Is 220d Se M/m - A Layman's View

[Ragsy]

I got my ISD 220D SE m/m last a week ago today and though I would have my tuppeneth on this forum. I don't normally contribute to these, I'm move of a voyeur than a particpiator :winky:

I've got to say that the theme on this site is generally one of negativity towards the 220D and most of that negative comment appears to be perpetuated by the same couple of people. I assume that they've had a bad Lexus experience and they're using this media to have a sideswipe...

Anyway, climbing down off my soapbox... :D

I know nothing of note about cars, other than how to drive one and how to top up the oil etc, so my views are the opinion of an ordinary bloke, one with no particular axe to grind like so many others on here (you know who you are!) and one who has had owned other cars in the same class(!?) as the 220D.

So...

The Good

Sexy. IMHO far sexier than the A4 and the 3 series. (Unless you are buying top end of course)

Gadgetry to die for. Okay the m/m as an extra is costly, but the same from Audi or BMW would cost the same as a three bed semi in a northern mill town! That Mark Levinson sound system - WOW! Heated seats, retractable mirrors, MP3 player integration.

Seats. Never sat in anything that comfortable before.

Price. A similar spec'd BM or Audi would have set me back 7 or 8 grand more.

Refinement. Everything (well, almost everything) about the inside is first class, the dash (feel & looks), display lights, positioning of everything.

The Bad

Economy - I just did 140 motorway miles - crusing at 80 ish - 35.2 mpg. That aint good is it? Though I'm told by others that say they know more than me that this will improve with time.

Clock display. Shocking. Absolutely shocking in fact. Was it pinched from a 1981 Corolla?

The Indifferent

Boot space. My golfing partners won't be happy at my not taking turns to drive - there's no way I'm getting more than two sets of clubs in there.

Rear space. Again, unhappy golfing partners me thinks. Still, okay for my two small kids!

So all in all, I've got to say I'm pleased, it's very early days I know - but so far so good. Here's to hoping it remains that way!

[gti1]

I got my ISD 220D SE m/m last a week ago today and though I would have my tuppeneth on this forum. I don't normally contribute to these, I'm move of a voyeur than a particpiator :winky:

I've got to say that the theme on this site is generally one of negativity towards the 220D and most of that negative comment appears to be perpetuated by the same couple of people. I assume that they've had a bad Lexus experience and they're using this media to have a sideswipe...

Anyway, climbing down off my soapbox... :D

I know nothing of note about cars, other than how to drive one and how to top up the oil etc, so my views are the opinion of an ordinary bloke, one with no particular axe to grind like so many others on here (you know who you are!) and one who has had owned other cars in the same class(!?) as the 220D.

So...

The Good

Sexy. IMHO far sexier than the A4 and the 3 series. (Unless you are buying top end of course)

Gadgetry to die for. Okay the m/m as an extra is costly, but the same from Audi or BMW would cost the same as a three bed semi in a northern mill town! That Mark Levinson sound system - WOW! Heated seats, retractable mirrors, MP3 player integration.

Seats. Never sat in anything that comfortable before.

Price. A similar spec'd BM or Audi would have set me back 7 or 8 grand more.

Refinement. Everything (well, almost everything) about the inside is first class, the dash (feel & looks), display lights, positioning of everything.

The Bad

Economy - I just did 140 motorway miles - crusing at 80 ish - 35.2 mpg. That aint good is it? Though I'm told by others that say they know more than me that this will improve with time.

Clock display. Shocking. Absolutely shocking in fact. Was it pinched from a 1981 Corolla?

The Indifferent

Boot space. My golfing partners won't be happy at my not taking turns to drive - there's no way I'm getting more than two sets of clubs in there.

Rear space. Again, unhappy golfing partners me thinks. Still, okay for my two small kids!

So all in all, I've got to say I'm pleased, it's very early days I know - but so far so good. Here's to hoping it remains that way!

Well from one layman to another. I to collect my 220d se-l last week and I can echo all off what you have said. I have a few extra bells on mine all off whih i love. As for economy well after spending the last few months on here I knew what to expect. I have done 255 miles off town only driving as we have some overseas guests over. With six of us in the car I have averaged 30mpg.I must also note that I must have spent 3/4 of that time in traffic. I have done no m/way driving yet so time will tell.

[Matus]

With six of us in the car I have averaged 30mpg.I must also note that I must have spent 3/4 of that time in traffic. I have done no m/way driving yet so time will tell.

sorry, you mean 6 adults in IS220d? :)

[Scorps01]

Get new golf partners :D

[RedDog]

Forget golf........go to the gym

[NT_Lexus]

I got my ISD 220D SE m/m last a week ago today and though I would have my tuppeneth on this forum. I don't normally contribute to these, I'm move of a voyeur than a particpiator :winky:

I've got to say that the theme on this site is generally one of negativity towards the 220D and most of that negative comment appears to be perpetuated by the same couple of people. I assume that they've had a bad Lexus experience and they're using this media to have a sideswipe...

Anyway, climbing down off my soapbox... :D

I know nothing of note about cars, other than how to drive one and how to top up the oil etc, so my views are the opinion of an ordinary bloke, one with no particular axe to grind like so many others on here (you know who you are!) and one who has had owned other cars in the same class(!?) as the 220D.

So...

The Good

Sexy. IMHO far sexier than the A4 and the 3 series. (Unless you are buying top end of course)

Gadgetry to die for. Okay the m/m as an extra is costly, but the same from Audi or BMW would cost the same as a three bed semi in a northern mill town! That Mark Levinson sound system - WOW! Heated seats, retractable mirrors, MP3 player integration.

Seats. Never sat in anything that comfortable before.

Price. A similar spec'd BM or Audi would have set me back 7 or 8 grand more.

Refinement. Everything (well, almost everything) about the inside is first class, the dash (feel & looks), display lights, positioning of everything.

The Bad

Economy - I just did 140 motorway miles - crusing at 80 ish - 35.2 mpg. That aint good is it? Though I'm told by others that say they know more than me that this will improve with time.

Clock display. Shocking. Absolutely shocking in fact. Was it pinched from a 1981 Corolla?

The Indifferent

Boot space. My golfing partners won't be happy at my not taking turns to drive - there's no way I'm getting more than two sets of clubs in there.

Rear space. Again, unhappy golfing partners me thinks. Still, okay for my two small kids!

So all in all, I've got to say I'm pleased, it's very early days I know - but so far so good. Here's to hoping it remains that way!

I've now had my 220dSE with LPA400 (no MM - couldn't justify the cost for what I considered inflexible Sat Nav and Bluetooth systems) for just over a month and have covered 3.4k.

The Good:

Fabulously comfy seats with soft leather...

Smooth ride

Standard stereo and speakers are remarkably good (well, I did come across from a Saab 9-3)

MP3 compatible CD changer

BIG mirrors (I've had envious looks from lorry drivers!)

Fit and finish of the car, the quality of the materials and the attention to detail

Great brakes

Handsome looking car

Lexus cache...

The Bad:

(Sussex grey) Leather gets dirty quickly

BIG mirrors get dirty very quickly

CD changer is not MP4 compatible

12V power supplies (in arm rest and next to ashtray) require very stubby plugs otherwise can't close arm rest / obstructs lower part of centre console

Rear seats don't fold

The dull looking perspex that appears to cover the cheap clock in the centre console...yak!

What is the point of the ash tray...I don't smoke (not that smokers appear to use ashtrays these days, why bother, when they can use the whole world as one big ashtray!) and if I put money in to it, it's so deep I can't get it out again using just my fingers.

The Damn Right Ugly:

attrocious MPG....33.5MPG over 3,400 miles (90% being m-way)

So far the only experience of my local dealer was their weekly free car wash (inc free coffee and danish, but I must have arrived too late for the danish), but decided not to bother again as I had to wait for over an hour, the car wasn't dried off (so eventually the car was left covered in water marks) and the driver's seat acquired dirty marks from the guy who drove it in to and out of the car washing area!

[maneesh]

This is all interesting stuff, especially when some LS400 owners on here are getting low 30s mpg on motorways with a 4 litre petrol V8. :shutit:

[nate73]

I got my ISD 220D SE m/m last a week ago today and though I would have my tuppeneth on this forum. I don't normally contribute to these, I'm move of a voyeur than a particpiator :winky:

I've got to say that the theme on this site is generally one of negativity towards the 220D and most of that negative comment appears to be perpetuated by the same couple of people. I assume that they've had a bad Lexus experience and they're using this media to have a sideswipe...

Anyway, climbing down off my soapbox... :D

I know nothing of note about cars, other than how to drive one and how to top up the oil etc, so my views are the opinion of an ordinary bloke, one with no particular axe to grind like so many others on here (you know who you are!) and one who has had owned other cars in the same class(!?) as the 220D.

So...

The Good

Sexy. IMHO far sexier than the A4 and the 3 series. (Unless you are buying top end of course)

Gadgetry to die for. Okay the m/m as an extra is costly, but the same from Audi or BMW would cost the same as a three bed semi in a northern mill town! That Mark Levinson sound system - WOW! Heated seats, retractable mirrors, MP3 player integration.

Seats. Never sat in anything that comfortable before.

Price. A similar spec'd BM or Audi would have set me back 7 or 8 grand more.

Refinement. Everything (well, almost everything) about the inside is first class, the dash (feel & looks), display lights, positioning of everything.

The Bad

Economy - I just did 140 motorway miles - crusing at 80 ish - 35.2 mpg. That aint good is it? Though I'm told by others that say they know more than me that this will improve with time.

Clock display. Shocking. Absolutely shocking in fact. Was it pinched from a 1981 Corolla?

The Indifferent

Boot space. My golfing partners won't be happy at my not taking turns to drive - there's no way I'm getting more than two sets of clubs in there.

Rear space. Again, unhappy golfing partners me thinks. Still, okay for my two small kids!

So all in all, I've got to say I'm pleased, it's very early days I know - but so far so good. Here's to hoping it remains that way!

Ragsy,

I think you will find all the moaners and critics on here (Me especially) complain about the same thing you have, mpg. We all agree it's a great car otherwise. Wouldn't count on it getting better unless you drive v carefully with your right foot! I've got 38mpg on the comp at the moment, driving at 75mph - even use cruise at 40mph+ if I can get away with it. Just an experiment - all this for an extra 3mpg, think I'd rather lose the extra 60 miles per tank!

[Matus]

What is the point of the ash tray...I don't smoke (not that smokers appear to use ashtrays these days, why bother, when they can use the whole world as one big ashtray!) and if I put money in to it, it's so deep I can't get it out again using just my fingers.

I removed the inside from ashtray so it is bigger, I put inside thin rubber and I use it for mobile phone.

[Dave-Ellen]

my is350 with toms supercharger is doing 5.2 kms (see matus sig)

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

As Nate73 says, it is intresting that the "BAD" coms down to the same issues...let's hope you learn to live with that easily as the shine wears off...

It's all about helping Lexus get closer to perfection...

[philthy]

As Nate73 says, it is intresting that the "BAD" coms down to the same issues...let's hope you learn to live with that easily as the shine wears off...

It's all about helping Lexus get closer to perfection...

And as well as "the moaners" I'm sure a few journos have made a few adverse comments about the IS220d.

It's a great looking car, best in the category for me and has a decent level of trim and equipment. For me it is badly let down by the standards of the dealership, the poor for a diesel mpg weight arguments accepted, rubbish 1st gear and the lack of split fold rear seats.