Is250 Sel 2009 - Collected On Saturday

[davrid]

Collected my SEL 2009 model on Saturday, trading in a year old SE (both autos), so been driving around for a couple of days on all kinds of roads. Not sure whether the improvement is a reflection of the model upgrade or the revisions but couldn't be happier! Styling differences are pretty subtle - new design wheels and rear lights , indicators in mirrors, stitching on seats, controls on door panels, front grill which now has more chrome surround and wider 'slats', and a slightly darker dashboard, with chrome added to the MM surround and DVD input, its also now more black than the previous grey and looks much classier. What put me off the SEL previously was the tacky looking wood finish but now it's a really smart looking birds eye maple gray, which looks great! Sat nav itself (software) really doesnt seem to have changed other than some features can now be operated whilst driving, as can the Bluetooth phone. Reception on the phone is also improved, apparently, the sun screen now kills ambient noise, and it does seem to work! Where the car is really improved is the handling - one of my main concerns with the SE was that it veered all over the road, especially at speed and braking but that's now banished with the new model. Am sure the 18 inch wheels (as opposed to my old 17 inch ones) help, but I think it's far more than this - it doesn't just grip the road better, it actually steers in a straight line at all times, even when braking!! My other bugbear with the previous car was the awful headlights but the HIDs are such an improvement, literally like 'night and day'!

Anyone considering a new car - buy the IS. As for the model, it's a no brainer - the SEL with MM, albeit its now only available as an auto, but the auto was always the better option. The extras over the SEI are well worth the price difference. BTW , anyone thinking 18inch wheels equals a less comfortable ride, they don't!

[giorgoXXI]

Collected my SEL 2009 model on Saturday, trading in a year old SE (both autos), so been driving around for a couple of days on all kinds of roads. Not sure whether the improvement is a reflection of the model upgrade or the revisions but couldn't be happier! Styling differences are pretty subtle - new design wheels and rear lights , indicators in mirrors, stitching on seats, controls on door panels, front grill which now has more chrome surround and wider 'slats', and a slightly darker dashboard, with chrome added to the MM surround and DVD input, its also now more black than the previous grey and looks much classier. What put me off the SEL previously was the tacky looking wood finish but now it's a really smart looking birds eye maple gray, which looks great! Sat nav itself (software) really doesnt seem to have changed other than some features can now be operated whilst driving, as can the bluetooth phone. Reception on the phone is also improved, apparently, the sun screen now kills ambient noise, and it does seem to work! Where the car is really improved is the handling - one of my main concerns with the SE was that it veered all over the road, especially at speed and braking but that's now banished with the new model. Am sure the 18 inch wheels (as opposed to my old 17 inch ones) help, but I think it's far more than this - it doesn't just grip the road better, it actually steers in a straight line at all times, even when braking!! My other bugbear with the previous car was the awful headlights but the HIDs are such an improvement, literally like 'night and day'!

Anyone considering a new car - buy the IS. As for the model, it's a no brainer - the SEL with MM, albeit its now only available as an auto, but the auto was always the better option. The extras over the SEI are well worth the price difference. BTW , anyone thinking 18inch wheels equals a less comfortable ride, they don't!

Congratulations on your new car.

I am interested to know what exactly can you do now on the MM while driving? Enter destinations? Full telephone dial? Browse MP3 folders?

[chandru]

pictures pictures of the changes!!! :)))

[Tel]

My July 2008 build car's MM is fully voice- activated @ all speeds & the phone reception is superb:is this not the case with earlier build MM cars?

Tel

[Parthiban]

Congratulations on the new car, let's hope these new models don't suffer from rattles anymore!

[giorgoXXI]

My July 2008 build car's MM is fully voice- activated @ all speeds & the phone reception is superb:is this not the case with earlier build MM cars?

Tel

On earlier models you can only access the speed dial numbers while on the move, the rest of thee phone features including keypad are disabled. When you say your MM is fully voice-activated do you mean you have all phone features enabled while on the move or are you referring to the voice commands?

[Parthiban]

My July 2008 build car's MM is fully voice- activated @ all speeds & the phone reception is superb:is this not the case with earlier build MM cars?

Tel

On earlier models you can only access the speed dial numbers while on the move, the rest of thee phone features including keypad are disabled. When you say your MM is fully voice-activated do you mean you have all phone features enabled while on the move or are you referring to the voice commands?

The very latest cars (or older cars with the latest nav DVD) have the motion lock removed, I'm not sure if Tel's has this but if you upgrade your DVD to the latest one then you can use the MM on the move as well.

[giorgoXXI]

My July 2008 build car's MM is fully voice- activated @ all speeds & the phone reception is superb:is this not the case with earlier build MM cars?

Tel

On earlier models you can only access the speed dial numbers while on the move, the rest of thee phone features including keypad are disabled. When you say your MM is fully voice-activated do you mean you have all phone features enabled while on the move or are you referring to the voice commands?

The very latest cars (or older cars with the latest nav DVD) have the motion lock removed, I'm not sure if Tel's has this but if you upgrade your DVD to the latest one then you can use the MM on the move as well.

That's great. I just read in http://www.lexus-mapupdates.eu/ that the navigation is unlocked, and according to the info here the phone is also unlocked. But is the MP3 folder browsing unlocked as well? I would only buy it if this was the case, because I don't use the sat nav that much anyways.

[DJ Wozza]

We want pics !!!! (including all the new stuff/changes)

[dazz32]

As Wozza says ..we want pics..please...? :D

[Tel]

As a matter of interest the Park Assist is really quite sophisticated in that it even informs you if you have turned the front wheels too far such that the car will not Park in the Designated Zone.As I said in an earlier post, the new car's ride on 18" Hoshis is noticeably smoother too so I really do beleieve the product is now perfected.

Tel

[chandru]

As a matter of interest the Park Assist is really quite sophisticated in that it even informs you if you have turned the front wheels too far such that the car will not Park in the Designated Zone.As I said in an earlier post, the new car's ride on 18" Hoshis is noticeably smoother too so I really do beleieve the product is now perfected.

Tel

hmm...would that park assist..is that the rear view camera option or is that when the car parks itself for u?? didnt think IS had that.

just looked on lex website and a few??'s.

12v socket in front centre armrest - says not available on the SE-L. y? isnt that like the power connector for ipds etc?

Illuminated entry system with LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) - what is that? the lights under the wing mirrors? or the white LEDS inside the car where sunroof goes?

and also it says the SE-L comes now with "17" 225/45 R17 (front), 245/45 R17 (rear)". thought with the 2009 spec it came with 17"s?

[Tel]

The Park Assist Steering Instructions are linked to the Reverse Camera which are both verbal & written on the screen IF steering wheel is turned too far.

Tel

[chandru]

is that just part of the DVD upgrade or is that actually hardware upgrade?

[Matutu]

Apparently there are no hardware changes on the 2009 model to the MM system so i gather from that it must be DVD based, wish i knew if this updated DVD was released so i could try it out lol

[illestjt]

we want picturesss!

[pobrown]

I got the new 2008/09 Nav DVD for my car back in November. It does a firmware upgrade which allows you to use the fully use the navigation while moving (ie: enter destinations), but phone use is still limited to the speed dials that are pre-programmed. My car doesn't have exactly the same system as the IS250 as there is no DVD playback function, but the nav and phone are exactly the same as what I've seen on an IS250 and my dad's RXh.

[chandru]

hmm good to know. is it still on more than 1 disc?

[pobrown]

hmm good to know. is it still on more than 1 disc?

Yes, 4 DVDs.

UK Maps are on the 'Europe West' disc.