I was talking about a new IS350...

As I recall, I could only get my feet under the seat by really wedging them under there... Not much clearance at all.

 

Bottom Line: Yes, the backseat room is limited (reading the leg room room specs will tell you that), but if it is a primary concern for you then just seek an alternative car in the same market. That being said, I have an is 350 and you don't want to have 3 people sitting in the back seat, because the back armrest bulges out in the back.

 

The IS350 definitely has a better backseat than the G35 coupe. I was considering the latter until I sat in it in the dealership - that seat is for little kids, pets, and groceries only. Too bad since the G35 coupe looks killer... The sedan on the other hand... Well, I just think that style works better in a coupe.

I also sat in a GS300, and I think that backseat is actually worse, because of headroom - the aggressively sloped rear roofline makes it really hard to get comfortable back there. I am 5'11" and when I sat back against the seat, my head was touching the ceiling. The IS may be more cramped for legroom, but I think its headroom is better... Just my impression.

 

Well....it should be no surprise, right?

There should be a US Standard.....minimum amount of leg room for sedans....LOL!!!

Yah...looks as if there is feet room under the seat....problem is getting ur feet in there without dislocating ur leg from ur pelvis.

 

I too attended a launch party in my city and had the chance to sit in one. I am about 6'1 and sat in the back while a guy who is about 5'10 sat in the front seat. Considering the kind of model I am, it was still quite comfortable.

 

amazing how many people see things differently.

I am 5-10 and this was one of the first things I checked out.

I adjusted the front seat (I always put the seat to the floor) to my driving position and then tried the back seat. Unlike others, I found the that my knees were touching the back of the front seat and my feet could not fit underneath the front seat and I was very crampted.

I did the same thing in an E90 sport, knees had a lot more room, not touching, also no room under the seat cushion for my feet.

Then I tried the S4, leg room (knee) was between the E90 and IS350, but the bottom of the seat was cut out perfectly that my feet fit underneath to give that much more room. Kudos to Audi as this allowed the S4 to feel the most comfortable of the 3, even though the leg room was inbetween the two.

For those who asked, the E90 has the most knee room and is rated at 34" of leg room vs 30" for the IS350 (btw the old E39 5 series was also rated at 34", so then new E90 has the same as that). The TL has the most leg room with 36" and it feels that way too.

Also, everyone has different proportions for the same Height, IE for a given height, your legs can be longer or shorter than others (ie inseam) and your trunk can be longer or shorter than others of the same height, therefore giving differnt comfort levels in the same car.

For example, short legs, long trunk gives better leg room, less head room
long legs, short trunk gives less leg room, better head room.

Try it for your self to decide, and make sure you adjust the front seat to your liking, not your budy as everyone is differnt.

However, the E90 definately has the advantage over the IS350 (by 4") on paper and in my test.

 

I'm never going to be in the backseat so I'm not worried about it, my daughter's only 1 month old so she's not going to be complaining any time soon, and at 5'9" I'm one of the tallest members of my family. My sister said the backseat was the most comfortable she'd ever been in, but she's only 5'2"

 

Toyota_F1, make sure you try that rear facing car seat back there, they take up more room than a 6 footer would, in the rear facing position, the right front seat will be way up. Even on cars we had with tons of leg room, the right seat had to be moved up, just how far would be interesting to see, and if the right front will still be usable at that point (or will it be too close to the front airbag?)

 

I thought about that... that's why we have the Matrix and the RAV, the IS is more a replacement for my Supra (god rest it's soul) than a main family car. If the carseat truly doesn't fit in there we'll just take the matrix instead until we can change to the front facing seat. Might disappoint the wife though since I promised her it would fit since I took this over a new Avalon.

 

Yeah from what I hear the E90 is a bit better for rear passanger room and I would have replaced my E46 with a new E90 EXCEPT I hate the sparce flat non sport look to the interior, the exterior I could live with but that interior is what has me running away from that model. A shame really that they messed it up so much from the E46 driver cockpit. The E90 has no sexy curves inside, all flat and boring.

 

Xanadu, I agree 100% about the E90 interior.

I actually liked the E46 even though it was typically German plain and somewhat boring. Far better than the current model, IMO.

Exterior styling is important but after all, you and your passangers spend much more time looking and interacting with the inside... And it's the main reason I keep buying from Lexus, because nobody does interiors better.

 

hahhaa, well, there is a reason why it's a *coupe* right?

if you talk about bad, wanna give my sc430 a try? it's a miracle if you can even put your legs in

 

You are dead wrong....no room in the back to put your feet in. Very tight space. You will notice the next time you go test drive the car the back seat bottom is dirty (shoe scuff marks). That's because people have a hard time getting inside the back seat. You gotta move the front seat up, which means the front passenger has to suffer.

 

The front seats are pushed way back as far as they can be. It is a new thing in both Toyotas (my 05 XRS, but not on my previous 2004) and Lexus that the front seats can be pushed ridiculously back. I saw exactly the same splace in the demo IS. With seats pushed that back, there was enough leg room at the front foot well to stretch my legs almost straight out (33" inseam). I doubt anyone less than 6' 6" would need that much leg room at the front. As soon as I pulled the seats forward, there was more than enough leg room for even a six footer sitting beside me.

 

The new IS has the second most leg room for front passengers of any Lex in the line (excluding SUV's). It is also much more comfortable then the IS300. Then again am only 5'4