Test drove the Lexus IS 250 and Acura TL/TSX

[NsXMas]

I've been kicking around the idea of upgrading my daily driver/beater to a newer car. Went to the Lexus dealer and had a drive in the auto IS 250 and then followed by the TSX and TL.

I gotta say I was very impressed by the IS 250:
-paddle shifters are the best auto-manual shifters I've ever used, could get me to switch from clutch/stick - and I'm a die hard manual driver

-keyless fob / starter button was pretty cool, although not sure it's all that necessary

-Lexus has all the "little details" done just right. From the LED lamps to the cool moonroof controls that are so intuitive and easy to use (just like the Toyotal cruise controls that are best in class), everything feels like they are the the best design possible

-rear seat was tight, but not a big concern to me

-lack of fold down rear seats could be a concern, but I do have an SUV for back up if needed

The Acura TL and TSX felt much less refined compared to the IS 250, but were still great to drive. The TSX and TL have a no non-sense feel to them, and don't feel quite as "gadgetry" as the IS 250. The test drives in the TL and TSX weren't as memorable as the IS 250 over all.

At this point I'm torn between the choices, but the Lexus IS 250 is at the top, even with the higher price.

Inputs anyone?

 

[rickysals]

I've driven none, but been inside all 3.

The new IS is my pick over any sedan on the market, short of M5 status. 250 or 350.

The honda offerings are no slouch, lexus was just more me.

are you buying an IS? (we'll need mandatory photos when you do )

 

[NsXMas]

I'm test driving a manual TL and the manual IS 250 this coming week. Right now I'm leaning towards the auto IS 250 with the paddle shifts. I can't stop thinking about how nice it was.

Sucky thing is tho I only have a 3 car garage, so the IS will have to sit outside if I do get it.

 

[nchopp]

Sucky thing is tho I only have a 3 car garage, so the IS will have to sit outside if I do get it.

Gee, must be rough.

In the past month I've test driven:

Cadillac DTS
Cadillac STS
Infiniti G35 Coupe
Infiniti G35x Sedan
Infiniti M45
Infiniti Q45
BMW 330xi
BMW 750il
Lexus IS 350

I guess to me, while the IS felt like a very nice car, it didn't give me the driving experience the G35, M45, and 330 did. While the numbers it puts out are pretty similar across the board, it just didn't FEEL as quick or as nimble. <shrug> But since that's all perception, your mileage may be different.

 

[sabashioyaki]

I think you need to test a IS 350 against those cars, all of which have much more hp and torque than the IS 250. I've driven both and the 350 is an amazing performer for the price, I remember a recent magazine tested 5.5 0-60.

 

[nchopp]

I think you need to test a IS 350 against those cars, all of which have much more hp and torque than the IS 250. I've driven both and the 350 is an amazing performer for the price, I remember a recent magazine tested 5.5 0-60.

I did test drive the 350 - 250 was a typo. Oops. :-\ Edited the post.

 

[NsXMas]

Thanks - will test drive the 350 as well.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I'm a little biased but here is my impression of the TL.
I drove a manual since it was going to be me driving the vast majority of the time and I wanted a stick. Until I drove it. I didn't like the feel of the clutch or the was the clutch engaged. I found it to be very difficult to modulate the exact pickup point. Whenever I did finally get it in gear and stomp on it the torque steer was a bit much for me.
I took it back to the dealership with a comletely different outlook on the car at that point. I was considering checking out some other cars but kept coming back to the TL for all it had to offer for the price.
I then drove the automatic. Totally different experience that time. I kept the car over the weekend and logged a few miles in it. It was the GM's demo so mileage wasn't a concern. BTW, the company I work for owns the dealership is why I got his car and kept it that long.
Anyway, I was certain I had to have the automatic after that. Just a matter of picking the color combo I wanted then. That was another story all together that I won't go into here.
I haven't been in or driven the Lexus but I'm sure it is top notch.

 

[nicholas421]

Since I recently purchased a Ferrari, my wife thinks it's only fair she gets a new toy too. She test drove a 6 speed TL today and loved it. She will be test driving a G35 and IS350 on Monday. On paper, the TL's performance appears to be the weakest of the 3. We'll see if the seat-of-the-pants gauge agrees. We both think the TL looks the best both interior and exterior.

 

[poet_x]

IS350 as seen at NAIAS. My favotite car that I realistically seeing me be able to buy in the near future.

 

[makena88]

I've been kicking around the idea of upgrading my daily driver/beater to a newer car. Went to the Lexus dealer and had a drive in the auto IS 250 and then followed by the TSX and TL.

I gotta say I was very impressed by the IS 250:
-paddle shifters are the best auto-manual shifters I've ever used, could get me to switch from clutch/stick - and I'm a die hard manual driver

-keyless fob / starter button was pretty cool, although not sure it's all that necessary

-Lexus has all the "little details" done just right. From the LED lamps to the cool moonroof controls that are so intuitive and easy to use (just like the Toyotal cruise controls that are best in class), everything feels like they are the the best design possible

-rear seat was tight, but not a big concern to me

-lack of fold down rear seats could be a concern, but I do have an SUV for back up if needed

The Acura TL and TSX felt much less refined compared to the IS 250, but were still great to drive. The TSX and TL have a no non-sense feel to them, and don't feel quite as "gadgetry" as the IS 250. The test drives in the TL and TSX weren't as memorable as the IS 250 over all.

At this point I'm torn between the choices, but the Lexus IS 250 is at the top, even with the higher price.

Inputs anyone?

I have both cars. (IS 250 not 350) I love the IS 250, but the power in the TL is much better. Bottomline, on the weekend with the family we take the TL because I have NAVI in that car. IS 250 is weak in power but PERFECT for just crusing.

 

[rickysals]

i sat in that exact blue one at the show... for like 5 minutes..

it was like home., sigh.....

 

[EIFFEL]

TL has too much torque steer. esp. with 6 spd. IS is RWD, better handling dynamics. Lexus will be more luxurious, TL will be less expensive to buy.

 

[NRG]

The more I research on the IS350, the more I want

A buddy said that this car doesn't come with manual...only the automatic shifter for the IS350. What's up with that? Are they going to release a 6 speed manual anytime soon??

 

[sabashioyaki]

No manual available of the 350s. I assume it's because they probably wouldn't sell enough to justify the cost, and maybe they don't have one readily available to handle the power and torque of the 350. Would make for a seriously quick car though.

Are there any discounts on the IS yet?

 

[NSX01]

Lexus does not offer Blue as the one above. I end up getting a white 250 awd. Wonder why Lexus have a blue IS at the autoshow, but don't offer it as one of the colore to pick up.

 

[poet_x]

that blue IS is rather customized (lowered, rims, brakes at least). I heard the color may be avail. in the near future...

 

[NsXMas]

Test drove the Acura TL 6 speed today. It was very nice.

I also test drove a manual IS 250 (can't remember if it was a 5 or 6 speed). Wow was I disappointed!! The clutch pedal has VERY long travel. I felt like my foot was going to sink into the engine bay. It felt very weird. I like the automatic much better.

I'm leaning towards the IS right now, because of the subtle niceties it's got over the TL.

I feel bad for picking Lexus over Acura, but I really like the IS.

 

[nsxtasy]

I've driven the TL and TSX, not the IS.

The TL is an absolutely incredible bargain, no matter how you look at it. Once you add all the optional equipment onto the Lexus (stuff that is standard on the Acura and IMHO should be standard on any luxury car), the price shoots up considerably. I think the TL looks great and is extremely well designed ergonomically. However, make no mistake - the TL is a luxury car, not a sports car; it's just a bit too big and heavy for my own personal taste.

I've generally not liked the Lexus cars I've driven because their suspensions have been much softer than I would like, and softer than the corresponding Acuras. Maybe the new IS is different; I don't know.

Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura build the best cars in the business, so you're getting a great car no matter which one you buy. The financials favor the Acura. But in deciding which new car to buy, you should look to your heart, not to your head.

 

[Da Hapa]

Unfortunately, I've been without my NSX for the better part of the last few months. First I was having my timing fixed, then I was having the SOS harness bar and NSX-R chassis bars installed and now I'm having my rear O2 sensor replaced so I can pass CA's draconian emissions requirements. sigh..

That's relevant to this thread because I've now spent the better part of two months in three different TL's. All have been 2005 cars. All have been automatics. And all have had the Navi system and XM radio.

For the $ they are great cars but I wouldn't buy one over the Lexus IS350 despite the price differential (which I think is approaching $10K).

Why? Quality of materials (every one of the TL's I've had as loaners has had fit and finish issues inside and out and have rattled and squeaked like mad. Beyond that, the torque steer in the lower two gears is unbearable to me. I applaud Honda for developing such a great motor (and it pulls very well and sounds great) but it's really too much power going through the front wheels.

We have had very, very good luck with Lexus cars. I agree with Ken that for the most part Toyota's Lexus division builds their cars to favor comfort over sport but the quality and reliability are second to none. And the motor in the IS350 is light years ahead of anything else out there in that class of car. Bar none. I wish Lexus offered a proper MT instead of the silly paddle shift nonsense but if this is going to be a daily commuter than maybe that's not such a big deal.

We had a previous gen IS300 and loved the handling and size of the car. It was rock solid and smooth as heck. In fact, it actually handled quite well (some say better than the new IS) but it did eat tires and the new car's 3.5L V6 is world's better than the old iron cast straight 6.

When we bought my wife her LX470 back in February the two dealers we were working with were offering $2K - $2.5K off of MSRP on fully loaded IS350s (depending on color). I'm guessing that discount has improved now that the car is out longer. At $40K I'd buy that over the TL all day long.

Better yet, I'd lease it for 4yr/48K miles (under the bumper to bumper)... drive the snot out of it and have the maint. done at a cheap local mechanic and turn it back in after that.

 

[NRG]

I did some calculation on the IS350 by adding the "standard" extras like navigation, automatic seat, etc...came well over 40K. The only thing I don't like about the IS350 is the design of the rear. It looks like it doesn't have a trunk...something like a hatchback. It doesn't look right. Everything else looks great. I have changed my mind on the IS350...wait for something else better come along.

 

[TTony]

I've got the IS350 and it is a NICE car. Very well built and FAST. Guys are turning 13.6@103+ in the quarter when they are stock. They are in the 250-260rwhp range stock (306hp @ crank). Intake adds 11-13rwhp and exhaust a similar amount.

So far I've raced and beaten a 1993 LT1 Corvette and a 2000+ WS6 Trans AM. The Corvette owner was laughing afterwards because he did not expect it. The WS6 driver would not even pull up next to us at the next light! It might be because my wife was in the passengers seat that time. :tongue: The 3.5L motor in the IS350 is smooth and the auto tranny is a 6spd. auto that is geared as aggressively as the BMW M3 tranny.

Back to the car, it is a solid bargain and can be purchased from Lexus of Palm Beach for more than $2000 under sticker. We got the base IS350 (no need for Nav in our relatively small town of Charleston, SC) delivered via transport for under $35k.

Regarding the key fob, I originally thought it was just a "cool" idea and didn't think much of it. Now, I really dislike having to use a key in the NSX! It mainly works well for women who have to dig for keys in their purse everytime. I'm looking how to integrate one of these into the NSX because it's like walking up to your car and it's unlocked every time.

I test drove the new 3-series, TL, S60-R, and the IS250. The IS350 outclassed them all. The throttle response on the IS250 is non-existant on the IS350.

On the paddle shifters, they are NOT a replacement for a 6-speed. There is a noticable delay between hitting the paddle shifter and the actual gear change. the easiest way to describe it is that it is not useable on a track.

The gauges on the IS350 are NICE but the best I have seen are on the S60-R.

Most items that I considered options are standard on the IS350 (leather, sunroof, 6 disc indash CD, etc.). Are these items standard on the TL's and TSX's? They were not on the BMW's. The IS350 options only come in complete packages and that is why they are so much $$$.

The IS350 does have a sport package with 1/2" lower springs. The IS350 base model that we have is much tighter than the IS250 we drove.

In summary, I am definitely happy with the IS350 and think it is a GREAT car for the money. If you are not purchasing one because the Nav system is too much $$$, then you are missing out. You should be able to negotiate the price of the Nav system out of the price of a new one!

FYI, dealer profit margins on cars are in typically in the 10-15% range, while their profit margin on options are sometimes 50% or more. If we were able to negotiate over $2k off a base model, you should be able to get more off of a well optioned one.

 

[nsxtasy]

Most items that I considered options are standard on the IS350 (leather, sunroof, 6 disc indash CD, etc.). Are these items standard on the TL's and TSX's?

Yes, they are. So are features like HID headlights and heated seats, for which you have to pay $4K for a luxury package on the IS350. HID headlights should be standard equipment on any luxury car, and I would be embarrassed to drive a so-called luxury car that doesn't have them...

 

[TTony]

Yes, they are. So are features like HID headlights and heated seats, for which you have to pay $4K for a luxury package on the IS350. HID headlights should be standard equipment on any luxury car, and I would be embarrassed to drive a so-called luxury car that doesn't have them...

Yep, I did the aftermarket $300 HID upgrade. It fit my situation better than giving Toyota an extra $4k for "around the corner" HID's. I would be embarrassed to drive a luxury car with under 300hp more than missing HID's. :biggrin:

I will see all the HID's I need to in my rear view mirror looking at the TL, TSX, 3-series, and others that are behind me. :tongue:

 

[Da Hapa]

Yes, they are. So are features like HID headlights and heated seats, for which you have to pay $4K for a luxury package on the IS350. HID headlights should be standard equipment on any luxury car, and I would be embarrassed to drive a so-called luxury car that doesn't have them...

I agree with Ken that the HID's should be standard equipment in today's marketplace but also need to point out that the luxury package includes other items (like cooled seats to go with the heated seats).

In fairness to Honda/Acura... I personally think the navi system in the Acura is much, much easier to use than the Lexus unit. But... the Mark Levinson stereo available in the Lexus absolutely embarresses the unit in the Acura.