I just paid off my gs430 and around here my car goes pretty high so I'm thinking about taking advantage of that and possibly selling my gs 430 and buying another lexus. The one I'm really liking right now is the IS 350, can anyone in here tell me the pros and cons of this model compared to my gs 430 right now? I know it's a little smaller, but has a v6 with better gas mileage, it's faster, has paddle shifters, lots more options available, anything negative about them?

 

I've owned both and feel that the overall quality and feeling of quality is better in the GS. That's not to say the IS isn't nice...but the GS exudes more quality on the inside.

The IS is faster, handles better. The backseat space is quite small compared to the GS.

You can't go wrong with either. FWIW, my IS350 is now gone, replaced by another GS400.

 

I own a 2001 GS430 but have put plenty of miles on a 06+ IS350...

Both have pros and cons.

The GS build quality is higher. You really feel like you are driving a luxury car. It's spacious, plush and comfortable.

The IS doesn't quite have the same quality feel as Lexus skimped on materials IMHO to save costs. It feels like you are driving a smaller sportier car.

I would say the IS does handle better, but in terms of acceleration and brakes, it's a coin toss IMHO. Both cars accelerate and stop very well.

I felt a bit cramped in the IS compared to the GS. I will say that the IS felt "tighter" to me. The suspension was stiffer and it was more predictable to me, but that might be that the GS had 95K miles while the IS had 5K miles, lol.

Overall for a daily driver, I give a slight edge to the GS, but not by much.

 

I don't like the IS350 suspension its awfully stiff and uncomfortable for a stock lexus. and this is coming from a guy who has 16k 14k suspension on his GS.

also I find the transmission to be one of the worse I've driven, I don't like how it slips/ jerks into every gear, and the manual mode is the slowest responding one I've ever driven.

 

so far, thanks for all the info. I guess i'll have to drive one to see what I think. What year did they change the gs body style 06'? Might have to try one of those too. Is that a big difference from our 01 gs 430's?

 

I'll agree to an extent. The GS, because of the additional low end torque gets around town more easily..more powerfully. But wide open (1/4 mile race) the IS350 is faster.

My IS350 ran 13.6s all day long. Quicker than my GS.

 

Suspension on the IS350 is tighter than the GS's but i don't know if it "handles" better. I take this off ramp from I-10 to 610 in Houston and coming around the ramp curve, my IS350 at 45-50mph is on the edge and i sometimes go over the middle line marker. I drove the same speed in my GS430 and it holds without losing and wanting to jump out of the lane. Suspension is tighter in the IS350 but for cornering it ain't really that good unless you put the F-Sport suspension on it.

 

If you want to go smaller and sportier, get the BMW 335i.

 

You just finished paying off the car now you want to make payments again?

 

The is350 has a sporty "zippy" drive feeling when comparing it to the GS. I think it handles better and accerlarate faster. The GS still have that big body boat feeling when comparing to the IS smaller body. The IS eninge is pretty solid and get good millage but I personally like the sound of a V8. Built quality they are about the same but the IS does have more of a plastic feeling to it. Structural wise the GS is solid. I get the feeling of driving a golf cart in the IS. It handle great, fast and fun to drive. You just don't care about quality built as much any more than. The layout in the IS is well thought out in trerm of sport and luxury if you have the navi system. The GS is old and out dated but the exterior is still the perfect cross between sport and luxury for a sedan in my opion.

 

keep the gs, you'll regret it if you do get the is.After the recession in 08, a lot of car makers started to make junk.

 

no payments, got cash saved up that I will add to once I sell my GS