eleven24

Just about every article I read on the new IS mentions the 3-series in the first two sentences. I am currently the driver of a 2000 BMW 328 and am looking to buy a new car, either an IS250 or a 330ix, both AWD cars. (I'd prefer the IS350, but 300hp, RWD, and summer tires are not a good combo for living in the Northeast)

Lexus IS250 AWD Test Drive
So I dragged my wife to the Lexus dealer last night to test drive the IS250 on a cold night with slick snow covered roads. She thought I was nuts, and apparently she may have been right. The dealership was empty. I was the only customer.

My first impression of the IS is that it is a stunning car. Lexus really did an exellent job with this redesign as I thought the 1st gen IS looked too much like it was out of "Fast & Furious" and not a luxury car. The inside of the car is just what may turn me into a former BMW driver. Talk about plush sportiness. While I haven't yet test driven the new 3-series, I can only compare to my current car. The comfort level in this car, along with the aesthetics far surpass the BMW, even if the inside is a bit smaller. The IS feels like a sports car, even when sitting still. As an admitted technophile, the voice-command driven NAV system is almost reason alone to want this car. The only thing missing here is an accompanying watch that I could use to call my car to come pick me up, ala Knight Rider.... but I digress...

Once the car actually started moving, the first thing I noticed was that the IS has far less visibility than the BMW. Not a bad thing, just different from what I'm used to. Traction control and the AWD proved to be worth every penny on this night, especially when I was pushing the car a bit in bad road conditions. Very impressive was how the car pulled away from a dead stop on a snow covered road when I jumped on the gas. My BMW would've certainly been spinning its wheels, although it is RWD.

Unfortunately, when we merged onto the highway we were met with rush hour traffic. I had a few instances where I could push the car and feel the acceleration, but not enough to give a valid opinion.

All in all, I am looking forward to a second test drive in better road conditions. My wife really likes this car & I'm doing my best to be objective -- which is part of the reason I'm here. It serves no purpose to search the BMW boards for opinions on a Lexus.

As it stands right now, there are Pros & Cons with both cars. Hopefully a few more test drives, as well as some of your opinions could help my decision out.

LEXUS IS250
PROS
* Interior comfort far superior to BMW
* AWD performed flawlessly in the snow.
* Nav system very easy to navigate, especially hands free
* Exterior styling
* Lexus customer satisfaction
* QUIET!
* Costs less than a comparably loaded BMW.

POTENTIAL CONS (based on reviews, not drive -- yet)
* Handling & powering through turns. I love driving my BMW for this reason & everything I've read indicates the traction control & saftey features kick in too early and take some of the "drive" away from the driver.
* Power. 200hp vs the 330i's 255hp. Will it make a difference?
* No Sirius built in (longtime Stern listener)


BMW 330ix AWD (not yet test driven)
PROS
* Driveability. (basing this on my current 3)
* Styling

CONS
* iDrive + Nav? Can't be as technologically advanced & easy to use as the IS.
* Newly designed interior lacks inspiration
* Price
* Dealers in my area tend to give the impression that they're doing you a favor. Quite the opposite of Lexus.



Sorry for the long winded post. I'm just going through the buying / research process & thought this may help others out. I'll update as I take more test drives.

Xanadu350

First honest post I've read in a long time. Thanks. I still have my E46 too. So I totally understand your post, although I have not driven the new IS yet.

Tony1

I traded my 2002 BMW 330cic in last month for my IS350 SP.
I owned the BMW for a tad bit over 4 yrs, and can honestly
say "Good riddens!". The only things i liked about the bmw
were the tight feel of the steering, and the way it looked
with the top down.. Well, the exhuast did sound nice and throaty

But, if i i were to choose between the IS250 AND THE BMW 330i,
id take the 330i, "if price were not an object".. One of the main
reasons i chose the IS350 was for the raw HP. Although
i'm not sure if i could bare looking at the 330i's interior, day
after day, which is almost equal to my mothers 1996 toyota corrolla -
the rattles..
Also, id only choose the 330i, if i were leasing, so after the warranty is up
you can just give it back to BMWand let the next buyer worry about all
the electrical problems that will arise...or shall i say "continue"..

INHOCJP

Great objective post. In a perfect world, Lexus would offer the IS350 in an AWD configuration. Good luck with your purchase.

unit74

iTrader: (3)

Funny you mentioned that......


We are in litigation with BMW NA for serious safety electrical problems.......We had to file suit because BMW NA told us to go F-ourselves, just deal with it..........So we did. File in court that is....



I personally would never own another BMW unless it was free.

Cypren

Have you looked into getting a 350 and putting all-season tires on it? I can't speak for everyone, but I picked up my 350 in Ohio in the middle of a snowstorm, and I didn't have any issues driving it around there for a few days, even with the summer tires -- though admittedly I was being very careful. The VDIM system should save you a lot of the safety issues that a standard RWD car would have in snow, though it's no substitute for real AWD.

You shouldn't encounter VDIM on public roads unless you're being extremely reckless. (To put it another way, I can take 45mph rated turns at 80mph without engaging it, or even 25mph turns at 50mph. IMNSHO, if you're pushing beyond that, you really need to be on a track.) If you are on a track, there's an easy "cheat code" to disable VDIM that's been widely circulated on Lexus forums, including this one.

Yes, you'll notice quite the difference in pickup. BMW tends to under-rate their cars' actual HP by a fair margin, so the 255hp of the 330i is a much closer competitor to the 306hp of the IS350 than it might appear.

You'll be able to get a dealer-installed Sirius (or XM) module in January. The car is pre-wired for satellite radio, and the sat module integrates seamlessly with the nav panel as if it were factory-installed, so the only difference is in where you go to get it. As a sidenote, if you can find a demo car with the Mark Levinson sound system, definitely try that out before you buy. It's probably the only OEM sound system on the market that can truly be considered "audiophile-grade" -- amazing piece of engineering. Worth enough that I flew across the country to get my car with it, since it's not available out here yet.

I've recently written more on my own buying decision that led to the IS350 over the 330i, if you're curious -- but since I live in California, my weather situation is quite different from yours.

NjDude

Thank you for such an unbiased and honest report. There are still honest people in the world, you are a rare breed sir.

tigmd99

Didn't GS430 VDIM outperform GS300 AWD in the wet, according to Lexus?? I heard that a while back. So, i would put on good all-season tires and go for the IS350.

Lenscap

"I'd prefer the IS350, but 300hp, RWD, and summer tires are not a good combo for living in the Northeast"

If you can do it, get the 350. All you need are winter tires, which will allow you to drive in anything winter throws at you. You'll have far better traction than FWD cars with all-season tires. Then in the spring/summer/fall you'll have the car and engine you really want. Besides, the 18" wheels on the 350 are much nicer in my opinion than the AWD's 17"ers and better fit the mold of a performance car.

Kermee

iTrader: (1)

This is a great report. I loved how you said you "dragged your wife" to the Lexus dealership. LOL! Thanks for your view!

Cheers,
Kermee

jlin101

Since VDIM includes traction control, it will come on when the tires break traction, such as starting off on slippery surface, even if you are not driving aggressively. Most peope think VDIM comes on only when you corner too fast.

Cypren

I was addressing specifically his concerns about "handling and powering through turns", not winter driving. Anyone who's sport driving in ice and snow needs their head examined. (And paramedics will probably be doing so soon after.)

eleven24

Thanks for the input everyone.

I was actually considering buying a winter tire (not all season) for the 350 and swapping them out when the weather turns cold. I just can't see spending that much money on a car only to immediately take it to get new tires. Maybe I could get a deal on a 350 & have them throw in the cost of the new tires... worth a shot.

Regarding the power in turns, handling, and the IS's VDIM... what I mean by pushing the car by no means constitutes being reckless. There is just something to be said for driving on a highway with someone tailgating me, and then getting off an exit ramp at 50mph watching the poor sap behind me struggle to keep his car on the road. It's the accelerating through the apex of a turn, and FEELING the car when you drive that I'm talking about. The IS is certainly smooth... but perhaps too smooth for me? Hopefully I'll address this tomorrow morning, when I take both cars for a test drive.


Regarding Sirus... didn't Lexus sign a deal with XM? I know I can pop a portable Sirius radio in my car, but I was hoping to avoid the magnet mounted trunk antenna. I'll definately check out your review...

Cypren

Just a reminder, but a loaded IS350 is about $3k cheaper than an identically-configured BMW 330i. That easily covers the cost of the tires, and then some... plus you have a set of summer tires thrown into the bargain for when the ice melts. =)

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you were being reckless. All I was trying to state was that you shouldn't run into the VDIM limits *unless* you're being reckless, so you shouldn't really have much to worry about. Most of the car reviewers are testing the cars on tracks, where they can afford to throw it around as much as they like, so they're going to hit the limits in ways that a street driver will not.

You can most definitely play with the car in the way you described without ever encountering problems with the safety system -- I do it all the time. At the same time, you will never feel as "connected" to the road in a Lexus as you will in a BMW. Lexus engineers are focused more on comfort than on sport, and it definitely shows in the smoother and softer ride. To me, it's just the right amount of damping to keep it sporty yet comfortable, but to a hardcore "driver's driver", it probably won't be enough. But that's why they make the Lotus Elise. =)

They did, but that was for XM factory installs starting next year (2007 MY). Dealer-installed Sirius and XM kits are both in production for the 2006 IS and should be arriving in January.

4CYLNDR

its funny. the only unbiased and honest reports are the ones that praise the lexus.

i just might be getting mine in the next month or two. woo hoo.