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Figured since I have driven the car a little more I'll list my hits and misses so far:
Hit: Sport mode. I like the way this has been programmed. It opens up the exhaust flap and makes throttle response a little more aggressive. It also noticeably improves gear shift speed. The car feels lively in this mode without being borderline unusable on the street like some cars do in their Sport modes (lookin' at you, Mk7 GTI).
Miss: Brake pedal. The brake pedal is oddly touchy, and it is difficult to come to a smooth stop in this car. The initial inch or so of the pedal has a big effect. This is coming from a GLI owner - a car which is known for having pretty immediate brake response as well.
Hit: Manual shifting. The paddle shifters command near-instant gear changes from the 8-speed, both up and down. It's something I could do all day long, not just in spirited driving like in, for instance, my GLI, which gets lazy if I try manually shifting in normal traffic. Moreover, if I give it some throttle, the shifts have a little jerk, or kick, which is satisfying.
Miss: Overly-aggressive lane-keeping. I think it's best to just shut off lane-keep assist in this car on a back road. If I try to dodge a pothole or even get close to the center line, the steering wheel unnervingly vibrates and tries to correct the car's line. The car is so easy to place on the road that I don't really see a need for this outside of longer highway trips, during which fatigue may become an issue.
Hit AND Miss: Steering. The car has some of the best on-center response of the cars I've driven before and generally feels pretty sporty. In Comfort, the steering is quite light but not unnaturally so, and it gets pleasantly weighty in Sport. However, I would say that it borders on twitchy in some situations. Perhaps a variable-gear-ratio system like the one in my GLI would have cleaned up the off-center twitchiness. But, when throwing this car around a roundabout, the linearity makes it very easy to adjust the line.
I feel the same ways on Sport mode, paddle shift and lane keeping. I turned it off too. It's freaking annoying even after I adjusted it to reduced.
I gave the car a good wash today and cleaned up the interior. It's the first good wash its has had in about a month, if not more. Since moving, I definitely haven't had as much time or space to do my own cleaning... So, car wash it is. I went to a place that does it by hand, and they did a terrific job.
In reaction to my wife's recent pickup of the 2021 BMW 330i, one of my friends remarked, "She's going to make fun of your little VW now." I do sorta feel that way about it myself after driving the BMW to be honest. However, speaking of honest, that's what this car still does well for me. It feels more mechanical and connected than the BMW, if a bit unrefined in comparison. Among more similarly priced cars, I guess it is very competitive, but you also get what you pay for.
The GLI is still getting good fuel mileage, with me averaging somewhere in the high 20's on most tanks of premium. The rattles, sadly, still come and go, but I am slowly making peace with them. I find I enjoy this car a lot when I just relax and play music or roll the windows down. Different vibes for different cars, I think. Still, it's been good. I still enjoy seeing the red paint - seems like my phone's camera could barely handle it.
Still one of the best looking sedans around. Glad you are keeping it stock. A great ride!
Thanks! I debated for a while whether I wanted to go for an exhaust, and decided at least for now to keep it as-is. If I want to hear an unrestricted four-cylinder sing, I'll just open the window to my apartment as the EcoBoost and WRX boys/girls leave.
FWIW, I am a little salty that my wife's 330i has a meaner exhaust note...
First time washing the 330i! I found a nice touchless wash, since it really only needed the dust blown off, as well as the wheels washed. These brakes generate lots of brake dust, it seems.
My wife and I just went on a little road trip in the 330i - to a five-night stay in a beach house on Hilton Head Island, SC. From our home north of Atlanta, that's about 350 miles and over 5 hours of driving. In addition to being our first real test of how our blue 2021 330i handles a long trip on the highway, we also got to drive it around in a beautiful backdrop of a coastal island. I snapped a quick photo of it in our driveway before a day trip to Savannah, GA below.
So, how'd it do? Well, for starters, my wife, her mother, and I appreciated the quietness on the highway. Though the run-flat Pirellis fitted to this car are a bit firm in terms of ride quality, they are indeed very quiet. In addition, there's almost no noticeable wind buffeting at speed. Concrete highways aside, it was a pleasant highway ride. Expansion joints caused a noticeable bobblehead motion in the car, but it felt pretty planted as well. My main complaint in terms of highway cruising in this car has got to be the sweaty-backside issue with the seats. They don't breathe well, and when the sun is beating down, with ambient temps in the high 80's, it got a little hot. Overall, the seats were pretty comfortable if somewhat firm, and I eventually discovered the headrests to be of the four-way-adjustable variety. The additional adjustment vector allowed me to perfect my seating position before the return drive.
As far as fuel economy goes, the 330i does decently for what this car is, if not outright mind-blowing. We managed an average MPG of 32.1 for the entirety of the trip, which includes tooling around the island itself. On the open highway at 80 MPH, we saw 33-36 MPG showing in the gauge cluster on level pavement with cruise control enabled. For a nearly-3600-pound car with 3 occupants and a couple large suitcases full of stuff, with the A/C working hard, I surely won't complain.
This car is surprisingly fun to drive, even now that I know it is fun. Switching over to Sport mode and starting the car with the windows or door open is required, as the startup has a nice rumble with subtle burbles. The car doesn't scream, but I'd say I would have preferred if my GLI had sounded more like this compared to its muted, economy-car tone. There's some real bass to it, and the occasional burbles make it fun without going full-on boy racer. The drivetrain continues to amaze with how well it disguises turbo lag and provide snappy responses. If the steering was a little less rubbery, I'd be in love, but I am adapting. I can confidently place it on the road, even if I can't feel a whisper of what's happening underneath apart from through the chassis.
One other aspect of the 330i to think about when planning a trip is the cargo space. I went into this thinking it'd have no problem at al swallowing our stuff, which consisted of two large 28-inch roller bags and a few miscellaneous hand bags as well as a beach umbrella and a pair of chairs. It has 17 cubic feet of space after all, nearly 3 cubic feet more than my GLI. However, in practice, I don't understand how BMW arrived at this measurement. It barely feels bigger in use than my old 2016 IS's boot, and the GLI's feels about the same, honestly, while providing slightly more vertical space. Sure, kick-to-open, hands-free operation of the trunk lid is nice, but it's a moot point if things won't fit. Fortunately, they did fit, just with almost everything that wasn't a chair, umbrella, or suitcase finding itself in the rear seat that was not occupied. Considering we were planning to potentially cart an additional passenger back with us, it could have been a legitimate issue if not for a last-minute change of plans on said passenger's part.
So, this car is awesome. It does feel like it's a bit on the sporty side for something to take on a road trip, but it's definitely usable. Besides, once I am at the destination, I definitely feel cool driving around enshrouded in the gorgeous Portimao Blue paint. We will take it somewhere else in the future for sure!
Fuel economy is decent? Anything over 30 in a pretty roomy sporty sedan that's not a hybrid is GREAT to me.
Thanks for the write-up, sounds awesome.
as for the trunk, my gf and i took a weekend trip in the LC and the trunk is shallow but it still consumed a couple of decent rollaboard type cases and some other bags, so no issue. We put a cooler on the 'useless' back seats.
Fuel economy is decent? Anything over 30 in a pretty roomy sporty sedan that's not a hybrid is GREAT to me.
Thanks for the write-up, sounds awesome.
as for the trunk, my gf and i took a weekend trip in the LC and the trunk is shallow but it still consumed a couple of decent rollaboard type cases and some other bags, so no issue. We put a cooler on the 'useless' back seats.
fuel economy was mid '20s i think.
Hey, that's a big ole grand tourer though! Anything over 20 is awesome.
I guess I should frame that "decent" in the EPA estimates as well. The car is rated 26 city, 36 highway, and 28 combined. That's a little better than my GLI, which is 25 city, 32 highway, 28 combined. My GLI, while loaded up with a lot of our stuff for the move from MO to GA, managed 37 MPG average on that trip, though admittedly with a little less city driving and less use of the A/C. So I guess I can explain away the difference.
Either way, you are right that it's remarkable that a pretty-quick sport sedan can manage over 30 MPG without trying!
Well, my relationship with the 2020 GLI is over. Today, my wife and I took a trip down to the local Lexus dealer and test-drove a 2021 IS 350 F Sport. At first, I was unsure about it, since they didn't really have the colors and options I wanted. It was either base-model or fully-loaded Dynamic Handling Package, and nothing between. Then, as if it was meant to be, a freshly-shipped Iridium Silver car with some options, but not all, showed up. I test drove it, loved the color combo, and ultimately decided that, given the VW's potential to tank in value, now was a decent time as any to pull the trigger.
So, what can we say in conclusion about the GLI? Well, for the price, it is, frankly, a fantastic automobile. It's truly one of the most all-around enjoyable cars I've driven, let alone owned. However, I felt that, after experiencing my wife's BMW 330i and also having to live with the noisy interior for so long, that it just wasn't really up to par. Having said that, if you want something that gets great fuel mileage as a daily, is a hoot and a half on a back road, and looks subtle, then the GLI is hard to beat. I really struggled with the idea of getting rid of it, since I do like it a lot. That Lexus reliability was calling my name, however, not to mention the silent, solid interior - two things VW owners can't brag about with nearly as much confidence as Lexus owners. Again, for the money, it's such a good deal. It's an insanely capable car with the only real downsides being its front-wheel-drive nature, in terms of driving dynamics - and perhaps the occasionally quirky DSG. All in all though, I can definitely picture myself missing this car from time to time.
However, being back in an IS is an awesome feeling. It's such a comfortable place to be and looks stunning. As we were doing negotiations on the car, we noticed at least three couples who stopped to look at our future car. It felt special to be able to ****** it up.
Wow it’s like Christmas everyday for you the way you change cars LOL. Color combo looks good although I’m more partial to Rioja Red for the interior. The new body style looks excellent with really the only nitpick by me being the hood doesn’t go all the way to the grille like the prior years.
How do you like it compared to the 330 and it’s turbo 4? I would imagine the more linear power and handling would be better but the 330 gets way better gas mileage. I averaged 17-18 mpg in my old IS350 in mixed driving.
Wow it’s like Christmas everyday for you the way you change cars LOL. Color combo looks good although I’m more partial to Rioja Red for the interior. The new body style looks excellent with really the only nitpick by me being the hood doesn’t go all the way to the grille like the prior years.
How do you like it compared to the 330 and it’s turbo 4? I would imagine the more linear power and handling would be better but the 330 gets way better gas mileage. I averaged 17-18 mpg in my old IS350 in mixed driving.
Thanks. Well, I originally thought Circuit Red would be too bright, or too red, for my tastes based on photos. However, in person, I don't think it comes across nearly as bright. There was a Rioja Red interior on an IS 300 at the same dealer that seemed almost underwhelming in comparison.
The handling is awesome. I just went for a little test run on one of the tightest roads I know of, and it felt so very stable and nimble in the turns. I imagine Lexus's revisions to the suspension for the 2021 model year made a difference here. The power is certainly different. I am now used to having low-down torque in the GLI and 330i, where this car has basically none - just enough to get off the line but not a lot. However, right around 4000 RPM I can feel it waking up. However, with this car still having under 50 miles on the odometer, I plan to stay under 5000 RPM for a few more hundred miles to really feel the top-end pull.
Love the GLI, IS and 330. Can you rank them in terms of steering heft?
Oooh, that's actually close. I think it depends on the mode. So I will be specific.
From heaviest to lightest:
2021 IS350: Sport Mode
2020 GLI: Sport Mode
2016 GTI: Sport Mode
2016 GTI: Normal Mode
2021 IS350: Normal Mode
2020 GLI: Normal/Comfort Mode
There's a much bigger difference between the IS350's Normal and Sport modes compared to the VWs, but the GTI has the smallest difference of the bunch.
After almost two years experimenting with VWs, my wife encouraged me to go back to a Lexus. I was doing the VW thing in the name of basically FOMO, as well as trying to save a little in the budget. I guess I am just spoiled now... I needed to have the comfort, reliability, and overall drive-it-all-day experience of a Lexus again, especially with Atlanta-area drives.
Obviously, the IS350 was my top choice of anything Lexus, with RC350 also in the running. I like the style of the RC, but the usability and price advantage of the IS make it a more obvious choice. Also, my wife and I would prefer if the car was capable of comfortably taking friends along. In the RC, it'd be an event just to get folks in the back.
We test-drove a black IS350 they had on the lot. It had a black interior as well, but it had all the options I wanted. The paint/trim protection tape was still on the car, and some of the safety features weren't functioning. Even so, our sales guy suggested test-driving it was the quickest way to get into a test drive in an IS350 since the only other ones available were currently pending sale. So, we drove it, and I was unimpressed. The car just seemed lethargic. Little did I know, something was wrong with that car - PDI hadn't been done, and it may have been in some sort of limp-mode.
So, I started having second thoughts, and just in time, the sales manager informs me that an Iridium Silver Metallic IS350 in the exact same configuration has just arrived - with a Flare Red interior, too. She claimed to have requested it from another dealer in South Carolina and "had to give her arm for it". Whatever, I thought. However, they quickly prepped the car for me, and I test-drove it as well. It was a night-and-day difference. The silver car drove like an IS350 should! The throttle seemed far more responsive, and they took off more of the protective stickers so that I could actually see everything. That sealed it for me. After almost two hours of negotiating, we came to a deal that made sense. We took a loaner ES250 AWD out for a quick (late) lunch and then returned to the dealer. After almost 7 hours of being at the Lexus dealer, I was almost too tired to be excited about the new car. But, something about the actual delivery process made me giddy again. It was worth the wait.
(The photos were taken during a drizzle, so the car's not sparkling clean.)
I am super proud to have an IS back, and this one feels like the spec of the car I originally should have bought back in 2016 - RWD, F Sport, with the Mark Levinson audio and the larger touchscreen. The silver-and-red color scheme still works, especially with the more vibrant Flare Red that replaces Rioja Red (on F Sport models... Rioja is still available on IS 300 models).
So what's it like to be back in an IS? Well, for one, I missed these seats. I've driven lots of other cars in the meantime, and these seats hold up. They are supportive yet feel soft to the touch, and they're still both heated and ventilated. I am getting used to the trackpad-style Remote Touch Controller - I had the joystick-style unit in my former car. It's certainly more aesthetically-pleasing, and the screen can actually be touched if all else fails.
I've not even put 70 miles on this car in the first two days of owning it, but I feel pretty comfortable with it, and impressed at the same time. Lexus did some great things to the suspension - it rides better now, while still retaining stability. Carving roundabouts and the occasional 90-degree bends in my neighborhood feels like a total non-issue for the car. It's not as firm or flat as my wife's 330i, but honestly, the ride trade-off seems worth it. The front end of this car still feels very planted, possibly thanks to the now wider 235-width tires.
I just love the way it looks, too. I couldn't have asked for a better-looking front end on an IS, and the side profile is great, too. I am not 100% sold on the rear, but there's an interesting twist to the rear. Lexus widened the trunk opening, which is handy. The trunk, unfortunately, is smaller than the BMW's, but it's still more than usable and contains an actual spare tire.
I love the little details on the doors, as well. The new style of metal-look inlay is more restrained than before, and Lexus nailed the armrest softness again. The F Sport sill plates and pedals have also been modernized and look fantastic. In addition, it seems like I've got all the safety doodads on this car as well - radar cruise, lane tracing, pre-collision assist, you name it. In these ways, it feels like a huge upgrade from the old IS300 AWD.
Overall, I am super happy to be back. I think my wife knew me better than I did. And we got a decent deal on trading in the GLI; otherwise, this might not have worked out so well for us. Looking forward to some adventures in the new IS.
Please tell me it has memory seats. I don’t see it in the pics of the door so just curious. That was one of my biggest pet peeves on my ‘16 IS350 and of course it was available for the following year.
05-13-21, 11:50 AM
I'm back in an IS!
