Hondabuff

iTrader: (1)

Took my 2012 IS350 in for the fuel delivery recall and got to choose my loaner. 2018 White IS300 F Sport AWD with 3k miles. I have been flirting with the idea of upgrading to a 2015 IS350 and I figured this would be a great opportunity to see if this is a car I can live with. First thing I noticed was every thing is soft compared to my IS350. Seats are squishy but hold you in place. Odd feel with the synthetic leather but still nice. Steering wheel diameter is bigger and soft to the touch and the heated option was kinda cool. Suspension was much more of a Lexus feel compared to my 350. Gadgets galore. I was entertained for hours with all the cool stuff to click on, scroll through and play with. I'm sure over time you would just set it and forget it. Forward facing radar cruise control was kinda neat on the interstate. Seemed to be more cautious then I like while following cars I almost didn't really get the point of it. LFA gauges are cool and I having the digital speedometer was high tech and reminded me of a sport bike cluster. Simple and to the point. Center dash to me is a bit of a mess. Nav screen is up and over the center vents and I thought a bit far away. The analog clock is just stupid in a car with this much tech. Something like a small OLED digital clock that looks like an apple watch would be way more cool looking. Driving the car to work on my familiar roads gave me an chance to really see what it can do. The dynamics of the car feel more like a video game. I have had electric steering before in my old 2003 Si but coupled with the AWD it really gives you a vague feel. My RWD and especially with the Figs LCA bushings gives you precise feed back and you can adjust your line through turns with precision based off the tension of the steering. Finding your upper limits is much easier in my IS350 vs the 300. I felt disconnected from the car in the 300. I was thinking to my self that if this is how the new IS's are I would prefer the GS if it rides the same. The IS300 has 260hp but boy does it lack any punch. The gearing is what makes the IS350 fun. The IS300 not so much. The 350 I have had times where you just blast up the road with almost out of control acceleration just like some of my old motorcycles. The IS300 still accelerated hard but was very mild mannered.
Never once while blasting around in the IS300 did I feel I could get myself into trouble with it. I would have to spend some time in a newer IS350 RWD to change my opinion. 8 hours later I turned in the IS300 and mechanic pulled up with my IS350 I had mixed feelings until I sat back in the 350. Everything felt firm again. Seats where tight with real leather, Steering wheel was firm and stiff, Navigation was at finger tips length and I could actually touch the screen again. I pulled away and the familiar growl of the Injen intake with the short gearing reminded me of what made the 2nd Gen IS350 so much fun. Its responsive and bit less polished. Classic analog gauges that are simple, clean and get the job done. ECT power button that stays in the "on" position and I don't have to twist a dial to get more power. Overall I'm not sure if I would get a newer 3gen IS350 and would have a hard time letting go of my 2012. Any else drive the newer versions and feel disappointed?

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Well said. ^^ Had the same one but in dark grey F-Sport package, 2018 w 1200 mi on it. I thought the F-sport got the sport ++ mode for suspension tweaks on the fly but nope. Not this.

.... best improvements were auto dimming mirrors in and out, larger diameter steering wheel with that bit of squish is easier to grip but way too many buttons but that is the norm these days...

That 2GR-FKS 3.5l is a super flat torque curve. They sorta nuts with the kick down mode as a moderate push of the throttle and it drops a stack of gears to redline itself and slide into the next gear. They did fix the paddle lag tho!

It was good for day but I'm not sure trade for a new payment. If we go that route I want >400hp!

You notice the steering input took just a bit more effort that late model 2IS 350's?

Fuel rail and air bag done on the 350. Time for a road trip!

gompka

iTrader: (6)

I had a 2017 is300 loaner, and I felt the same way. Granted its not the same engine as my 08 is350 it was sloooow. The interior is the only real upgrade on the 3is, engine is pretty much the same, exterior is different but not that drastic. My wife has a 16 nx200t, and although its not fast off the line it has a great interior and is enjoyable to drive. I am selling my 2is soon because I take public transit to work now and haven't touched it since march, but we will see what happens in the future. I think Lexus should put the 3.5 v6 turbo from the ls into the 3is and call if an ISF, that would be a nice combination.

Wunko

We have a 2017 IS300 AWD in addition to my 2011 IS350 F-Sport RWD. I switch between both.
I agree with you regarding the analog clock and the joystick navigation in the new IS. For the exterior, I could live with the spindle grille but the gap between the headlights and DRLs both me, as well as the amber color turn signal lenses on the rear taillights that were added to the 2017 IS.
I definitely prefer the touch screen navigation and real leather on my 2011 IS.

DMV350

..........

Hondabuff

iTrader: (1)

I almost broke the turn signal in the loaner. Kept pushing down on it waiting for the familiar click that my 2nd gen does until I figured it out. With the mouse jog joy stick thing, I kept saying to myself 'man if I could just touch the screen" I can get to exactly where I need to go. I could probably live with it. I mean I drove to work to day with a dirty windshield refusing to use my windshield squirters in the dark only because I spent 3 hours using the clay bar and polish/waxing the car. Last thing I needed was the dumb headlight squirters blowing a load all over the hood. Hands down the worse feature of my 2nd gen.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

^^ You can turn off the lights for moment to prevent fogging the whole car!
Funny you mention the turn stalk, I looked pretty indecisive Left blink, right blink, left blink trying to cancel the damn thing. Took some getting used too!

bakalag

Driven the 3IS350 and 3IS200t (sadly not the 3IS300 or any of the AWD ones) with plenty of seat time, canyon + road trips (shh... don't tell them I beat on the loaner =P, used to work with the store and the loaner guys don't care how many miles I put on it) and autocross (Lexus events).

I feel like the 3IS chassis is way better than the 2IS, of course, seats hold you in so much better (both regular and F Sport), and the 8 speed in M shifts way nicer than our 6 speed "sport" paddles. but that's the only things I liked about the 3IS.

If a company can make a tune to make our 2IS paddles upshift when we tap it, and blip on downshifts, I wouldn't even care even a tiny bit about the 3IS. And I'm not even asking for it to be as fast as the 8 speed since that has a locking system like the F cars. Just needs the 2IS to be more responsive in "S"

But I agree with the OP. Once you get back in your own car. All the minor worries about considering a newer model go away.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

That is one of my statement above; the AWD 6 spd auto shifts on demand as one would expect. I may be mistaken but I'm pretty sure the trans is the same A760H from the 2IS minus the change to the TCU. So they can be fixed but will any of the companies do it right? It would be hard lesson to loose a transmission over this delay.

As for the seats; I don't shift around in the F-Sport seat at all. Only complaint there is they are narrow but fit me perfectly.

bakalag

Actually I would love to swap mine out for the 2IS F sport ones, those do grip nicely. I have the regular leather ones (X Package just isn't the same as F Sport sadly) and I slide around everywhere haha. I think the AWD 6 spd should be the same like you said. Even the 3IS250 shifts faster with their own 6 spd. I mean, manually blipping the throttle in my car on downshifts and is nice and all but would love if it did it automatically and also if it could upshift instead of like "nope I (the car) decide when to upshift, not you(the driver)" ....

Hondabuff

iTrader: (1)

Wash you leather seats with SimpleGreen then use Lexol leather conditioner. Makes them very soft and grippy. I just tried the Mothers VLR and my seats are so slick now that you slide up and over the bolsters. I have to redo them this weekend with SimpleGreen.