Is Verdict

[philwhite]

I have admired Lexus for many years but only recently thought that they had reached the point of design & image that I would spend my money on one. I have always driven German vehicles (except BMW, which I detest) and was looking forward to owning the Lexus.

The styling still makes me smile as it is fantastic. The engine is amazingly sweet plus the gearbox and brakes are first class. The stereo (MM Pack) is also fantastic, however I cannot help but feel disappointed by the whole package. It certainly doesn't feel like a £30k car as the doors have a very cheap almost Korean feel to them. The interior quality is not what I would expect of a car in this segment either as it groans and moans like a cheap Ford. The seats are merely average too and do not provide the required amount of support for long journeys.

Little things annoy too like the windscreen wipers not parking themselves if you turn the ignition off while they are in motion. The indicators do not have a function for overtaking on a motorway (3 flashes). No cooled glovebox, the power socket in the centre storage cannot be used with the lid down.

I know these are small points but I somehow feel that the depth of engineering I am used to have been ignored in favour of "nice toys" that are extras on German competitors.

Don't get me wrong, I will stick with it and will enjoy the engine, gearbox, brakes, stereo, styling etc but I don't think my money will be going to Lexus again for a good few years until they have got these other quality issues sorted out.

Quality is not the size of the standard specification list it’s the tangible sense that you are in something that seems as though it has been hewn from a solid piece of metal. Audi and I have to say BMW even though I don't like them have this. Even Mercedes have got their act together and re-found their quality.

Please keep up the good work though Lexus, one day you will be up there with the Germans but not just yet.

[Northern Boys Luv Gravy]

I can kind of see where you are coming from, having owned an Audi previously and having a wife who works for Audi and has their company cars. Of all the German brands I think Audi interior quality and fit and finish is the best. However, we have a brand new 2.0T A4 S-Line with full leather interior and when it arrived I was fully expecting it to taint my feelings towards my year old IS250. Actually, the opposite is true, and every time I go out I find myself reaching for the Lexus' keys.

Yes, the A4 feels solid and the interior plastics are a bit better, but I find the keyless entry, the smooth V6 with Auto, the soft leather, heated seats of the IS just far more satisfying. The Lexus also rides better, handles better, has a better stereo, and feels equally solid on the road. There are certain things on the Audi that make you think "hey this is a well engineered car" - the door hinges for example, but then again you look at the fit and finish of the Lexus exterior and the technical specs of the engines and you see that they are actually superior to the Audi. I think Audi have a done a tremendous job over the last 20 years distancing themselves from VW while using a box of the same parts. It has certainly helped that they have "halo" cars like the RS4s and S3,4,8s, quattros etc, and I really think that Lexus need to look at this side of the business a bit more. Having said which, Audi have admitted that the headlong rush for sales has wrecked their customer service scores and look enviously at Lexus with their low volume, high satisfaction ratings.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

My old A4 ran 3years 5 months without missing a beat before my IS220d, averaging well over 50mpg over 46000 miles. But I don't miss it too much (just a tad now and again)!

I'm looking forward to the new A4 - you have to remember the current one is now approaching 6 years of age, so it was a blooming good car when it was launched.

It looks "aged inside" now, which is why I didn't go for one and chose the Lexus. The exterior is fairly fresh since face lift, but needs a total overhaul.

For now, I love my IS - true it's not engineered in that sense of a German car, but it does have a character and it VFM - that's where it wins.

Like you say, it rattles etc, and still feels somewhat Toyota to me in a way the Audi feels VW. But it will last well, I hope, long enough to get that RS4 I've yearned.