mmarshall

The current 2008 Acura RL, IMO (haven't seen the 2009), beats any current Lexus product on the market for overall build quality, with the possible exception of the LS460. The previous Acura TSX, IMO, was also as good or better than the Lexus IS250/350 in build quality. The new TSX, I'm not so sure.......some of its parts have been cheapened.

UDel

You can't go wrong with both cars but if you plan on having backseat passengers then the IS is pretty much out of the question.

The TSX looks much better in person then pics but does not look quite as nice as an IS in my opinion as I believe the IS is the best looking Lexus by far that is out now and one of the nicest looking 4 doors available, too bad the rear seat is absolutely pathetic and optioned out IS350s are just way too expensive for what you get, I have yet to see an IS350 on the road, I see tons of IS250s which is ashame.

The TSX has a nice interior except for some of the silver plastic bits and offers a good deal more room then the IS. RWD v FWD is not much of a issue when both cars are only putting out around 200-205hp, FWD safer in wet, slippery conditions. TSX has excellent shifting 6 speed manual where Lexus manual is not nearly as good or satisfying to use. TSX since new and offering a fuel efficient 4 cylinder is not being discounted and it is doubtful you can get one much less then MSRP. Feature for feature TSX offers most of what Lexus does for less money, acceleration wise the 6 speed TSX has done 0-60 in 6.5 seconds which is a little quicker then a IS250 6 speed man and auto, and a good deal quicker then the awd model. Tech package on TSX offers an excellent NAV system and stereo as well as some other features. Some have complained the steering on the new TSX is not as crisp and rewarding as the previous TSX when it switched to a electric unit from a hydraulic unit for emissions and improve gas mileage. TSX currently offers only 1 engine and 2 transmission options.

The IS has a slightly nicer interior although there are some cheaper hollow bits like the top dash area that are disappointing. The center stack looks nicer on the IS then the TSX and the IS offers cooled seats but I tried them and did not feel they were worth paying extra for. IS250 is rwd with a awd option. Optioned similarly the IS will be a good deal more expensive then the TSX but you might be able to get a decent deal since the IS is older then the new TSX. Rear seat is absolutely useless on the IS and the worse thing about it, the TSX feels roomier and has a much larger rear seat. IS250 engine is small and not very strong for a modern v6 but it is peppy for a small v6 and returns good fuel economy. IS has several different powertrain options, 2.5 v6 auto or manual, 3.5 v6, awd on 2.5 v6, v8 and 8 speed auto on ISF.

I would test drive both thoroughly before you buy, if price is a consideration and you will be having rear seat passengers from time to time then I think the TSX is the clear winner, you don't seem to have a Lexus or Acura bias so that should make your decision a bit easier. If it were me I would also look for a good deal on a used IS350 as long as you won't need to have people in the rear seat as the IS350 has very impressive acceleration and is a nice package, brand new the IS350 is just way too expensive once you start adding features that should be standard but a great deal on a used one would be very tempting to me.

Threxx

I see the IS250 and TSX as pretty close in class, especially with the latest TSX redesign. They may not line up 100% but they seem to line up much closer than the IS vs the new TL in all regards except price... especially the IS250. The IS350 may line up a bit better with the TL... definitely nothing from the TSX that can compete unless they come out with a TSX-S or something.

I've always thought the current gen RL seemed well-made... not as well made as the LS IMO but maybe around on par with the 3GS based on stationary judgement... I've driven the 3GS but never driven the current gen RL.

But man have you guys seen JD Power's IQS ratings on the RL? I think the 2005 got like 2.5 out of 5 average rating (below average) and the 2006 got a 2 out of 5 (well below average)!!

I've heard those cars have some serious issues that keep them at the dealership pretty often.

They're a serious bargain used... I just saw one on ebay... 20 months old, 26k miles and it's selling for 50% of its original sticker. (about 25k) And that sort of deal is pretty typical... nothing crazy or special about it.

I'd be tempted to get one in a year when my 335i lease is up but not with the way their reliability has been reported so far. I wonder if Acura did better with the 2007-2009s? I haven't seen any solid reports for them yet.

LexBob2

Consumer Reports Used-car Reliability report shows both the '05 and '06 as better than average reliability. The '07 is much better than average. The only black marks are for Audio Systems for both '05 and '06 (don't know what that's about).

Threxx

I trust JD over CR, personally. Primarily on the merits that CR only polls their own readers which is an inherently flawed method of surveying, and that CR has been caught multiple times giving redesigned cars good marks without actually collecting survey data - simply assuming if the last car was good, the new one would be just as reliable, too.

A lot of the accounts from owners that I read on the 'net, as well as a magazine article or two seem to stand up for those below average ratings too. Though it has been mostly electrical gremlins that has plagued the RL, so maybe that's what CR meant when they referred to the audio system (maybe they group climate control, nav, BT, etc in there).

rdgdawg

After 3 months I am STILL shaking my head at how my Sonata compares so favorably to my old IS....

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

The TSX is a bit like a PC. Lots of bells and whistles, goes pretty well despite FWD, but is a bit quirky.

The IS250 is a bit like a Mac. Very refined, stylish, it works very well, but it's more expensive than it should be.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Someone else mentioned the Accord V6 and I honestly don't think that's a bad idea. I'm not a brand snob and don't say that to knock Acura's Honda roots, but a new Accord is really an 85% TSX with a better engine, more room, and IMO it's better looking. Additionally, it would probably be a bit less expensive.

You mentioned that you would probably have better luck getting a TSX fixed at a Honda dealer than an IS at a Toyota dealer which is certainly true. With Lexus 2005 "split" from Toyota, many of the parts that Lexus uses are now Lexus-specific with mainly wiring, electronics, and a few other nuts and bolts being shared between Lexus and any Toyota model.

If you take off all the badges and really just compare them car to car, I feel like the IS is more car than the TSX, but again it is more expensive. While their power outputs are similar, I feel like the 2.5L V6 is a significantly more desirable engine than the 4cyl in the TSX. It's smoother, quieter, and a little more lively than the Acura's motor. The IS also has a 6AT which gives you quicker upshifts and flexibility as I am sure you know.

Another thing than you mentioned is gas mileage. Working at a Lexus dealership, I obviously see, sit in, and drive several ISs every day and also talk to many owners. Many of these people are averaging 26-28MPG per tank in combined driving. On the highway almost all of them say that they see 30 or 31 MPG, even 32 or 33 when going 60-65. To me, those are really hard numbers to beat in any car. My old Camry 4 cyl didn't even do that well. While I have driven the new TSX I don't have as much experience or exposure with that car, so I am not sure what it's real world gas mileage is like. Those numbers for the IS are what I have seen and gotten from actual Lexus customers with 20,000, 40,000 or 60,000+ miles on their cars.

The TSX is a little bigger than the IS, which might be a big selling point if you often carry passengers or have kids. If not, you might appreciate the more cockpit like feel of the IS as it's a bit smaller.

I have only driven the TSX once but when I did, I just didn't shut the door and walk away like "Man, that was a really substantial car." It just didn't leave the same impression on me that an IS, 3 series, or even CTS do. Those cars have a "feeling" and a certain aura that when you walk away, it just feels like more than something else that costs the same amount of money. I don't know if it's the engineering, overall feel, features, or what but the the aforementioned cars just have a certain "cha-ching" feeling and something that really sets them apart. It really feels like they are the whole package...the real deal.

When I drove the TSX I walked away thinking, "that's a nice car." The more I thought about it, the car really does drive like a "Honda de luxe" and that's certainly not a bad thing as they put together some of the best driving and most desirable cars in their segments, but there is still a difference between what feels like a really nice Honda, and something that was engineered as an entry level luxury sport sedan from day one. The Accord platform is one that sees fit in so many variations in so many places that I feel like it's a good "all arounder" instead of being really good at one thing. When the new Altima came out I remember that their lead design chief said "It's not about being something for everyone, but about being everything to someone." I guess I feel like the IS, 3, A4, and even the C class strive to be cars that are everything to someone, as opposed to the TSX which is trying to be something for everyone.

That would almost make me inclined to just spring for the Accord over the TSX which is still something for everyone, but has a better engine, bigger interior, less expensive service and is IMO, actually better looking. I guess the IS is on one end of the spectrum, the Accord on the other, and the TSX sits somewhere in between. I don't think that the TSX is a bad car, but I just think that if Acura had done a little more work on the second generation it would be better. Namely, a 201hp four cylinder in a car that's as big as any midsize sedan, and a center stack that was simply pulled out of the Honda parts bin. Not a bad car, but just really lacking the substance and satisfaction that some of it's competitors have. I guess that putting a price on that "feeling" is up to you, but if it's within your budget I think the IS is well worth the extra money.

SLegacy99

I love this analogy. Apple Q to turn the IS off?



Anyway, I think that the A4 2.0L T is a great vehicle. It has proven itself fuel efficient and now that it puts out tons of torque, I'd rather have it than the 3.2L.

pagemaster

We 30 pcs at my work and one mac. Everyone prefers the PC/

pagemaster

I had a chance today to see the IS and the TSX. I would go with the TSX hand downs as my preference....Nicer looking interior IMO, similar performance and better styling....I would rather pocket the $7000 price difference

I would also choose the TL (nice car) over the GS350 but I would rather have the GS350 over the RL.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Totally agree

And if you're still not interested in the IS, then a used RL like what you mentioned is pretty nice.

DustinV

My sister drives a Lexus IS250 and the car is perfectly ok except for a few nagging issues mostly relating to interior space. First of all the IS is very cramped on the inside both upfront and especially in the rear. I'm 6'1" and I cannot comfortably sit in this car. My sister is smaller and slimmer in build and has no problems fitting into her car (which is why she bought it, duh!). The second negative aspect of the IS is the unusually wide transmission tunnel which takes up precious foot/leg space and reduces the overall comfort for me. Other than that it is a very nice car (if you're small, I guess).

LexFather

I am a big guy and never had an issue fitting in my old IS or the new IS in the FRONT. The rear is a diff story, the 2IS being more cramped in the rear than the 1IS. The TSX front and rear is one size bigger but it is a bigger car.

Another reason for the IS's small rear is how styled the IS is. Look at how the C-pillar curves inward compared to the bottom of the doors. There is so much detailing in the 2IS that you can appreciate. The TSX tries to get styled with huge wheel arches and weird lights/grills but it never ends up looking more than some sort of Accord. The difference in styling is night and day.

The IS is built off the GS frame, so there are negatives (it weighs a lot for its size) and pluses (it can fit a V-8 in the IS-F) for example.

Iceman

I partially agree. While the IS is a better-looking car, I disagree that the overall proportions are what make the look work. And there are some details (like the way the rear doors curve really oddly near the roofline) that are simply inexplicable. Like many other smaller cars on the market, the IS sacrifices utility for looks, where more clever design would have kept the eye-catching looks without sacrificing the interior space.

And that is where the TSX proves superior, ultimately. It doesn't dominate the competition in any particular category, but by being great in all categories it ultimately comes out on top for those who need all-around competence. The 3-series, the IS, the C-class, the G37, etc. all have their strengths (and for buyers who are strongly biased towards one particular feature, they are the right choice), but you can't beat the overall package of the TSX.