khione

Hey guys, looking to get one of the two as an upgrade. Which one would you suggest? The GS is about $10k more, money is not that big of an issue. What are the main differences that can help me decide?

Flash5

Depends. How much space do you need?

BrettKA7

The IS was a better choice for me because I don’t need the space. The IS 300 RWD was enough power for me but the GS 300 RWD felt comparatively gutless. The GS feels distinctively heavier even though curb weight doesn’t show a massive difference between the two. In the end, I just enjoy driving the IS more.

khione

Space-wise, I have a family of four, although we do have a number of SUVs to use. I'm pretty short (5'10), so car-size is not super important for me. I just want to over-all enjoy the car, its features and experience some luxury.

khione

Have you owned both the GS and IS or just test drove the GS? I wanted to know more about the features of the GS and see how it compares vs IS

BrettKA7

Test drove but also regularly ride in my good friend’s GS.

The GS has a more upscale, more adult interior with a much larger optional center display than the IS. The GS interior has very little plastic while the IS strategically hides its cheap plastic. Everything you touch will feel equally as nice in each car.

The IS is nearly impossible to configure with memory seats but if you get an F Sport, convenience features will be almost identical. Both have power seats, ventilated and heated seats. The IS seats are narrower and more well bolstered. I prefer them. The GS has power tilt and telescoping steering column while the IS is manual. The IS doesn’t come standard with a heated steering wheel while the GS does (I believe). The IS has NuLuxe in most trims while the GS has leather in most trims. I try to live a cruelty-free life whenever possible so I prefer NuLuxe.

2017 - 2020 IS and GS have nearly identical suspension setups but the IS is about 150 lb lighter.

signdetres

Paging @JDR76 as he had both cars and knows them both really well

davyjordi

the GS looks dated compared to the IS, which still remarkably looks rather fresh some six years after its release.

wthrman2

I am 5'11 and I prefer the interior size and layout of the IS over that of the GS but this is just my personal preference

doodlebug

I suggest you test drive them both. I have a '14 IS 350 F Sport and my hubby has a '18 GS 350 F Sport.

The GS is more luxurious and has many more features than mine; however, I prefer to drive mine as I feel more "connected" to the road in the IS.

JDR76

As signdetres has correctly pointed out, I've had both. Both are exceptional cars.

I had a 14 IS350 AWD, then a 15 GS350 AWD and now a 19 GS350 AWD.

I love the looks of the GS, especially the updated version, but still overall think the IS is the better looking car by a slim margin.

In driving the cars, I have found them to drive remarkably similar. The GS drives much smaller than it is. Kind of shrinks around you, and hides its size well, while the IS already feels small and connected. You'll sit lower in the IS. Just a very different feeling.

For me, it's the interior where the GS really stands above. I loved my IS, but was constantly irritated by the hard plastics and the lack of features (especially in 2014, thankfully they've added some to the IS along the way). Getting an F Sport version of the GS doesn't mean sacrificing other luxury items, like in the IS. You'll get climate concierge, the 12.3" screen, memory seats and steering wheel, full leather interior, S Flow HVAC, 16 way driver's seat with seat cushion extender, everything you touch is a soft plastic, etc. In the RWD GS, you can also get rear wheel steering, which isn't available on the IS.

So I would say, the choice between the IS and the GS is all about interior room and features. Like I said above, they drive similarly, though the GS will be more refined, with a quieter cabin, whereas the IS will be a bit more raw and exciting. I loved that about it. Such a fun car. But in the end I had to move up a size because of family needs (difficulty fitting car seats in the IS) and I wanted more luxury features, but didn't want to give up driving a fun car, so the GS fit the bill really well for me.

You can't go wrong with either.

Sid03SVT

If you could still get the updated GS with the 5.0L V8 (GS-F) that might sway me in it's favor, but if it's IS350 vs GS350 I'd go IS350 (I do own an IS350 F-sport RWD). Overall dimensions (exterior) the IS350 is roughly the size of a Camry, the GS is roughly the size of an Avalon, worth considering.
I'm 5'-10, my wife is 5'-6" my 5YO son is in a 5-pt harness booster. We recently took the IS on a 5-day getaway prior to covid-19 hitting, the trunk space in the IS had room to spare for our excursion, and I'm a "wagon or die" guy so cargo space is important to me.

The cup holders in the IS will bother your wife/passenger, be warned. the IS is far more driver-centric than the GS is.

Obviously your best move is to go test drive both, check out both trunks, sit in the back of each with the drivers seat adjusted for your height, etc. realize that they have the same power, but there is a 200-300lb curb weight difference when compared in similar trims; it's not so apparent when putting about, but if you put the pedal to the floor while merging on the highway there is a marked difference.

To put that in different terms, if I drive an IS with my wife, son & our luggage in it, I have the same power to weight ratio of a GS when I am driving solo without cargo.

A more accurate power to weight ratio comparison would be an IS200T vs GS350.

I honestly wish they still made the IS-F

E46CT

I would probably get the GS cause the interior (assuming it's the refreshed GS). Plus the GS gives you the option of trick rear steering which is good if available.

The IS is fun to drive but its getting into the hands of more and more kids who are slamming it and placing large cursive writing banners on their windshields and just generally mole*sting the s out of them. Just generally unappetizing.

You don't really see that with the GS cause it's seen more as an "old man car" which is fine by me! So I think a GS is more future proof in that sense. Unless you can wait for a 4IS.

JDR76

The IS is considerably smaller than a Camry. The GS is closer in size to the Camry than the Avalon.

GS350 (LxWxH)
193 x 72 x 58

IS350
184 x 71 x 56

Camry
192 x 72 x 57

Avalon
196 x 73 x 57

E46CT

Yeah people don't realize the 3IS is smaller than a Civic in terms of interior room.

A Camry has a bit more interior room than a Lexus GS.