LexBob2

When I'm shopping for a car I refer to both consumer and enthusiast oriented publications for information. I also rely on my own automotive knowledge and experience

IS-SV

Exactly, those with extensive automotive backgrounds, we can best utilize the published resources for data and come to our own conclusions.

mmarshall

Some are better at this at others. With enthusiast magazines like Car and Driver, Road and Track, Automobile, Motor Trend, etc.... and a consumer-oriented publication like Consumer Reports, you pretty much know where they stand, and how and why they come to the conclusions they did (even if you don't agree with them). Some of the casual newspaper reviews, though, are awful.....they do little else but heap glowing praise on the vehicle in almost all areas, whether it is deserving or not. And with Clarkson, he often dwells more on politics, fashion, the country he is in, and/or his own emotons more than the car itself.

mmarshall

Some are better at this at others. With enthusiast magazines like Car and Driver, Road and Track, Automobile, Motor Trend, etc.... and a consumer-oriented publication like Consumer Reports, you pretty much know where they stand, and how and why they come to the conclusions they did (even if you don't agree with them). Some of the casual newspaper reviews, though, are awful.....they do little else but heap glowing praise on the vehicle in almost all areas, whether it is deserving or not. And with Clarkson, he often dwells more on politics, fashion, the country he is in, and/or his own emotions more than the car itself.

IS-SV

Agreed about the junk in newspapers.

But it's not so much a matter of being "better". Consumer Reports has a different consumer-oriented bias, C&D, R&T more sporting (as well as some very helpful data charts and instrumented testing too), etc., etc. we all know that blather.

To the seasoned/educated/experienced/knowledgeable/astute automotive people at CL that have owned and driven extensively so many vehicles , it really doesn't matter what the conclusions published in the various mags are. We simply reach our own conclusions.

Oh yes, this thread is about the IS250 AWD. I fully expect the IS250AWD to easily outsell the IS350AWD each month, same as IS250RWD vs. IS350RWD historically has done.

SLegacy99

I know that I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I don't like the IS 250. It's slow and boring and handles averagely (if thats a word). The interior is nice and comfortable, but it isn't as cool as the IS300. This car is so slow that it can barely get out of the way of a Prius and the manumatic shift feature has a mind of its own.

There is no option for AWD, MT, and the 2.5L...or AWD, MT, and the 3.5L....where is the love?!?!?

I don't think that it needs anymore power. I think that it needs to lose some weight!

The AWD IS 250 gives me little reason to buy this car over the far quicker, far more efficient A4. And just wait until the A4 get the ASF. It's gonna be awesome.

mmarshall

MTs are becoming less-common, especially in premium/upmarket sedans, for a number of reasons.



Would reliability be a reason? Audi's Quattro is indeed a superb AWD system, but A4s, despite some improvement in the last couple of years, don't compare with the IS reliability.

SLegacy99

I see your point, but I don't agree. Audis quality is far better than what it was.

mmarshall

Despite Audi's improvement, the IS is still probably best-in-class for reliability.

Audi does use some nice interior trim, though, particularly on A4-and-up models. Its fit and finish is superb. I can understand how you would be attracted to it.

spwolf

it looks good, but my friends 2002 A4 (beautiful car at the time), had peeling and bubbling interior switches after 1 year, and look at the audi forums now, you will find latest models having same issues still.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

assume purely a typo and nothing subconscious.

IS250 is a nice car, nice to drive, but two things bug me - rear seat room is too cramped, and esp. on the AWD model - can lexus ever get wheel gap / tire size right on anything other than the LF-A?

IS-SV

Correct(ed), a typo, but a lot of truth (subconscious) to that.....

On the subject of IS250 RWD and AWD. I feel that Mercedes (w/C300) and BMW (w/328) did a better job of engine selection for the competing cars, both have significantly more power, I can feel the difference in normal driving. Regarding the rear seats, the Mercedes has the only truly usable rear seat of the 3 cars IMO, the others are more like 2+2's.

Yiieeechs that car in pic needs some F-Sport springs fast!

spwolf

i loved raised suspension on my GS350AWD though.

mmarshall

Only a Lexus designer or engineer could say for sure, Paul, but one (possible) reason for the wheel-well gaps on the AWD model is to leave some room for the tires to turn left/right freely when snow gets packed up in there....that's less of a factor, of course, on the RWD model, which (presumably) doesn't get driven as much in snow.

I say that because one of the very few things on my Outback, in the snow, that I don't like is that, in heavy accumulations on the road, wet snow/slush/ice gets packed up in the wells and around the splash-guards, and the 17" wheels and 55-series all-season tires then rub a little on turns and with up-and-down suspension travel over bumps. I sometimes have to get out, take a stick or other instrument, and clear out the wells a little before driving on.

I agree with you on the IS back-seat room (which, for the most part, is simply a Kiddie-seat), but it was more-or-less like that on the 1Gen model too.

TripleL

I've shared my comments on the article but omitted one thought that I'd like to add to the conversation here.

With the all new IS350AWD out for 2011 I wonder why Lexus sent, or they asked for, an IS250AWD to test. I understand the IS250AWD received the refresh this year with the rest of the line and overall the article was a positive one for the car, but why not show off the latest and greatest new edition to the line up?