Is250 Vs Is300

[Tractor Boy]

I have had the IS250 this week while my IS300 was in for warranty work. The IS250 looks the business, is incredibly quiet and smooth, has great comfort features and toys, has improved fuel economy, and performs similar to the 300..... and yet, I enjoy driving my IS300 far more. I have no pretentions to be a Jeremy Clarkson, and I struggle to explain why I prefer the 300, I just know I do.

The only thing I can put it down to is the old model is more involving. I am guessing now because I have never driven the GS, but it seems like the new IS is just a small GS with firm suspension. This therefore falls somewhere between being an out-and-out luxury car and a sports saloon, without quite achieving either.

I would love to hear other opinions because I had the IS250 mapped out as my next car. Maybe I didn't give it enought time.

[nicnac]

I never understand what motoring magazines mean when they say more involving to drive.

I think why anyone likes one car more than another is one of those imponderable questions.

Suffice to say that everyone is different.

So my advice would be to hell with what the motoring press say and everyone else.....its a veeeeery personal choice....ie... :winky: stick with your old IS

[Pip]

The more advanced technology gets the less driving input/effort is required which i think is a load of balls and defeats the purpose. If you wanna be a lazy coont then get a taxi so you dont have to drive at all but for christsakes i hope they stop watering down 'drivers' cars. Stick with the 300.

[nicnac]

\if you want that sort of car go for a subaru wrx sti or a honda type r.the whole point of Lexus is not to appeal to the boy racers but to concentrate on refinement and smoothness.If you want a hang on to your pants car then buy one of the above ....they would wipe the floor with an IS300 :shutit:

[Rob's Lexx]

Personally, the old IS is more my cup of tea, aesthetically speaking. it has a little more presence on the road and has that grunt a lot of drivers like to hear. the 25 is a lovely car, but so much more refined and full of gimmics, that driving the thing almost comes third or forth in the list of things to do in the car

[MacRS200]

\if you want that sort of car go for a subaru wrx sti or a honda type r.the whole point of Lexus is not to appeal to the boy racers but to concentrate on refinement and smoothness.If you want a hang on to your pants car then buy one of the above ....they would wipe the floor with an IS300 :shutit:

Would agree that the Scooby would be quicker but not by much, the Civic Type R is about the same. They can't get away from my Tezza which is about the same power wise as an IS3.

As for performance and luxury, try telling a Bentley Turbo owner thay can't have both :duh:

On comparing the 250 to the 300 have what you prefer.

[IS300]

I think that even within the next few months of many IS250's being sold onto the market, the IS300 will retain a strong following because of so few out there. :)

I drove the IS250 and the ride comfort reminded me of my old IS200 Sport , the IS300 is the perfect car for someone like me who drives 150 miles every day and requires smoothness in power and comfort. :)

[nicnac]

Are you saying that the IS 250 and the IS 200 are comparable!!!...and that your IS300 is more comfortable and smoother and more powerful!!

I find this very hard to beleive .The IS 300 is afterall the same car as the IS200 with a bigger engine.

Mwaybe when you get an IS250 for yourself you will change your mind

[GARY DOWNUNDER]

Are you saying that the IS 250 and the IS 200 are comparable!!!...and that your IS300 is more comfortable and smoother and more powerful!!

I find this very hard to beleive .The IS 300 is afterall the same car as the IS200 with a bigger engine.

Mwaybe when you get an IS250 for yourself you will change your mind

I had a IS300 for 2years before i bought the IS250 sports one magazine quoted the IS250 is quicker than the IS300 because the 250 is so quite and smooth you don't realise the speed your doing its a true lexus and way above my old IS300 in every way and getting 6.8 l/100kl highway and 10.1 city. :D :D

[IanB]

I have had the IS250 this week while my IS300 was in for warranty work. The IS250 looks the business, is incredibly quiet and smooth, has great comfort features and toys, has improved fuel economy, and performs similar to the 300..... and yet, I enjoy driving my IS300 far more. I have no pretentions to be a Jeremy Clarkson, and I struggle to explain why I prefer the 300, I just know I do.

The only thing I can put it down to is the old model is more involving. I am guessing now because I have never driven the GS, but it seems like the new IS is just a small GS with firm suspension. This therefore falls somewhere between being an out-and-out luxury car and a sports saloon, without quite achieving either.

I would love to hear other opinions because I had the IS250 mapped out as my next car. Maybe I didn't give it enought time.

Interesting observations Tractor Boy. I've not tried the new IS yet, but everything I've read about it so far makes me doubt it's a natural successor for me too. I guess it all depends what you want in a car......

Mine's due for a service in a few weeks, so maybe that'll give me a chance to try it, although I suspect I'd rather get a loan of an LS :winky:

IanB :D

[alpine]

They lent me a new style GS300 when my IS was in for service a little while ago. It's not car a would like to own, everything feels too remote and isolated from you. Or maybe that's because I hadn't driven an automatic since I had a Mustang in LA int he 1970s and they all feel like that! But I do find the positioning/ pricing of the IS250 strange since it seems very much to overlap the GS market rather than introduce a new intermediate level. In the states of course it's positioned as a middle class college student's first car.

[The Count]

A drivers car is all about stimulating the senses, that means direct steering, hearing the engine, feeling the subtle vibrations and mechanical movements. With the earlier car you get that plus comfort, refine the car too much and you miss half the fun.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

.....and this in my view is why the diesel feels more "engaging"...and it's very very quick when overtaking/in within that Turbo zone...

Never actually driven a 300, but I wish I had...! The 250 is very smoooooooth!

[nicnac]

I dont like lumpy yogurts either so the 250 suites me :winky:

[IS300]

Are you saying that the IS 250 and the IS 200 are comparable!!!...and that your IS300 is more comfortable and smoother and more powerful!!

I find this very hard to beleive .The IS 300 is afterall the same car as the IS200 with a bigger engine.

Mwaybe when you get an IS250 for yourself you will change your mind

I said the IS250's lumpy ride reminds me of my IS200 Sport.

I owned a IS200 SPORT '02' Plate for 2 years and have owned my IS300 '04' plate also for 2 years now and I can say that you are wrong when you say that the IS300 is the same as a IS200 except for a bigger engine, Im sure other IS300 owners would back me up on this.

[Mr Morse]

I also owned a 200 sport before moving on to the Fat Gal

Chalk 'n' Cheese :D

[nicnac]

OK IS300...so tell me whats different ....the body the steering the brakes the seats the............its the same chassis with a bigger engine !

[NetOne]

I might see why IS300 feels better over IS200. If you put 5 adults in the IS200 you will feel it a lot more comfortable as the spring & shock absorber start to work, except that it's running a bit slower.

[rap03]

I am a previous owner of a 200 and sold it about 7 weeks before getting the 250, so it was hard to remember the difference. But, last week, I had the 250 in for some minor issues and was lent a 200 Luxury Sports.

Well, after having the 200 for the day and getting back into the 250, you notice the difference. Power, smoothness, comfort, general feeling.

I have only driven the 300 when the old 200 was in for a service and hence hard to recall how it was on power and driveablility comparrisons to the 250, but do know that the interrior was the same as the 200 and the ride was a bit stiffer, with lots more power and better auto gearbox.

All up, the comfort and feel of the 250 is soooooo much better than the 200 and from what I can remember, the 300.

[scott]

I've owned an IS300 and now the IS220d.

I loved my IS300 but to be honest they are worlds apart in terms of refinement.

I can't compare power or auto between the 250 and the 300 as I haven't driven the 250.

Pros IS220d :

* Better looking (very subjective I know), from the front I think the new IS looks more purposeful

* Much quieter

* Smoother

* Less road noise

* Lots more gadgets, especially with MM

* Much better stereo and Sat Nav e.g. TMC

* Better fuel economy (just!)

* Better interior and higher quality fit and finish

* More comfy leather seats

* The paint-work *seems* to be more resistant to stone chips.

* Safer i.e. more air-bags

* Better handling

Cons IS220d SE:

* Slower

* Much less room in the back.

* No HIDs

* No auto-dimming rear view mirror

* Standard 17" alloys not as attractive

* Not as good from the back - I like the IS300/200 clear rear lights

* Rattles - never had a single rattle in the IS300.

* No sunroof

* Less visibility out of the back - the rear park camera does help a lot here though

Clearly I could have addressed some of the above by going for the SE-L/Sport.