Looking to get some feedback on which model would you choose and why? I'm shopping for the new IS but I need to know the differences before I make my selection. Any feedback will be appreciated.

 

Owned both...no contest.
IS350.
Just feels right.

 

I chose the 250 AWD F-sport over the 350 AWD F-sport because of fuel economy and where I live gas prices are ridiculously high.

If fuel economy was not a factor I would totally have gotten the 350.

 

I went with the 350, but non F Sport. In recent years, I've started always going with the larger/more powerful engine option because I always seem to regret it when I don't. I just like the extra power.

As for choosing between the 250 F Sport and the 350 F Sport, do remember that the 350 also includes AVS and has the option of VGRS on the RWD, so the discussion should include more than just the engine displacement.

Good luck in your decision.

 

no contest. here's my full review and why the is350 is a better choice -- even for the money

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...0-f-sport.html

 

350 no comparison. When my car was in for service and I got a 250 as a loaner. The 250 just doesn't have the sporty feel and pep of the 350. Almost felt sluggish unless it was in sport mode.

 

I know that MPG is an important factor in car making decision. And while I am aware that IS350 is not the most efficient in consuming gas compared to the competition I am almost certain that power gain compared to IS250 offsets the lower MPG that comes with IS350. People have different tastes and all that but for me IS250 just does not cut at all. The power difference between 250 and 350 is just too big to ignore. In my mind even 350 does not have enough power to fully take advantage of the phenomenal chassis that Lexus engineered. So I would say IS350 or no IS at all.

 

Indeed. It's only a 2 mpg hit (at least in EPA estimates). Worth it, in my opinion, but I understand that not everyone feels the same way.

 

I had a 2IS 250, got a 2014 3IS 250 loaner from Lexus for a month and have a 3IS 350.

I think the 250 is a solid car even if the competition dwarfs it in power. But I got my 250 for $35k so it felt like a good deal to me. Some are paying over $40k so at that point I would just go 350. The 250 does have a good power band but it is far from responsive at low RPMs. You have to push it to find its power and when you do it rewards. Of course the retort is "why should I have to push my car just to see some power?" That is a fair complaint because it really does need power at the lower end. Where I see this most is when I'm on the freeway playing the keep up with slow traffic that all of a sudden hits their gas but slows down immediately. You don't want to be super slow so 10 cars creep in and you don't want to slam on the brakes all the time either. The 350 allows me to keep up while very rarely actually hitting my brakes as I can feather the speed better.

As someone else said, the 250 gets better gas mileage. I drove it fast like and still managed to get 25-27mpg - average 25. The 350 I get 22.4-24mpg so it's noticeably less. I used to get on average 350-370 miles per tank. I usually fill up the 350 around 300-320 now.

I find the 8-speed in the 350 F-Sport more engaging and fun to play around with than the 6-speed. The 350 F-Sport also comes with a Sport + setting that the 250 does not get. Some people say they don't feel a difference but I feel a pretty big one. The suspension is firmer and the steering stiffens up. There is no performance increase, just a handling difference. Sport feels like something I could ride in day to day (if I wasn't concerned with fuel economy and breaking my car in) and Sport+ gets it one more notch into the fun category.


Pros and cons on both sides but I always felt like my 250 needed more juice so I didn't want that feeling this time. If you rarely push your car than the 250 really is a solid car. Depends on how much you like DRIVE your car.

 

I voted for and twice bought a 250 (F-Sport 2nd time around) as the 2.5L V6 power is sufficient for me for about a $4K cheaper price. Insurance is also a little cheaper. The 2.5L is also so smooooth as butter, a touch more so than the very smooth 3.5L V6. In short, my requirements were styling, handling and smooth peppy power at a lower cost were my priorities.

NOTE: Fuel economy is only about 10-15% better than the 3.5L V6 so don't pick the 250 for only fuel savings as it's not very significant .

From an overall "performance value" standpoint, the 350 F-Sport (RWD especially) is the better value since for $4K more, you get a lot more performance bang for the extra buck:

- (RWD-only) Direct Shift 8-speed auto (taken from the ISF with added lateral G-force detection)
- Exclusive Sport+ mode incorporates the AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension), tranny shift points, engine output, and steering weight for track-like setup and performance.
- 102 hp and 87 ft lb torque more
- Available VGRS steering
- Larger and higher performance brakes


If you've owned powerful high performing cars, you definitely will want the 350. If not, say you had an Accord/Camry, SUV, or a mainstream vehicle, the 250 will adequately suit your needs.

 

Thank you guys for the feedback!! Now to fight for a good deal!!!

 

One thing I can report is that here in LA I'm seeing a ton of IS 250 Fsports. I'm the only 350 I've seen in 8 months. LA is full of smart car shoppers and the popular vote seems to go towards the 250. I've only seen 3 Q50's as opposed to a couple of dozen 2014 IS's.

 

So what will you be fighting for?

 

For me, since the 250 F Sport and 350 F Sport look identical, I went with the 350 strictly for horsepower. I came from a G35 with the same hp as the 350 and just didn't want to lose the hp.

 

Im a speed demon, need me the 350. Also, the bigger brakes help stop me from killing myself.