There hasn’t been a lack of trying in Lexus’ attempts at matching its Teutonic rivals for appeal and desirability in buyers’ eyes. For years now, the brand has been plugging away at getting buyers to view it in the same vein as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Sales successes in select markets – such as the US – notwithstanding, it hasn’t always measured out convincingly.
There’s no argument about the engineering – it has been bombproof, and meticulously so. The problem has been the squeaky clean nature in which the wares have been presented. It’s all fine to be ticking as clockwork, quiet as a mouse and comfortable as a cushion, but there’s no denying that a mechanical nature also translates to boring.
In a bid to shed that image, the brand has finally taken a stand on things – having secured ‘reliability’ as a tagline, it’s seeking to ally ‘emotion’ to that by upping things in the looks department and making the cars more exciting prospects to be in from behind the wheel.
The LFA might be an excellent voice to showcase that new reasoning, but the GS better illustrates the approach realistically – the current fourth-gen L10 represents a radical departure from its S190 predecessor, and was a bit of a revelation when we drove it in our four-way luxury group test. Now, the third-generation IS continues on the trail paved by its larger sibling. Does it finally measure up to its rivals?
From an exterior viewpoint, it certainly does, and then some. The second-gen XE20 was a handsome car, and on the whole has aged very well. The new XE30, as previewed by the LF-LC concept, takes things into a different direction. Led by that imposing spindle grille, the front end isn’t shy, and it’s even more in your face with the F Sport trimmings.
The rakish profile, however, looks far better in the metal than the photos suggest, and the rear – from dead-on centre – is striking, even if some of the visual cues seem to be familiar from other places. Whatever it is, there’s nothing bashful about the shape or the lines.
A comparative glance of both new and old IS 250 during the drive shows how much the phase has been altered. Traditionalists will no doubt think the new IS a bit over the top, but if you want to inject excitement into your car, exciting looks surely help. Well, at least that’s the train of thought.
Some may contend with the exterior lines, but no such qualms where the interior is concerned. The old car’s interior space was tight and the seating positions (rear, especially) pinched, to put it simply.
The new one increases the width (by 10 mm), and a longer wheelbase (increased by 70 mm to 2,800 mm) offers better access to the rear seats, while thinner front seat backs means an increase of 85 mm in knee-room.
The cabin is a roomier place, and comfort levels are decent, though there are some issues at the back – the seats are very low-set, so you can’t put your feet under them, meaning that you’ll have to sit with your legs propped up, at which point there’s virtually no thigh support. The tall and wide transmission tunnel also means that any fifth occupant is set to face an uncomfortable time.
Interior elements include a centrally mounted seven-inch high-res display screen, with a remote touch controller working things. The interface is less clunky than that on the GS, with improved logic and better sensitivity to input coming off the Remote Touch Controller joystick.
Other new bits include an analogue clock, which finally replaces the tacky, cheap-looking digital one of old, and a new circular knob Drive Mode Selector system to offer switching between the three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Sport, and on the F-Sport, an additional Sport+ mode). The centrepiece is undoubtedly the F-Sport’s LFA-inspired sliding ring LCD display instrument panel.
Mechanical improvements include revisions to the suspension set-up, which consists of double wishbones up front and a multi-link setup at the back. The wishbones have been reworked, giving a 20% increase in roll rigidity, while the new multi-link system is similar to that featured in the new GS. The IS 250 F-Sport, meanwhile, gets an exclusive Adaptive Variable Suspension System.
The media drive saw only the IS 250 on call, in both Luxury and F-Sport forms. Much has been made of the new IS’ ability to deliver, dynamically. And the car does very well in twisty terrain, as the Simpang Pulai route up and down Cameron Highlands showed.
The new car steers very ably, and tracks through corners in far tighter, cleaner fashion than the XE 20, addressing the second-gen’s shortcomings in this area of performance. The electric steering has a high level of assistance and very little feedback, but is quick, and responds to input and corrections without vagueness.
So far, so good – it’s rather funny to mention Lexus and keenness in the same breath, but here it is. From a chassis dynamics point of view, it’s a significant progression over the old car. While not quite yet the complete measure of the F30 3-Series in terms of balance and scope, it edges closer to its rival than ever before. I’d even venture that it’d make the current W204 C-Class feel spongy in comparison.
The new focus is not without its issues, however. The taut, enthusiastic handling is undoubtedly a strong point, but it also means that there’s some give to ride comfort, which has now been firmed up. It’s not rough, but IS owners will definitely feel more of the road than ever before.
In terms of overall ride scope, the IS 250 Luxury felt much more balanced than the F-Sport. The adaptive dampers worked a charm in the twists and turns, but less so on the highway – there was a small level of oscillation present in Normal mode, and Sport+ jarred off poor tarmac, very noticeable from the back seat. Settling for in between with Sport mode offered the best equilibrium throughout the drive.
The recent agility also exposes the continued powertrain and drivetrain choice to a degree. There’s no contention if you drive it in regular fashion, because all the 4GR-FSE’s smooth and silky characteristics are evident going about town, as is the six-speeder’s transitions across the cogs. Even when you urge it on, the refinement of the 2.5 litre V6 comes across.
Squeezing the most out of the newfound dynamics does however mean the engine – good for 205 hp at 6,400 rpm and 252 Nm at 4,800 rpm, with 8.1 seconds from 0-100 km/h and a 225km/h top speed for performance figures – needs to be kept on the boil. Keeping it singing is the challenge, because when the revs drop it takes a while to climb, and on the way up to Camerons in the Luxury variant, the paddles had to be employed to get the best out of things.
Leaving it in D, even with Sport mode, didn’t quite work here, with gear selection sometimes not responding quickly enough to demand. Paddles on tightened things considerably, though at that point an extra cog in between third and fourth ratios would have been good – too long in third and there’s an element of surging, and fourth at times felt a bit too tall.
Otherwise, the six-speed auto transmission feels polished, its refinement a boon when the car is driven in a less unhurried manner. Which is how most owners are likely to drive it. That it can now handle the way it does when asked to is surely a very big plus point.
Nonetheless, if the brand continues to hone its focus on handling and performance, fresh powertrain – and gearbox – choices look like they need to come about eventually. A group test against its direct rivals should well answer if there are any deficits in the current selection; hopefully, that’s something that can be accomplished soon.
Whatever the case, as it goes, the new IS represents a significant step forward for Lexus. All the hallmarks and core competencies (superb built quality and fine engineering) are present here, but now there’s something new, and it’s called excitement. Sounds exquisite for fans of the brand, and perhaps the only minus is the price being asked for it, especially in the case of the IS 250 F-Sport.
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A car for daddy’s son !
jealous much?
Very stupid people pay BMW prices for a mere Toyota. Open every panel in the car and you see the word Toyota written on it. Only losers who have fallen for marketing gimmick think Lexus is a luxury car. Yes its selling well in the US because it is as cheap as a Toyota. Here its sold at BMW prices. See how stupid Malaysians are? Buyers in Malaysia justify it by saying US sales are good but they fail to realize, its so cheap there. Like any Japanese brand. Buyers of Lexus in Malaysia all kena con. Spend so much thinking your car sama taraf as BMW or Mercedes. Its not. Its just a Toyota. Nothing else. People laugh at Lexus buyers knowing how they have fallen for a marketing gimmick. At traffic lights, most people sniggle when they see a Lexus. You got conned. Would you pay RM300,000 for a Camry? It even looks like a Camry!
Hello kawan kawan, you are not buying an OEM notebook or handphone that cost RM2000 where you don’t mind large manufacturers slapping their label. You are paying RM300,000 for an OEM.
Also, bear in mind one thing, if you say Lexus is higher quality, and ASSUMING Lexus is higher quality, why does Toyota differenciate in quality and ride for both brands? Why give lower quality to Toyota buyers and give higher quality to Lexus buyers? Why segregate into two groups when the product comes out from ONE company? Would you like to go into a restaurant and be put into a section for low income people or another section for higher income people? Again, assuming Lexus is higher quality, Toyota should be making both brands the same quality for equality sake. Toyota owners and buyers should sue Toyota for giving them a softer, lesser car than their Lexus buyers.
The whole company has no logic. Its like saying a 7 Series BMW is better quality than a 3 series BMW. Both also come from the same factory. Both also same quality.
dude, why do you always copy and paste the same comment on every Lexus-related post??
Are you that desperate??
woah….hold your horses buddy…
While you hit the nail square on its head that difference in prices in US are smaller.
This is the fault of the local distributors and yes, Malaysians still buy overpriced cars. Maybe we have too much money.
That said, FWIW, Lexus does put quite a lot of effort in putting them together better than toyota. If anything, the LS460 is just as good if not better than the 7er or S series from the back seat. The newer bespoke Lexi(?) are much better built compared to the old rebadged Toyota units, I wasn’t fond of the first gen IS300 with its cheap plastics since it was a direct rebadge of the Altezza. And in ways, both Toyota and Lexus benefited from platform sharing. The ES300 could be priced more competitively by sharing the same platform of the Camry XV10, which also benefited from a more refined chassis since they were both developed together.
What you are saying is don’t buy an Audi because its all VW underneath.
In Malaysia, the best luxury vehicle to buy, if you only wish to buy one and only one, is brand-new Mercedes S-class (by that time actually you can afford 5 below-RM1M luxury vehicles) already.
Own an S-class first before thinking of any other fancy luxury vehicles. Lexus? Cheap skate.
Hey … 4G63T DSM
Before u take a swipe at Audi / VW, please take time to get the facts right.
AUDI and VW are totally unlike the situation of Lexusoyota… right?
Audi up until recently, has its own R&D, technology and platforms which are much more premium than VW.
What VW does here as parent company was just conveniently take over some old tech off Audi and put it into their cars. Nothing wrong with that since its just mere tech sharing and making good cars for the masses.
Not like Lexusoyota is it??
Typical Audi fanboy, “my sh*t smell good, your sh*t smell stink”.
I have to correct you though on prices of Lexus in the US. A simple check on the US websites for both BMW and Lexus as an example does not in any way indicate that Lexus cars over there are any cheaper than BMWs.
Bmw lousy car.. Only ah beng and idiot who never drive a bmer hail it like God.. To be frank, i wuold rather consider Audi, Merz, Lexus and Infiniti for that price range. Fresh upgrate from Japs car? Bmw, get ready to get disappointed.
That seems to be back to u’r preferred brand. But consider this, an E60 525i is faster in 0-100 sprint by 3 tenth of a sec than this car which is a generation newer and a size smaller. See how the leader differentiate itself from the chasing pacts?
How can you say BMW is a lousy car when the F30 and F10 have won numerous awards. If you wanna argue, at least get your spelling and grammar right so you don’t look like a complete idiot.
Drive one and tell me.. else you’re not in a position to judge.
Yes I was an idiot. Considering I just sold my 5 years E60. And I’m still an idiot, coz I’m still keeping my E39 for the design. Even my carpenter spit saliva with his 2 years F10. Those who paid money for speed and award, go ahead. I’m gg for the quality.
Honda, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz topping the lists of automakers with the most reliable engines. The study conducted had 36 automakers on it, with Audi, BMW, MINI, and Volkswagen all finishing in the bottom 10 with the most engine failure rates.
drive it?? i own an F30. thats why i know how good it is. The quality and performance is good. Look at all the reviews and awards. you are just too pathetic to notice all that.
I’d like to see u afford this car :-) talk big, but can’t afford, no point. Doubt u can even afford a Beemer since its cheaper. People who actually afford cars like these, doesn’t type an essay to bash on a car. They are busy enjoying life and earning money and driving their luxury cars. Lol.. Such a loser u are.
agree with the price issue. in malaysia, lexus is crazily overpriced. i would personally prefer the 3 series over this IS. however, as for the quality, lexus way better built than toyota. of course some parts are shared, its part of balancing between manufacturing cost and exclusivity [garllado’s sat nav same as audi a4]. as for your part on why toyota differentiate on quality between toyota and lexus, its mainly to compete with the germans and part of marketing. a good example will be VW and Toyota, they both have luxury cars. VW phaeton and Lexus LS460. which is doing well globally? we all know. so its part of business management, toyota and lexus have their own different target market. Adding to that, if you have seen RnD and production assembly for toyota and lexus, theyre different. lexus paint work has 50 over point checks around the car, the tolerances between panels are lesser than toyotas or even some german cars, each button in lexus is pressed multiple times to ensure they produce a similar decible, etc. I’m not promoting lexus, just saying lexus do share some parts with toyota but other than that, its a different car. SADLY, I think lexus malaysia could have done better with their product pricing strategy. 333k for lexus 250 f sport is crazy. a 240k BMW 320 is faster despite the +-100k difference.
UMW spoilt too many good car with unreasonable price tag. 1st is GT86 now is Lexus.
Good work eh nad. Proud of you eh nad
frenzy your jsut a hater , the build quality is different material is different , tech is different, why can’t they put those gadget in a toyota, thats cause if they do install all the gadgets they would cost as much as a toyota. Have you actually been on a lexus . If you have, you could definately feel the difference. its like you saying why buy a RR when you could jsut get a 7 series. Do you know how stupid you sound like right now.
I even strongly suspect that he keeps refreshing this page to thumb himself up. XD
Even he don’t has a name to start from. If you know me well, you should know I’m a Lexus supporter actually!
We know you well, always talk sh*t in Lexus and BMW post, and click hundreds of like for yourself, Kumar San, Gagen, frenzyaustin are some of the name you use. We suspect your are Audi Salesman try to brainwash the reader here.
You only know the cons of “frenzyaustin” on top that like it’s own comment for hundreds time.
The real one is currently talking to you.
Sorry, I am not pointed to you but to the fake frenzyaustin.
The irrational hate is strong in this one. But worries me is not this individual comments but how many(based on the like/dislike system) actually agree with such tunnel vision opinion.
The fact that it has Toyota background immediately rang alarm bells on every one heads and degrades this to the same hierarchy level as cow dung. Your main point is already flawed as the BMW and Lexus are priced rather similarly. BMW is at $32550(RM104k) in the case of 320i while Lexus IS250 lux at $35950(Rm114). So similar price. The secondary statement stating that Malaysian are in fact ‘stupid’ to buy a car of this price, so you are assuming that there are lines of people from every corner of the country signing up for one unit.
Than comes the classic tunnel vision of anything Japanese(or T & H) = shit. I know there are too many in paultan to begin with, but with real solid fact on determining that they are actually shit. Looks like a Camry, other than the colour, I struggle to find the similarities with the XV50. Now on the question on the quality difference in both Toyota and Lexus , we are already complaining about forking RM170 for a Camry, do you want to pay RM100k MORE, even thou its a better car. The Toyota has lower quality and is priced lower. This theory applies to VW, why don’t they built it with the same quality as the Audi A1, after underneath the Audi is a VW Polo. Building it with the same stuff as the Audi will increase the price, and unless they want to make a loss for every single model sold , they HAVE to Increase the price. Add to it the 7 series is better than the 3er not because its different quality, but you get more toys than the 3er. Same applies to the Lexus and Camry relationship.
The purpose of the Toyota brand itself to sell car for lower income buyers(lower than Lexus’s target market), and to do that without lowering the car price is impossible, and lowering the car price without lowering the material cost or making a loss at every model is impossible. Only differences is Lexus was created BY Toyota for the inverted reason, to sell for the higher income, so to draw some attention , they have to make it more luxurious, more up-market.
Lastly , I have a strong feeling you are not the frenzyaustin whose comment is one of the rare ones that to me have sense. He doesn’t divert the the topic on the reply comment if u are, honestly what happen to your head lad.
Finally someone who realized my name has been used by someone else. Really good noticing skills you have there! This guy has the same mentality with China, “Copy”.
Thanks, No really, you are among the few that actually makes sense and rational comments. But it seems that this guy has furiously refresh the page and dislike my post until it is now hidden from view. Could have been the same guy from before that stole mine, and a few others identity to make rage comments, He usually posts comments on the first or the reply comment of the first comment, so long so as he is at the top of the comment list to get some attention…..
….sigh, one of the few reason I hate commenting Paultan.
I like what you said AVH. This fake frenzyaustin is lightyears away from the real frenzyaustin. Can’t even understand the concept of product differentiation (which is a very basic concept in the marketplace for any product) as you explained above. Better just ignore such mentality as this person clearly is unable to grasp the idea.
Attention seeker much? We can all tell that you know how to *Ctrl + C*, *Ctrl + V*
Buy a Toyota Camry and change the badge to a Lexus. Since you say they are the same, then just buying the Lexus logo must be the smarter choice if you want that Lexus feeling.
A 7 series is not better quality than a 3 series, just different specs. They are 2 different things.
if you can’t even tell the difference between a Lexus and a Toyota, your stupidity level has reached a new record high. if you’ve never been inside or driven a lexus, shut up before making comments.
Its funny how you referred to malaysian as stupid while your comment although not wrong, is not really smart. Just shows how little thinking you go through before you comment.
excuse me, if driving a Lamborghini or Bentley = driving a VW huh? hello there, ppl who bought the Lexus is not using ur money so why bother huh?! go drive ur own luxury i mean for u.
Based on on your paragraphs of nonsense, I can see you know nothing about cars. You are just a blind hater.
I personally own a BMW 5 series, Lexus RX350 and a toyota camry and I can tell you the Lexus is a COMPLETELY different car from my toyota. Yes maybe some components are shared between them but the Lexus is just built magnificently. From the ride quality to how the car feels, the lexus is just way more superior compared to toyota. It is not even comparable.
Compared to the BMW however, I do agree the BMW feels a bit more luxurious. But that does not mean that the Lexus feels cheap. The ride quality of the lexus is just pure quality. To choose between the BMW, Merc, Lexus etc is all based on personal preference.
If the Lexus is like what you say, a expensive badged toyota do you seriously think it would be this successful? Even the most influential motoring program Top Gear praised the built quality of the Lexus. Mind you they are a bunch of hooligans who do not care if they upset a company.
Why does Toyota Corporation differentiate between a cheap brand and a luxury brand? Honestly I can’t stop laughing reading this and I’ll leave it for yourself to think about it.
So my advice is, stop making a fool out of yourself and study hard. Maybe later in life you can afford a car.
No surprise as to Top Gear’s praise of Toyota.
Jeremy Clarkson was once asked about his favourite car.
Guess what, he said “the entire Toyota range”.
He had a soft spot there.
Buddy if you want to lie, at least make it believable. That is just down right obvious you’re making that up.
It was related to me by a friend who met JC personally when he was in the motor industry.
You may choose to believe or not to believe this tales. It doesn’t bother me at all but I have followed TG show and JC writing and I’ve never came across a bad review about Toyota.
Likewise, I may believe or not believe your claim about owning BMW 5 series, Lexus RX350 and a toyota camry.
price way difference in the US? check again! you know nothing about manufacturing! you asked a lot of why? questions on why toyota differentiate between lexus & toyota although they come from same company? Have you ever been to manufacturing plant? or assembly line perhaps?
in other word, manufacturer is like chef and car is the food. the cost depend on the material and process. Yes, the Japanese has cooked noodles for quite a long time so as the German has cooked the salmon. Just when the Japanese try to cook salmon, judge the food, not the whole history of the cook! Most of the people who leave comment here already pass the marketing gimmick. If you are really2 hate lexus, it is ok. Just leave you comment and opinion and let discuss it intellectually by facts! Not by try to lecture us using your stupidity.
One more thing, have you compared lexus IS to Toyota camry head to head? and not by saying they are lookalike! same content different packages rubbish! For a start, IS has rear wheel drive while Camry front wheel drive. The are only 2 car toyota sell here in Malaysia have rear wheel drive, GT86 and Avanza(whole different component only same layout).
I am the BMW fan myself, but i never underestimate the lexus. They are not quite on the same dynamic perfomance level yet but for quality and comfort they really come close. the one thing they topple everyone else is in term of buying experience and after sale service. (maybe because of less customer at the moment, but they are brilliant)
So it’s like the case of Proton and Mitsubishi? But instead of going luxury, Proton cut corners?
Why even buy this car new? Lexus is crowned the King of Depreciation in Malaysia. It is the Champion of Depreciation. Wait one year and buy this car for half the price. You can even drive home this car for RM150,000. Be patient and wait. For the past 10 years, it HAS been proven, Lexus is the King of Depreciation. Even better wiser move, buy a Lexus LS460. In one year, the car becomes RM400,000
Nice…………….
Nice interior, sexy butt with ugly face…..hmmmm
Expensive Toyota, My perdana more luxury.
Grow up boy, Perdana is a history with nothing much except gear box problem and many more.
My toilet is more luxurious than your perdana. Time to step up your game kid.
classical lexus engineering,but this car ain’t gonna appear as my desktop wallpaper,last Lexus IS looks better
Honestly the look of this generation IS has grown on me, it looks kinda interesting compared to it’s German rivals.
Its a toyota.
So, you will call Porsche a VW and call Infinity as a Nissan?
i’m not sure about infinity and nissan, but you definitely cannot call a Porsche a VW in the same way you dont call a Jaguar a TATA.
i’m not sure about infinity and nissan, but you definitely cannot call a Porsche a VW in the same way you dont call a Jaguar a TATA.
Same way you don’t call Lexus a Toyota.
some more it’s made in thailand..cheap!
Hey dude. Don’t imitate my nickname. I’ve been using it since day before you.
Lexus = Toyota, I can’t believe I’m seeing such idiotic comment on a website dedicated to cars. There’s no cars currently in Toyota lineup that shares any mechanical similarities with the IS, or put it in this way, there’s no Toyota cars that are the carbon copy of any Lexus cars except for the CT200h and the Prius. Maybe these so called experts can name me an equivalent of a Toyota sedan with RWD/AWD and GR-FSE/2GR-FSE currently on sale globally.
As a matter of fact, there are more carbon copies in the current VW Group’s lineup than Toyota Group’s. Why buy an Audi A1 when it’s essentially a carbon copy of VW Polo and why buy an Audi A3 when it’s essentially a carbon copy of a Skoda Octavia and why spend so much on a Porsche Cayenne when it shares platforms, body frames and doors with the VW Touareg and Audi Q7?
No, I’m not bashing VW Group, but credit must be given where it’s due. Oh, and one more thing, The IS is more expensive than say a F30 3 Series even in America. The reason? Because there’s no equivalent of IS to compete with the entry level 316i and 320i
how true. but keyboard warriors are just gonna be…keyboard warriors. We need more mature comments like these than the typical immature Lexus = Toyota comments. I bet foreigners looking at our local automotive sites are laughing their ass off reading these comments.
There is one comparable model. Toyota Mark X.
actually i was waiting for someone to say the Mark X, however the Mark X utilizes a different platform than the IS and I mentioned globally, the Mark X technically is not available globally except for a handful of markets.
So you are trying to imply that RollsRoyce is just BMW saja? Audi VW saja?
i don’t like the new design, the front is especially fugly IMO
Why is there no pic in the rear seats ???
Cerato way better than this! Cerato = luxury, reliability, beauty. IS = no power, stupid looks and bad resale..
Your comment pitting Cerato vs Lexus all boils down to 1 thing: SOUR GRAPES
No money, buy saga… Got slightly more money, buy your Cerato.. Obviously no money, don’t talk as though u can afford a luxury car.. As much as u want a Kia to be looked upon as a luxury car, it is and will always be a toyota rival. That’s all.. A lexus is and always will be a BMW Audi Merc rival.. So big boy with no money, go book your Cerato and have fun driving a non luxury car with good specs.
C’mon, more Korean craps?
Was invited for a test drive at mutiara. Love the exterior esp the rear 3/4 view. A small hint of mazda 6 there. Love the Lfa meter. dislike the dashboard. That screen doesnt seem to blend with the rest of the dashboard. Very cluttered dashboard I reckon.
I agree luxury feels more balanced than fsport. Fsport was very bouncy. Msport bmw is better is this aspect . Engine was great up to 4k rpm. Above that, it sounds boomy. The sales lady explained that the enginr has a sound enhancer in it. Well I know what I will remove first day I get this car if I buy it. Luxury at rm 270k doesnt have navi or reverse cam.
Overall great car. High interior quality. Not a single squueak.
Actually sound enhancer is nothing actually, it’s just amplified the sound which the engine produced louder, Fiesta ST used it too. But M5 is even worse, it PLAYED the sound through the car speaker because Turbo engine can’t produce a nice sound as previous V10 NA M5.
From an aesthetic standpoint, I prefer the luxury as it looks more balanced while still looking bizarre enough, the F sports looks too ‘in yet face’ with the same air as the Hyundai Sonata. An american review shows that the Lexus still have, thou not BMW level, great chasis setup, agile and compose. So basically the luxury is a more preferable car but no Navi and reverse cam?! Wow, reminding the buyer you are still buying UMW-sold car.
What I don’t get is the sheer hate that everybody has on the IS, which I believe is a very honest attempt from Lexus to make a great car. Just because it has a Toyota background suddenly means this car is placed on the same level as cow dunk.
Motoring journalists do not understand that brand image is everything in a luxury car, otherwise why would anyone pay so much more. The Lexus doesn’t have any identifiable pedigree or brand value, the IS250 will fail.
Doesn’t seem like an enthusiastic review, more of just writing to fill some space in
agree, didn’t really touch on the points as of how this car does compared to the German trios in terms of dynamic, comfort, luxury feel etc.
Also if it didn’t match in the driving details, what else did the car do good?
quality, is it a comfort cruiser? etc.
xyz, granted, this is a lot shorter than the 3,000 word essays I usually put out, but I felt that a comparo with the F30 3er, A4 and C-Klasse was needed before a firm view can be offered, and that these salient points would be better explored in a shootout. My apologies for the brevity, if it can be called that.
I haven’t been behind the wheel of an A4 for yonks now, and it has also been two years since I last sampled the facelifted C 250 (http://paultan.org/2011/07/20/mercedes-benz-c-class-w204-facelift-arrives-in-malaysia-c200-cgi-and-c250-cgi-blueefficiency-driven/). I think in terms of dynamic sense and feel, the IS is very good but not quite yet F30 levels of scope and range, or overall finesse.
As also mentioned in passing in the story, I think what’s on here is an advance over the ageing C-Class dynamically, but maybe less so in terms of comfort. As for luxury feel, the Lexus is every bit a Lexus, it’s definitely very well-built – is it ahead of the F30, B8 and W204? I think a comparo must surely answer it – and everything else – best. We’ll try to get one going ASAP.
Hope you guys can make a comparison between C-Class, A4, 3-Series and IS in the future and better to wait for upcoming C-Class launched here to be fair and square.
u can buy mazda3 sedan and hatchback instead of IS 250
Brand image….a Roll-Royce is a Roll-Royce, a Buggati is a Buggati, a BMW is a BMW, a Mercedes ia a Mercedes……a Lexus ia a Lexus…mmmmmm a Toyota!!! Strange isn’t it!
Buying a car from a manufacturer known for reliability, seems normal. Buying cars from makers known for very high repair costs and low resale values, and paying so much for “branding” – that’s very strange indeed. Even if you have billions, Money can be used for so many other good things – to be spent on charity, your mom, your family, holidays, donating to education.
the last thing i would do is to tell people how to spend their money, hard earned, or otherwise.
Very well said. Even if one is swimming and rolling in money, one must be wise and clever. It is silly to fall for marketing gimmick. Americans are stupid, so they fall for things like Lexus and Infinity and Acura. Asians are wiser and clever. We don’t get hoodwinked. To all billionaires and millionaires, you are rich not solely because of your business skills of making money. It is God that helped you along your way to riches. Use that God given skills to help your family, poor, building hospitals and schools. Use your money wisely. Go and build charity clinics if you have so much excess. There are thousands who cannot afford hospitals nor schools because government schools and hospitals are packed to the brim.
are you saying that if you could buy an aventador, you would build a clinic instead?? come on lah bro….
If Lexus managed to fused the DRL and headlamp together, then it looks perfect. The rest of the car is very good looking, futuristic except for the headlamp.
So, the ultimate question: This, or the 3series?
3 series for power, fc, dynamic and image. IS for stands out, reliability and car tuners.
“…step forward for Lexus. All the hallmarks and core competencies (superb built quality and fine engineering) are present…” gila brader management written.
I like to ask if the design is inspired by Predator? Very scary-looking face, if you want to scare children, get this car!
Behold the glorified Toyota!
You can take Lexus out of Toyota, but you cannot take Toyota out of Lexus.
obviously you’re an idiot and know nothing about cars because you know nothing about the difference between lexus and toyota
well he his name stated it clearly, just a “fanboi” lol
The interior quite ok. A little of Merz here and there, within expectation coz they are at same direction, comfy. The front view looks like the Lexus chewed on a lime. The rear actually looks a little like integra. Quite beng, but i like it, the slimming edges looks minimal.
Good God! The front is ugly as sin! And the rear end looks like its melting away. WTF were those Jappo designers smoking? Irradiated weed from Fukushima??!?
Guys, when commenting on Merc v BMW v Audi v Lexus v others, a lot have been said about:
1) Bhp
2) Torque
3) Brand value
4) Image
5) Toyota in disguise
6) etc.
Can we inject another element into the equation?
“Refinement”
For one, I think “refinement” in not a word you would associate with the Toyotas that are being sold to us here in Malaysia.
Love the design. Definitely looks distinctive on the outside. The inside is a nice mix of plush and sportiness (on the F sport models). If I had money, and was looking for a car in this segment, I would buy it over the 3 series. The 3 series has great handling and more power, but thats about it. The IS is more luxurious, better build quality, and better looking (to me anyway). Only problem is, the IS is too expensive. So, I would save my money and wait for new Infiniti Q50 and Cadillac ATS (if it ever comes here). So my assessment is, with the current price tag, the IS is not that good, and neither is the 3 series. Better wait for other competitors to enter the scene, and decide later.
Seriously…Lexus = Toyota??? Lexus lower grade than BMW/Merc?? Where did these ppl grown up from? If you’ve never been to oversea to look at Lexus vs BMW/Merc car price and quality, at least do yourself a favor to google and search before posting such “matured” comments. Cannot tahan these mat-keyboards.
i have been on board a 3-year-old LS460 for a short trip.. and honestly it looks run-down. perhaps it was good when it was still new, but the interior does not stand the test of time. after 3 years, it has lost its shine, it looks worn-out, and all is left is a toyota-feeling ride. seriously. once the euphoria is over, u will see it for what it really is. nothing more than just another toyota.
if u haven’t, go ahead and get one of those. time will tell if the car would age well.. design-wise, and also interior quality-wise.
for me, i still think Toyota.. err.. i mean.. Lexus, is not in the same league with the big boys B+M+A. it never was.
what’s the horsepower?
ben, the figures were on the launch report last week, and the familiar 4GR-FSE’s numbers are relatively well known, so I thought there was no need to repeat them – in any case, I have added them in to the story. They are 205 hp and 252 Nm, by the way.
I do believe UMW trying to milk as much money from us as it is way overprice as compare to rival. Way too overprice. Don’t u guys agree??
this is art
“Image ID – 184947” built-in GPS not working. There’s no best car in the world. Love it, own it and love it more :D
sadly i can’t post another forum link here
this car is being perceived by many American and other auto forum as the ugliest car of the year,i couldn’t agree more
we shall see how well lexus sell this car in relative to BMW mercedes and volks. Let the car decide by the people who lay down their money
looks good, this is definitely a good car, dont understand why ppl keep bashing it. Is it becoz they hate anything related to Toyota.
Have been on a 5 series, E class and a Lexus RX350. To me it is not about the how many sec the car reach 100km, its the overall comfortness. Lexus definitely worth its ranking with BMW and Mercedes.
I think the front looks a bit weird … kindda ugly too actually imo
I bought a brand new gen 2 IS250 five years ago. I test drive a C Class but I bought Lexus for its luxury and comfort. Performance wise may not be on par with 3 Series or A4 but it look better than both of them. On top of that I have a trouble free ownership.
When I saw the replacement model, it turned me off completely. To me its downright garish. Gone are the image of a classy and affordable entry level executive saloon.
perhaps their market research point this way but it is certainly aimed at the mat rempit generation.
I will see in 5 years whether they will revert to what sells it in the first place.
You are quite right. Lexus have gone in a direction that will alienate current loyalists. I couldn’t agree with the amount of noise it makes compared to the older ones. The GS also the same.
Extract from Parkers:
The new Lexus IS is a redesigned third version of the firm’s BMW 3 Series rival.
Happily, the previously nondescript IS has been given a radical new look based on the LF-CC concept shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2012.
Although there’s a choice of four trims as well as a pair of engines, the real sweet spot in the range is the IS 300h F Sport thanks to its blend of equipment, good looks and better handling.
The IS as a whole doesn’t quite pass muster as a true equal to the likes of the excellent BMW 3 Series, however. It’s probably a closer rival to the Mazda6 or the Volkswagen Passat.
np. Buy a Lexus and you will be paying 3 Series money for a Mazda medal
You go buy F30/F10 1st, than give your comment about your F30/F10 either is good or lousy than E90/E60 coz handling similar with jap car….
Coz I’m one of BMW “brand” newer victim… Paying Apple got Lemon, currently 100 out of 100 got problem even just 30 minute age.. BMW Malaysia MOTO “Quantity is 1st Priority, Quality let Service Center Solve it”…
Yup, like the way u put it. Victimised. Mine was E60, sold it, real lousy. My carpenter had a hard time with his F30. These bmer people just dont understand it.
to all beemers lovers…ur problematic 3 & 5 series car assembled from kulim wan..LOL..u think u buying imported car ah?…lol..if is CBU…u also cannot afford lar..only know how to tok kok sing song
Im driving one now. yes, im driving CKD F10 is because they dont offer CBU 528i msport here. Too bad. U r one of those few who jealous when ppl is driving nice car but u cant afford it urself. mayb can buy cheap 2nd car later? or 3rd 4th hand? Pity u..
wow. with this kind of comment i doubt u own an F10.
Lol, these people are b-mer hugger. Even if he really own a F10, he will spit on it once the car start acting like a proton.
Lexus = Toyota… if like this, than
Ferrari = Fiat
Maserati = Fiat
Lamborghini = VW
Porsche = VW
Roll Royce = BMW
Jaguar = TATA
Land/Range Rover = TATA
Bentley = VW
Lotus = Proton
Walaoweii, day after days this blog become Red Bean Army (RBA) 2nd office….
When mention Daihatsu usually people will say good lah this Daihatsu, same company as Toyota, good quality and reliable. But when mention Lexus people will say haiya… just another Toyota, no class lah, better get bimmer, audi or merc. And to some if not most people, mention perodua, very good lah this car, belongs to Daihatsu and Daihatsu belongs to Toyota. So is Toyota good or bad?
The car was launched two weeks ago. I have not met any on the road as yet. Must be very slow sales.
If it is a Merc, BM or Audi, you’ll see them all over the place by now.
Lexus has gone for a rather extreme design here. It’s either you find it to be really attractive or the complete opposite. For me, I’d prefer the former as the car looks really sexy to me. It is really amusing to see people equating Lexus with Toyota and I strongly suggest them to mock on those who own a Jaguar for buying a Tata. Come on la bro, Lexus is a luxury car producer rivalling all the big Bs and Ms out there. Although you might question the performance or refinement of the car as compared with similar class 3 series or C-class but hey, they’re such a common sight on the road. The Lexus is the one that will really turn heads, and I really admired how the company managed to engineer such a quiet ride with a fine suspension. Have been on a Lexus before and that’s so gonna be my next ride (am striving towards it though). Nevertheless, if you really want to bring in the Toyota issue, well no one can doubt Toyota for their reputation and the same goes to Lexus. Anyway, I agree that Lexus cars are priced a little bit too high but I believe the extra cash is definitely worth it.
J.D Power Survey by What Car in UK. Pls do some research in the last 7 years who was on top of the chart. 1st Lexus, 2nd Merc and BMW fighting with Audi. This survey is by real people in UK who rate their own cars. And Guess what Lexus is a top brand.
Lexus doesn’t make car that look like elephant man for past 7 years contributed part of satisfaction probably
and JD power customer doesn’t tell u how many car that manufacturer sell, they have a fixed minimum sample size for each car,it doesn’t matter BMW sold 1 million 3 series to lexus 100 thousand IS for example
Most of the comments here look like being made by those who had never been in a Lexus, let alone own one. So, just like school debating society, lots of enthusiasm but very little substance.
According to Autocar UK (not the local version) the previous Lexus IS was in the top 5 of compact executive saloon, with the likes of Merc C Class, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4. The new Lexus IS is not there, being replaced by WV CC and Volvo S60.
Whilst Autocar Malaysia praised it highly, Autocar UK concluded : Which is why Lexus looks a bit foolish in attempting to sell this car as a viable alternative to a sporting business saloon. The IS lacks the involvement to keep keener drivers interested, and so it doesn’t have the sheer breadth of ability of the best cars it’s up against.
i guess u don’t need to drive the car for a day to give an opinion about its looks or some other obvious detail right
another thing is…price at 26k pounds in UK,or around RM130k,many ppl here can actually own this kind of car if not for the ridiculous tax,which entitle all of us to give opinion,no matter how ridiculous it is
Of coursed, anybody can make comments based on what one sees but without in-depth knowledge of the subject, it will not be of much use. Sometime one can look stupid too.
previously u are talking bout only people who “been in the car” before can provide meaningful opinion,which i strongly disagree
most people who surf paultan or other car site has adequate internet research on cars. your opinion above is internet search based too mind if you didn’t notice,what makes you think your opinion is better or less stupid than others
the fact we are here talking is just because of one reason – we all love cars
Motoring journalist do not want to be in the bad book of manufacturers by giving unfavourable opinion on their products, except for few the likes of Clarkson. In the olden days, they were saying good things about products such as Datsun 120Y, Toyota KE30, Proton Saga or Perodua Kancil. We all know that these cars are substandard, even compared to their peers then. If they said the truth and their name are not Clarkson, they may not be invited again for a product launch or given any test drive.
Autocars claimed to be the oldest car magazine in the world. To last that long, they must know a thing or two about cars. But, they also tried not to be so critical on any car. Their view on the current Lexus IS250 have a tinge of political correctness in them. I am just quoting them about the new Lexus IS250. I have read other articles on the car, both printed and online. Opinion are mixed but generally more towards politically correct negatives . The write up about Lexus IS250 in NST last sunday conclude that it is better than BMW 3 series. what can I say, just smile. I think Lexus have given sumptuous reception to motoring journalist here. Must write something good in return of that.
Making comments on things that one see or read on the internet is fine but one is just doing cut and paste. Making comments from experience is something else. I am fortunate enough to afford ownership of a few good cars from Merc, BMW, Honda, Mazda. I currently drive a second generation Lexus IS250, bought new. I think I can chip in a few comments on it. I think Lexus is targeting a new set of customers and compete directly with sporting compacts from Merc, BMW and Audi in US. They are not really bothered about Europe or the rest of the world. Sales figure will tell whether they have the right strategy. For me, I am not upgrading.
Some people here like to make comments on everything. Ok, it makes the sites lively but it also showed ignorance. Blaming the country tax system on price of new cars is one. It should be viewed not just from new car price but from total cost of ownership. I have not done research on that but having lived in Britain before, I know that it is cheap to buy a car but to use it, is not cheap. Not to mention the traffic congestion, traffic regulations, and acute parking problem they are having there.
Why U compared price with UK or US.. Over there has implement GST for long time & No fuel subsidy…. Malaysia also can reduce car price after Fed Govt abolish fuel subsidy but that wouldn’t happen coz current Fed Govt it look more on lower income group than rich people.. That why Govt prefer to maintain Fuel Subsidy & imposed higher tax on luxury/premium car coz only rich people can afford it..
VW The BEST!!!
Wow i never thought i see the day when toyota was perceived to be of lesser quality. I don’t think people know what quality means as per what it’s suppose to mean. Toyota was the one to revolutionize quality and its (and Honda’s manufacturing) processes were copied by all the western manufacturers as they were losing out to toyota’s. Toyota invented the 7 waste, Just in time manufacturing and implemented statistical process control which if were not copied by the Mercs, BMWs, etc. would have been bankrupt by now due to 100% inspection… And here we hear people saying toyota is of lesser quality…
Lexus aka (toyota)
Acura aka (honda)
Infinity aka (nissan)
Audi aka (volkswagen)
Paultan, can you please do a comparison review between Q50 and IS? Also, if possible, combined all entry level exec car for comparison. Like some of the page did in Australia, UK and even Sg.