it's not the back seat, they are quite comfortable,
the leather is really really soft and supple, I could fall to sleep on it.
The FLAW is the FRONT SEATS! Yes these incrediblly supportable comfortable FRONT
SEATS.
It appears whichever engineer designed the interior of the car had decided to
use absolutely BIGGEST, THICKEST, TALLEST, HEAVIEST seats for the front seats!!
Don't get me wrong, I think these front seats are extremely comfortable. So why the
flaw? These big thick front seats absolutely taken up all of the interior back
seat space.
Here's the kicker, zero room for your feet if your shoe size is 8 or above, zero
room for your knees if you are taller then 5 feet! By the head, shoulder, hip room
are all TIGHT! I am only 5'7 and weight 165lbs, and shoe size 8.5, I felt like
a rat trapped in a closest back there! I can't move my feet, or knees.
If you are planning to sit in the back of IS then you better keep your trip under
20 minutes, because in no time you will feel like trapped in a tiny elevator on
10th floor!
The front seats are large enough to use in Toyota's biggest SUV, but someone at
Toyota had decied since these seats are comfortable then why not use them in the new
IS. The major downside are these, first, these SUV sized front seats wipes put any
interior space gain from overall size increase from redesign of the car itself.
Second, effectively IS becomes a coupe with 4 doors, the back space is useless unless
you plan on use it as a leather lined trunk!
Everything else about this car is on par. But the back seats space most likely a
no go for anyone who tried it, or actually plan on use it sometimes. Any serious
buyer should try it out and decide for themselves. Can you honestly picture youself
sit back there for an hour or more?
American dream lol! j.k. Well might as well move here to Los Angeles,CA nice
here!!! But yeah I would totally buy it for 36K for sure!! ooh is it possible to have
the illuminated things (the things located on the entrace of the door) on a sports
package because im not that sure about the whole "wood" look but i personally
havent seen it, so i dont know! And im for sure waiting for the IS350c (Summer
06') which i hope they replace the back seats to only have 4 seats which i could
care less about the fifth seat and has that feature that the new Nissan Maxima
has!
<img src="http://www.lexus.ca/images/configurator/larger_popup/incar_lg_CK262T2006_LA11.jpg
I can't seem to find any decent blue onyx pictures.
I can't seem to find any decent blue onyx pictures.
They don't call these cars entry-level or compact sport sedans for nothing.
So the Is350 was essentially a base model? According to the lexus guy I spoke with last week they won't even order an IS350 for El Cajon without the premium package. Is that true at Kearny Mesa too?
Glad you liked it.
I NEVER was so shocked by the lacking of space in any small car until today when I sat in the new IS.
People check it out for yourself and judge for yourself, and see if you can live with the back seat space for the next 5 years. Let's exclude these who "will never use the back seats" types. They should go buy a Honda S2000.
I have driven each car many, many times. I find the BMW very nice, but not for me. I notice that first gear is very short and for me it creates an odd and uncomfortable feeling when leaving from a stop. Otherwise, the BMW is very tight and should satisfy those liking that driving style BMW is famous for. The IS is completely different. It is typical Lexus: Quite, refined, smooth. Just what Lexus is famous for. There is no way that Lexus was going to sacrifice their image to create a car that would feel like a BMW. I am not an autocrosser, but an average middle aged dude that wants to roll the windows up and enjoy the comfort and quietness while maintaining the ability to let it loose sometimes. I am more the former than the later. The IS works for me.
The IS is very small. The back seats are small and may limit the cars ultimate satisfaction with many. Otherwise, the engine is the best I have felt in quite a while. The handling is more than adequate. The interior is nice. The NAV is pretty advanced. Overall, a great car. I think that if it was a bit larger, it would be a no brainer for most.
I have seen the green, black, silver and blue. Also the sterling and black interiors. The black makes the cabin appear smaller. I think the sterling really opens the cabin up. The green is not my style, the silver maybe too common, the blue somewhat dark......I will stick with the darker gray or the red.
For those many drivers, including me, who do 98% of their driving with one or two people in the car, it's a handy place to stow my laptop bag, and plenty big enough for that. Tim
Any ideas???
Back to the seats. They do take up space, but not only in the back. They make, as others have commented, me feel cramped inside. I won't say it's a bad thing. It just excludes the IS off my shopping list. Really tried to like it. It's just not practical for my needs. It is a beautiful car (inside and out). Oh well time to move on.
I'm 5'9 and after driving the IS, I sat in the backseat, leaving the front seat as it was during my test drive. Compared to taller friends of mine, I know I sit closer to the wheel than they do because of my leg length.
When I got into the back seat of the IS, I had to turn my feet sideways to get them down, and my knees were up against the front seat, even with my legs turned slightly sideways. That was the physical reality of it for me - whether this is acceptable for each person is their own decision. But for the people that found it fine - were your legs up against the front seat and/or were your legs sideways by necessity? I generally only have one passenger so back seat size is down on my list of priorities, but the reality for me is that rear seats in the IS are very small, and not what I would consider usable by adults for anything other than short in-town trips. (Not that having a small back seat is always even a bad thing - years ago when I had a two seater I could get out of driving some nights out because I couldn't fit everyone...
When I say Design Flaw, it's really to get people to think, I am sure Lexus thinks the front seats are a good idea. In reality, front seats simply do not have to be that think and bulky to be made comfortable.
They say the new IS gained several inches inside out over the old IS, all is lost due these seats. Yes I understand GS is large, however, IS is made to compete with A4, 325, C class, I like the car overall it's on par or better except back seats.
As much as I want to like this car, the back seat is deal killer. I am looking to buy a modern 4 door, advanced high performance compact luxury, this will be the car I look good in and with my friends in the back seats once awhile. Can you imagine drive this car with 2 friends in the back to Las Vegas from LA?
So my advise is once again, anyone who wants to buy I am with you! But please do yourself a favor, sit in the back and make sure you adjust the front seats where you would normally. You will what I am talking about. Then, close the door picture youself back there for more than 20 minute, so if you are able to adjust your feet or move a little to get you blood flowing again!
IS gets an A for the most part Lexus made a beautiful car. BACK SEATS SPACE for feet and legs? TOTALLY "F". My brother's 325 coupe has more room back there. Will people ignore this and buy the car, YES, probably won't affect some people because they knew the problem and simply won't use the back seats, for the money what a waste! For others you will continue to see excuses so they can feel justified to buy a 4 doors with basically no back seats room. Oh well.
Having this said, I am not a Lexus hater because I am actually interested in this car, I will go to dealer check it out again today so I have no doubt when I cross IS off my list.
The leg space in Scion tC is similar to the IS, the dash in Scion is similar to the new GS....
I was using Xb a tiny car as an example, how interior can be made roomy.
I repeatly pointed out Audi A3 as a comparsion, did you miss that?
Actually, the tC has a lot o9f room in the back, at least for legs and feet.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
WRT to the 330i, I asked to drive a non-Nav, SP-equipped 6MT car. None was available on the lot for test drive. The base 330i/6MT + SP + leather + dest = $39K sticker, which can be had for $36,xxx (inv + $1000, roughly). I think that will be an awesome car, if you are a Bimmer fan.
I agree absolutely ! A design flaw in an otherwise well executed car in the IS, imo. But I sat back there and it was OK for me. What it lacked in space, it more than made up for in the comfort and suppleness of the leather. The interior materials are top notch in the IS....
For me my GS, while an awesome car and the best car I have ever owned, was a bit on the boring side. My kids are only 4 and 2, and frankly I'm sick of being the only one with a clean, spacious car to shuttle the office around to lunch.
I've said this before, but I am going to enjoy driving an IS-size car while I still can. I have plenty of years left before I need to go back to the GS.
You think I'm emotional (which is beyond me), and I think you're picky and lost. Fair enough. Audi seems more suitable for your taste. "A" is for anal and Audi, and anal you are.
Ron M.
Unless you put the pedal to the metal. But, then again, they just might puke on you...
I really like your take on this... honestly.
I drive my car, with gas being so expensive, err, I mean I drive my friends 95% of the time in my Corolla, which is roomier than the IS (kinda funny to think that), with respect to the backseat, and I think things are going to have to change!
Hey, if I need the backseat for something, then all I have to do is move both seats all the way up and, voila!
Seems about right, if that's OTD price.... based on MSRP... But its $3K over invoice, at least. Unfortunately dealers are still asking for MSRP. I'd wait a couple months (December-to-Remember) and see what they are selling for then...assuming you can wait, of course.
I don't know where to start. AMAZING. I will post more later, but basically I dropped off the best car I have owned: my '01 GS300, and picked up the most fun car I have owned: the IS350.
What stood out the most: how much firmer the ride is from my GS. I hear a lot about BMW's still feeling the road more, but I wouldn't want any more that the IS already offers. Frankly, I am happy I didn't get the sports package. Don't get me wrong, I love the ride, but based on all the talk I was expecting it to be a lot softer than it is.
I have a lot to study. Catch up with you later.
Getting back to the design flaw again, I learned that the IS DOES NOT EVEN OFFER FOLD DOWN REAR SEATS! The lame excuse I got from the sale person was Lexus wants to keep the cabin quite, what a bunch of BS. Every car luxury or not comes with fold down rear seat nowdays.
Here is the true reason why rear seats can't fold, they simply have NO room to let it fold, they will jam on the front seats if they did!
All the seatings are too thick inside, Lexus was not able to find a way to fold the rear seats! It's odd that they don't offer it, that's because they simply CAN'T.
Another reason could be that trunk openning is very narrow as well. So won't do you much good. Trunk itself is pretty tiny. My sales guy even said this is not the car to take across the country loaded. Is he kidding? This is really not a car to take a full load across town.
IS really is a coupe with 4 doors.
It all boils down to the type of seats they used, as lovely as these soft leather are, they simply taken up all the interior room to all passagers to relax in the back.
Having that said, IS is a ultra modern luxury car, nice but flawed. Wait, haters, I didn't say doomed. If I was to give it a grade I say solid B but far from an A. Especially when two of the Lexus dealers I've been to this weekend in So Cal are pretty cocky. Don't know what happen to Lexus' famous customer experience.
The Sales dudes were all standing still like a stiff outside the showroom, none were smiling or actively showing car, explaining benefits, and design.
They all seem like order takers, basically very lazy. None even seem to be interested in customers inside, all were outside talking and waiting for commissions to fall into their hands!
These two lame [non-permissible content removed] dealers which I will NOT do business with are in So Cal. They are Lexus of Westminister, and Lexus of Tustin Ranch.
I know that if and when I pick up my IS 350 sport I will have a lot of studying to do as well, all day long...
Since I was only interested in the 250, that's all I drove. There'll be plenty of time to drive the rest later. I sold 2 sports cars because I get stupid with too much power so the IS350 is out of the question. I've never wanted a new BMW so that would have also been a waste of my time. So there's no 3 series comparison.
My impressions...Love the exterior of the car. Especially the lighter colors. Mine will be silver or white. 17" wheels are nice but I like the 18's better. It's what I have been wishing for for a long time. A RWD Civic sized car with a zingy, Honda like engine. Looks like my wish has been answered. Although....there is an AWD small Honda sedan in the works now. Figures. I'd better lease my IS then.
Interior "IS" tight though. But I like it like that. I'm 6'6' 210 with long legs and I currently drive a Civic daily. My car is a three passenger car when I'm in it. I have no problem with that. Not to mention I sit with my seat tlited back a bit. I wouldn't expect too many people to be able sit behind me in a car this size. The front was cozy though. Seems like it would be awesome on a long dark drive with that awesome lighting display. It kind of reminded me of my 1986 RX7. Loved that car. Dropped by the dealership on the way home and they had one with the silver leather. Mine WILL have that color leather. The two tone effect is striking.
It drove just fine to me. I'm not planning on doing any competitive autocrossing so I don't expect to feel a 1mm pebble under the wheels. In the confines of the course, it felt fine to me. It was a little softer than my Eibach/Progress equipped SI but I find that to be a good thing. As long as it felt better than the Odyssey we drove up there.
I'm sold. I don't expect the stick to be as solid as the ones in my Honda but i sure hope it feels better than the one that they put in my FX16 GT-S's(plural since I owned 2). I'm waiting for the better deals though. I have 4 cars right now. There's no rush.
As for your fold down rear seat, my BMW doesn't have one and if I order another there's no way in hades I'd order one with a fold down. The chassis' weakened with a fold down rear seat on the e46/e90. Different priorities...
I don't know about that, well, for me at least. I am 5'11" and quite muscle-bound and even I fit in the backseat fine, although with less room than my Corolla. You can only fit 2 people in the back of the IS, which would be fine by me. One gripe - you cannot fit your feet underneat the front seats. Ah well. As of late I am annoyed with driving my friends around all the time so only 1 or 2 passengers would be fine by me.
The IS having a small back seat is most definitely not a design flaw but designed that way on purpose. For people who want a larger sedan, there is the GS. For people in the price range on an IS, the ES, or dare I say, another brand. I believe that Lexus wanted to market this sedan for the much younger, affluent generation, thereby making it a car for those who don't have 3+ kids to haul around. I could be wrong, but this isn't a design flaw, simply a compromise that all sedans make. If all sedans were to be the same, why so many brands then?
"Here is the true reason why rear seats can't fold, they simply have NO room to let it fold, they will jam on the front seats if they did!"
Hmmm, nope. Like I said, I have a Corolla, and guess what? Folding rear seats. Guess what? If you want to fold down the backseats when I am driving, you have to take off the headrests and then move my seat up to fit them all the way down. So, in actuality, if Lexus wanted to fold down the backseats, they could. This was another compromise that Lexus made to make the cabin quieter.
Bottom Line: All cars have compromises but these are simply the two ones that are of most concern to you, whereas the compromises that are made in other models in this same segment are compromises/flaws in my eyes that are unacceptable to me. Therefore, buy what you want, I am sure others will find flaws in it too.
And to add whatever sales tax is in your province. I already checked into doing this.
There are 2 main things that matter to me in my next car.
1) Needs to be a manual transmission. Strange as it may seem, I despise driving automatics. I just need a clutch pedal. I would definitely go for the IS350 if it were offered in a manual. It looks like MPG is not too much different. Also the 250 in automatic is actually better mpg than the manual? You don’t usually see that!
2) Must have navigation, and a good one at that. The DVD based nav in Acuras/Hondas is quite good. Great in TL/TSX/MDX etc. In fact one of the main reasons I didn’t get an S2000 is that there is no nav offered. So for the fun car that’s why we have a Mini Cooper S with the optional DVD nav. Its not the best out there but it is still useful enough to see a map and know where you are in relation to other roads. The BMW/Mini nav for 2004 was not nearly as good as the navigation in our 2004 RX330 but at least it does not lock you out once you start moving. At least there is a software hack you can to temporarily every time you start it up to enable the passenger to enter in info on the go.
I am still tempted by the G35 coupe with manual and nav. The nav is not as easy to use as the one in the new lexus.
Also drove the Acura TL last weekend. Liked it but the wife didn’t like the clutch. She said it was too high up before it started to grab. We wanted to test out the TSX in manual too but the dealer claimed they did not have any there with manual. Then spoke to dealer again this weekend to a different sales guy and he said they did have a manual and had it for 20 days! So basically the first salesman didn’t think it was worth letting us drive it so he made up a lye about not having any.
As for German cars, drove the A4 a while back and it was nice enough but I don’t really like the new nose much. I do not like the dealer and have had a bunch of expensive problems on my older A4 so Audi is out.
BMW is no doubt a great driver but I drove the 325 and was not that impressed and it gets expensive quickly with options. Plus the infamous “I-Drive” really was confusing to figure out. We were even having trouble with the radio! Just not very intuitive.
Anyway – does anyone know when the first manual tranny IS250s will be at the dealers???