Is the Lexus IS F Really Worth the Price Premium Over an IS350?
The IS350 is a great car and it’s far cheaper than the Lexus IS F, but then again, can you put a price on a soul?
Always the apple of enthusiasts’ eyes, the Lexus IS F has since become an incredibly popular entity on the used vehicle market, given the fact that the luxury brand refuses to bring back the high-performance sedan. Instead, after years of begging, we got the IS 500 F Sport Performance, which is a fine V8-powered luxury sedan, yet not quite as hardcore as the beloved IS F. As a result, Lexus IS F prices have soared to new heights in recent years, making it worth asking – is it really worth the price premium over a comparable IS350? That’s precisely the question posed in this new video from KiwiCarLife, making for a very interesting debate.
Our host has been driving around in a Lexus IS F for around eight months now, and he calls that experience “absolutely fantastic.” However, he also acknowledges that it’s difficult to find one for a reasonable price these days, thanks to the fact that values have skyrocketed. The fact that it doesn’t seem as if we’ll ever get a proper IS F revival isn’t helping matters either, as Lexus continues to head down the road toward total electrification.
On the flip side, a nicely used IS350 can be had for roughly one-third of the price, which makes it a rather enticing alternative. Of course, the IS350 doesn’t have the power of the IS F, nor its fortified suspension, nicer wheels, prominence, or collectibility, which justifies that gap somewhat. But for the rational person, it makes you wonder – would you rather have three IS350s, or one IS F? Or, perhaps just one IS350 and quite a bit of cash left over for mods?
To answer this question, our host analyzes every aspect of the IS F compared to the IS350, from the way each looks to the former’s large power advantage, the interiors (which are nearly identical), and the driving experience. Interestingly enough, our host doesn’t seem to notice a huge difference in the way these cars drive – other than straight-line performance, of course.
Ultimately, our host notes that the IS350 is around 70 percent of the car that the IS F is, and it’s simply impossible to replace the sound and feel of a V8 with a V6 in this case. The bigger problem is that the IS350 “has no soul,” as our host points out, though it’s obviously still a great car that would make for a solid choice as a daily driver. Whether or not it’s worth spending three times as much to buy an IS F is more of a personal choice, but at least in our opinion, life is too short to drive something dull. And besides, you can’t take all that money to the afterlife with you, right?
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