FUZCO

I was able to drive a 330i with M sport, premier package, and HK audio. Drives very nicely for a four cylinder turbo. Very quiet cabin.

Yes one is a two door and one is a four-door. Aside from that discrepancy, there is plenty to admire about both and they are so very different as well. The new live cockpit pro, which is a completely digital instrument cluster, is a real trip. I haven’t driven it long enough To determine whether or not it’s a blessing to get used to or a curse with problems waiting to happen. Everything about the BMW seems very techie, which concerns me insofar as reliability. While impressive, the live cockpit is also very busy compared to the muted floating dash in the RC F-Sport trim. The Harmon Kardon sound system, albeit half the wattage of the Mark Levinson, did sound very nice and balanced.

The cabin is well designed, but a bit too much aluminum and glossy touches that come off as a bit ricey. The Lexus interior is considerably cozier and it doesn’t have any glossy surfaces which looks more refined.

Another aspect that was very different, are the driving boats that are available. BMW offers that silly automatic start and stop which I can do without. There’s also another feature that keeps the car in brake mode at a stoplight without having to put your foot on the brake. The driving assistant it was a bit overwhelming, as he was actually for bid you to change lanes without a blinker. This to is able to be turned off. The driving modes feel very different as well as opposed to the Lexus which offers subtle changes. I disliked sport mode in the BMW as all it did was contribute more jolting to the drive which I found annoying. The auto parking feature is kind of neat as well and something that Lexus does not have. The new gesture control Is out of this world. Not in a good way. Just a gimmick that is completely temperamental in function and distracting.

What did surprise me that was the solidness of the cabin and how quiet it is. Very smooth ride even with the 19s. The car felt very heavy and substantial. Also very peppy.

In all, the biggest takeaway is all of the technology features which I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Lots of buttons and very busy instrument panel and navigation/stereo display. I felt like I was almost in an arcade instead of behind the wheel of a car. The infotainment seems pretty intuitive via voice command.

What are your thoughts and opinion about both for those of you who have driven both of them. Do you think Lexus has fallen behind regarding technology, or has BMW gone overboard with it? Is Lexus more in favor of refined but conservative? While driving the 330, I could just vision a host of bugs and gremlins that can easily arise when the whole system is literally based on digital function minus any traditional gauges and inputs.

With regards to looks, both are completely different yet sporty. In fact, I’m not too big of the redesign of the 330, since it looks a bit too Acura TLX in the back and not particularly stylish. One big exception however is the portimao blue color. It’s completely flattering on the body style, significantly more than the other colors that are available. Just shows the impact that color can have on the appearance of a car’s body style.

What’s captivating is how modern autos are evolving in a way that surpasses the traditional shared interface once common among all brands.

wthrman2

I have not driven the new 330i but from what I read, it improved on its driving dynamics compared to the previous generation so I am not surprised by your observation. People buy cars for different reasons....some buy it for how it handles, regardless of how it looks, the tech it has and such, some will buy it for its reliability because they want to get from point A to point B and don't care about anything other than getting there safely. Some will buy a car because they want the latest tech because they love the gadgets and cool features but at teh same time, that is what causes more issues in car's reliability these days.

For me, I feel that Lexus has struck that fine balance between designs that are still modern and aggressive, enough tech to make the cars reliable, still fun to drive and reliable as heck! Even the transmission, while my RC only has the 6 speed (the AWD version), its bullet proof, shifts great and is responsive compared to some of the 9 or 10 speed units in some cars. I know some 8 speeds are very quick too but you get my point.

Lexus does incremental changes and that is what keeps them as reliable as they are.....does it please everyone, nope, but they have a loyal following. For me, while Lexus is not the most tech car company out there, I love the overall package and I know that they'll be increasing their power and tech in upcoming models so that is fine by me. Keep in mind that I live in an area where I don't many car dealers in my home town so reliability is more important to me than if I lived in a large urban center where leaving the car at the dealer would not be an inconvenience.

In the end, it is all about what matters to you - By the sounds of things, while you like the way it drives, there was many knocks against its technology and maybe sticking with your original plan of getting your RC is the better option for now....My 2 cents

Moisture

Let me just chime in before you get everybody with zero experience owning a German car telling you what it's like to own one. I used to own a 2011 BMW 528I and that was a damn solid car.

I wouldn't call stop start a silly feature - it's actually the furthest thing away from it. Bottom line, the less time you spend idling the better. It's a good feature.

All the electronics on these BMW's I can do without. For the most part you can expect the stuff to last, but there are always going to be a couple lemons (I think it's 1 in 300 models?) That will cause you problems.

With BMW, you'll either end up with one thats extremely reliable, has some minor issues past 70k miles, or one full of serious problems right from the very start. No way to tell for certain what you got yourself into unless you're noticing a used model that has hopped around from owner to owner. That's a clear sign it's not a reliable one.

The last thing I must mention, is that if you buy a BMW, you stick with the inline 6 engine. Not only are they a fantastic powerplant in their own right, but BMW possesses a mastery of the breed. 340HP and it gets 30 something MPG on the highway. It's incredible. I know that the newer B series 4 cylinder engine in the 330i is much more reliable than the previous gen 328i, but the inline 6's tend to last quite a long time especially if it's naturally aspirated. I know owners of 2007-2011 BMW 328i's that got to 300k miles with nothing but standard maintenance. My 528i had the same engine, and based on personal experience, I believe it.

The IS350 is a great car, but the MPG is reminiscent of 2006 and every video i've watched where the handling was put to the test resulted in SO much understeer. I haven't driven one so I won't comment definetely unltil I do however.

wthrman2

^^ That is great information to provide, especially having owned a BMW so that is relevant information to help FUZCO for sure. I hope I didn't come across bashing the BMW because that was not my intent - all car companies have their strength and weaknesses and in the end, the consumers should base their purchase on what matters to them. I hear you on the inline V6 - that engine from the various test drive I took was phenomenal....and I agree, fuel consumption the RC350 is not ideal, I am getting around 9.5L/100km which is a 70/30 of city/highway ration respectively. Now the start/stop technology is not something I personally like...some do, I personally don't but that is fine....we are all different and that is what makes the world go round

Moisture

One thing I must note - "inline v6" is not exactly the correct term. it's either a 6 cylinder in inline configuration or at a "V" angle. Volkswagen actually makes a VR (R standing for Inline in german) 6 which is like a narrow angle v6 inside a single block. Best of both worlds... Compact like a V6, yet has the perfect balance and firing order of an inline engine.

BMW is the sort of car that you have to opt as RWD and have a LSD installed if you want the full experience. Not only are they just fantastic to drive, but they are one of the few cars that are not only easy to drift, but easy to control as well. Plus the drivetrain even for the 4 cylinder 330i is nothing short of phenomenal. BMW has struck a good overall balance with the 3 series and the new one looks/feels so much more premium then before.

But if you want to buy a BMW and are actually hoping for it to last, that's totally possible. Just don't get the V8 or the older 328i 4 cylinder no matter what.

Moisture

In my eyes the perfect car would be something like a BMW 3 series mixed with the reliability and sheer mechanical simplicity of a Lexus. Drop in a reliable, simply naturally aspirated 3.5L inline 6, ditch all useless features and added weight of being a luxury vehicle, and that would be something truly wonderful.

FUZCO

Thanks for the feedback. Great info!

wthrman2

Moisture - That was my bad! I know it was not an inline V6 - that was just my quick typing and never proof reading my post (blushing) - Like people saying they have a V4 (lol)

FUZCO

My Volvo had a V5! 😆

V00D001

My 2018 IS has a ton of initial throttle lag from a dead stop. When I drove a 330 back last year, it was a huge difference and makes the car “feel” like it has more power. I know it can be inherent to certain cars that have electronic throttle, but that’s one thing I think that Lexus could really improve that would make a huge difference in how the car “feels”. Has Lexus done anything to improve the throttle lag any?