German Car Zone

Well I went to test drive the new IS250 yesterday. My uncle has placed an order for his car now which will be here by the end of January (*Shock* a lexus with a small waiting list..lol). Just to make sure I got a great back to back impression of the two vehicles, I drove there in my aunts new 320i.

Well when I first laid eyes on the lexus, the first thing that came to mind was,
"Is that It?" I expected so much more from the pictures, but before me was an attractive enough vehicle, but with nothing particularly beautiful to note. Also, I think the Toyota DNA is still alive and well in Lexus designs, which isn't a good thing. The rear has a great squat stance, the front was pleasant enough, but nothing too exciting, and the profile was very so so. The kink rising from the door to the C pillar was a very unnecessary style element. So overall the design was nice, but the 3 was is nicer.

The interior also gave me mixed impressions. The materials seemed to be of a great quality, but they still felt very Toyota. Especially the shiny silver bits on the door grip which is also used around the transmission tunnel. What really grated my nerves was the CRAP layout of the climate control and audio controls on the entry level vehicle. Lexus, once a benchmark for ergonomics, has seriously stumbled. I think for the sake of style, the arrangement of the controls has ended up all too ad hoc. Mind you the situation in the cars equipped with the touch screen navigation system was vastly superior. It’s just so easy to use .With complaints about the rear seating in mind, I adjusted the drivers seat so I would be comfortable, Keeping in mind I am a real shorty at only 175cm and then jumped into the back. Knee room was fine, but where was I supposed to put my feet. The bulky base of the front seats takes up so much room, you simply can't put your feet under there. I feel sorry for anyone taller than me back there lol. So the materials were good, everything felt beautifully damped and moved with an oily precision. But then another area where I really felt the IS was a let down, especially considering how well put together their other vehicles are, was the build quality. The shut lines in the interior were nothing impressive, and the door trim meeting the dashboard actually showed a bit of inconsistency when comparing the two sides. Things I loved about the interior were the armrest compartment design (yes a very small thing I realize) and the instrument display. It was far more comprehensive than the 3 series and looked high-tech beautiful. The 3ers look rather staid and cheap in comparison. But when I jumped back into the 3 later on I realized, neither of the two have interiors that are particularly special.

For the test drive then. Fired up the engine, what was that a felt? Slight vibrations? This from Lexus brand new 2.5 V6. I always expected to feel absolutely nothing from a Lexus engine, as my past encounters proved, but this one was less refined at start up. Perhaps their quest for output figures to match the Germans has finally taken a very slight toll on refinement? Anyway, on the move the engine was a complete gem, blending seamlessly with the transmission. But I did note, despite its on paper advantages in no way was the 3ers 4 cylinder disgraced. Also their claims that the car will do 0-100 in 6.9 are completely overstated. There is no way this car will achieve those numbers.

The roads we drove on were excellent, nice and windy, smooth, but with enough ripples and bumps to test the suspension out. The steering was very precise, but much lighter than the MEATY feeling of the 3. Some will prefer the effortlessness of the IS's steering, but I like the 3. There was a little more body roll than the 3, enough to notice, but the ride was incrementally more refined and composed. A tough choice here then. The purists will prefer the 3, but those looking for something slightly more refined will no doubt prefer the Lexus.

As expected, the rest of the car was very good. I did note the leather quality of the Lexus absolutely blows the 3 away, and even cars costing twice as much. Also, the value proposition of the Lexus is outstanding. The car my uncle will be getting has sunroof, keyless go (which is standard across the entire range), distronic cruise control, pre safe, airbags in all four doors, window curtain airbag, front and passenger airbags (obviously) and knee bags! It also has Mark Levinson premium audio system (which sounds superb but lacks a bit of bass), navigation system (which makes a mockery of all the German navigation systems I have tried), reverse camera with parking guidance assistance and climate controlled front seats which actually don’t just blow air, but actually cool the air down. Basically everything is standard on the top of the range IS250 at a price no German could ever dream about matching, perhaps up to Aus$30G cheaper than a loaded 325i. Heck it has stuff included standard, that aren't even available as options on the 3.

So in all, I don’t know which car I would prefer. 3-er has the looks, better interior packaging and the slight driving edge. The Lexus has the slightly better quality interior, the seats edging it over the 3, and an unbelievable amount of equipment. Actually putting it that way, I would take the Lexus. I’m a sucker for electronic gadgets, and a black car with some nice alloys will make it look that slight bit more special than what it does. The build quality is nothing outstanding, but then neither is the 3ers. I just expected more from Lexus in this respect. In all, a very very close call, but if the 3er wasnt as sexy as it is, the decision would have been much easier.

Geez, stunning review and nicely written too. I like your attention to detail. A post like this ought to be commended because of its standard and the value it adds to the forum.

Some good karma for you then.
P.S. You seem familiar, were on the GCF forums?

Nice review have you tried 325 or 330i?

here is Osnas "3er vs Lexus IS350 - My Verdict", if you're intrested
http://germancarzone.com/showthread.php?t=917

I won't argue with the fact that the Lexus has more equipment but I think the 320i can't match the Lexus.
1. I think the engine is just not satisfactory at all. The 2.0 is unrefined and quite sluggish IMO. Remember all the tests on the 120i and how people were complaining how it was slow? I doubt it is better on a 320i...
2. In terms of looks, the 320i is quite bare in the wheels department. What kind of wheels did the Lexus have? It is well know that the E90 looks much better with at least 17".
3. I think a E90 could probably match in terms of equipment but of course, it will come at an astronomical price, so thumbs up for Lexus making standard equipment!

Thanks for the write up.

Very nice review!

Too bad it will take some time for me to see the new IS. No matter how much money Lexus has spend for advertising their sales here in Greece are laughable.

Thanks guys.

Thank you Martinbo. I have been around for a while and my name has always been Mr. Mercedes. But i've been thinking about changing it to somthing less bias, since I am appreciating what BMW and Audi offer more and more.

Just Me, unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to drive the larger engined variants. Seems like lexus isn't planning on bringing the IS350 here for a couple of years. I guess its because our GS is using the older 3 litre. Also, I'd feel bad pretending to be purchasing a car just for a test drive.

Warot, I'm surprised that you dont think the 2.0 litre BMW is a good engine. I find it to be refined, and responsive enough. It certainly is no BMW six, but its good for what it is and in no way shamed by the Lexus. Lexus are big fat liars when it comes to performance estimates. But I don't think BMW offers all the equipment lexus does on the IS. Do they have a reversing camera with guidance, seats with condensors built in? Certainly they dont have presafe.

Yannis, do you know why the sales are so poor in Greece? What is the general market attitude toward lexus there? A glorified Toyota? Here in Oz Lexus I think are going to make HUGE inroads in the next few years not only in sales but in terms of brand prestige. Which is why Mercedes in particular, BMW and Audi to a lesser extent, simply can't continue with their ridiculous pricing structure.

Hey Mr.Merc,
We had a chance to have a fun day with the E90. We had the whole E90 lineup. From the 320i to the 330i, including the 320d. I started off with the 330i (unfortunately) so when I went to the 320i, I was just totally dissapointed, which is normal I guess. Then I looked at it subjectively. I still don't like the 2.0i. It just doeasn't have much punch IMO. Although the 1.8T from Audi has a turbo, I'd really rather have that engine.

BMW doesn't have reverse cameras, but if you have the Idrive, when you put the car in reverse, there's a diagram of the car which shows how much space you can reverse, does that make sense? It's more than enough.

What sensors are you talking about (on the seat) and what is presafe?

Not sensors in the seat, condensors. I know the Germans used to offere ventilated seats, which would blow air through the preforations, but Lexus has gone one step further and actually built in a mini airconditioning unit into the seat. It's superb in our hot humid climate. I think only the new S-class offers this in the entire MB range.

Presafe is the pre-impact system that moves the seats, tightens the seat belts etc. if the car detects danger. Lexus has a first generation system which isn't as sophisticated as the one offered on the new S.

When we were testdriving vehicles for my aunt, before she bought the 3-series, I drove a Audi 1.8T. I felt the engines was more responsive than the 3, once it got over the turbo lag, but it was also a throby and less refined.

no german brand has a standard equipment as japanese cars. The japansese are unbeatable . For the money you get much.

Agree'd and based on your analysis you are dead on, im glad that was the car for you, you surely get more for your money, and reliablity whihc is key. I too like the 3'er, but based on your interests this is teh right car for your family. Enjoy good luck.