Roger Bill

Hi Michael, Many thanks. Your headlights look the same as those on the IS300h Luxury that Lexus Bolton currently has on the used section of their web site, so I think the info you were given must be correct.

Congratulations Michael and many thanks for posting your initial impressions. One question: does the AHB option include a different type of headlight to the standard HID? I think I've read that LED and bi-xenon headlights are fitted or available as an option in some other countries. I had HIDs on a previous car and because the automatic levelling was a little slow to react they were a bit anti-social for oncoming traffic on hilly roads. Maybe headlight automatic levelling systems have improved in recent years?

Thanks again Colin, you're right on both counts.

Thanks Colin, using that terminology I've now found it mentioned in the spec sheet as a feature of the F Sport but nothing re the Premier. The 3 or 4 Premier IS3s I've seen have these pads.

Popped into Lexus, Hatfield and noticed the Premier and Sport IS3 grades have stitched leather (or fake leather?) pads on either side of the centre console but the Luxury doesn't have any pads. Just a minor point but one I hadn't previously noticed.

In the UK I'm fairly sure the IS300h has a tyre repair kit whereas the new IS250 has a space saver temporary spare wheel. I believe run flats are fitted to the IS300h in some other markets probably because of different regulations in each country. The couple of IS300hs I've seen both had repair kits and not enough space under the boot floor for a space saver wheel. For the reasons listed by Damian and Jonas I'm not keen on run flats and as a means of saving weight and space I suppose repair kits are a reasonable compromise. The last time I tried changing a wheel the nuts were seized too tight for the wheel nut brace supplied with the car but fortunately I had a socket set and wasn't on a motorway hard shoulder or similar. Touch wood, I haven't had any punctures in the last 10 years or more.

I suspect it's not driven by practical considerations but by the need to include an extra goody to help justify the price of the leather option or the Premier model. However, I think in terms of equipment levels Lexus offer far better value than the comparable cars from BMW, Audi or Mercedes.

Hi Darren, Page 38 of http://media.toyota.co.uk/product_info/2013-is/ states that auto-folding, auto-dimming door mirrors are available as an option with leather on the F Sport and are standard on Premier.

Also I've read that with some hybrids standing start acceleration times can be improved by pressing both brake and accelerator pedals to spin up the petrol engine before take off. I don't know whether this trick applies to the IS300h.

Hi Pete, Good find. Steve Hammes certainly seems more interested in and better informed about car technology than most motoring journalists. http://testdrivenow.com/2013-lexus-es-300h/ is his ES300h review which has the same engine and gearbox as our IS300h. As the IS300h isn't being sold in the USA, I guess it probably won't be reviewed by Steve but it'll be interesting to see what he has to say about the new IS250 or IS350.

Hi Tel, It's great to hear your impressions are all positive so far, please keep us updated as you put on more miles on your new IS300h. One quick question: Is it a Windows 8 Phone via Bluetooth where you've found "instant connectivity" rather than, e.g. a Windows 8 tablet via wifi? I now develop software mostly for Microsoft Windows operating systems and so I'm something of a Windows Phone fan and I'm particularly interested in how well Lexus connected services work.

Have just found some more interesting videos about connected services that Lexus eu have uploaded to www.youtube.com

Ian, An interesting insight, many thanks.

Hi Damien, Like you having read so much about how good the BMW diesels were I was surprised. Maybe the one I drove was a bad one and it did feel as it might have had a hard life but on the other hand it only had 3,000 miles on the clock. I think if I were to go the BMW route it'd have to be a petrol rather than diesel but their fuel consumption figures don't seem particularly good relative to Lexus according to the fuelly web site or http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/ On the fuelly web site I think the nearest equivalent they list to the new IS300h would be the Lexus ES300h which gives around the same consumption figures as the BMW 320D.

Ian, Thanks for confirming the connected services traffic info feature.

Hi Damien, I had an opportunity to drive an IS300h back to back with a BMW320D. The BMW was only in base spec with manual gearbox so it wasn't really a fair comparison especially as I'm more a Lexus than a BMW fan. In my opinion the noise and vibration from the BMW engine was such that you certainly knew it was a diesel and it didn't seem as refined as the Honda, Jaguar and Mercedes diesels I've driven recently. Also the BMW gearbox was not as slick or enjoyable to use as the Ford Fiesta and Honda Accord manual gearboxes I've used recently. Over the years I've been wanting cars with quieter and smoother engines. I also like comfortable cars, although not to the extent of wanting a big luxury barge. There's always a balance to be struck between handling and comfort and, for me, the IS300h hits the spot more than anything else I've tried. Also the options which I'd want, would push the BMW 3 series price up above the Lexus. Like Ian, I would have considered a Mercedes C class but for the fact that my brother's C250 has needed a lot of work under warranty which makes it a non-starter for me as reliability and minimum ownership hassle are top priorities. Hope this helps, but overriding all this is the fact that choosing a car is a highly personal choice and as you have an IS-F whereas mine is just an IS250SEI our starting points are very different and so, I guess, are our likes and dislikes.

Hi Jonas, My understanding is that connected services in the new IS uses a tethered phone unless you have the £350 Lexus Hotspot option which takes it's own sim card and is, therefore, the same as the BMW system you describe except that in the UK we don't get an SOS feature. Can you tether your EE phone to a tablet or laptop or is the problem just with tethering to your Lexus? I believe some mobile phone contracts try to block tethering but sometimes work-arounds can be found on the internet.

Darren: I haven't got a new IS or the owners manual so this is just my interpretation of information I've found on the internet (e.g. see the links I posted in http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/82832-test-drive-in-new-is/). Connected services come with the nav system which gets data from your 3G phone via Bluetooth. Among the services are real time traffic reports and prediction of travel conditions 15, 30 ... minutes ahead and the spaces currently available in car parks which are hooked up to this service. In the UK this system is run by INRIX see http://newsroom.toyota.eu/newsrelease.do;jsessionid=FE6DC8B3D74CF2060CF5830B59403A63?&id=3398&allImage=1&teaser=lexus-inrix-launch-pioneering-parking-traffic-navigation-service&mid=1 Most car nav systems pick up traffic data from FM radio stations broadcasting RDS data which, like the traffic reports you hear on the car radio, often seem out of date or inaccurate. http://www.tap.iht.org/objects_store/201206/In_vehicle_information_in_the_UK_note05-12.pdf INRIX map and traffic apps are free to download for various phones and tablets. I've got the INRIX app on my Windows 8 tablet and Windows Phone and the quality of the traffic information seems good. In the USA their equivalent to connected services is known as Lexus Enform: https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/lexusenform/home.do The £350 Lexus Hotspot option takes a 3G sim card which provides a constant data feed to the nav system's connected services and it provides a WiFi hotspot for up to 5 tablets, laptops, phones, etc. I guess the aerial used for the hotspot system might give a better signal than a phone inside the car but you'd need to pay monthly data charges on a Sim from one of the mobile phone companies. Some of our local buses now offer free WiFi using, I guess, something similar to the Lexus Hotspot equipment. I've no experience of these systems on the new IS so the above is just my best guess and I'd be very interested to hear of owners experiences or from anyone with more knowledge or information.

Ian, Thanks that's great.

Hi Ian, Many thanks again for keeping us all posted with your early experiences. I was hoping it'd be possible to use EV mode when you need to move the car a few yards to avoid wasting petrol and wear, which is always at it's worst when starting a cold petrol engine. Assuming the battery has sufficient charge is there no way to do this using the EV button or something?

Ian, thanks very much for all your comments and info. It's really so much better to hear opinions of real owners rather than of motoring journalists. I'm hoping to get an IS300h luxury or, if funds permit, a premier sometime during the first half of 2014 so I'm keeping a close eye on this and the Club Lexus forum. In the meantime can I ask two quick questions about the nav system. I was wondering how good the connected traffic system is in the UK and also whether you've noticed the slow response problems which some in the USA seem to be having? Once again many thanks for sharing your early impressions, keep up the good work!!

http://www.lexus.eu/car-models/is/is-300h/index.tmex#/Accessories It looks like the ash tray accessory is designed to fit in the arm rest cup holder. If not, surely Lexus or someone else will soon start selling a small plug padded in black leather to fit the cup holders.

Definitely the hybrid. I tend to keep my cars for 5 or 6 years and over that time I think the savings would easily cover the price difference and I'm much taken with the smoothness and quietness of the hybrid system. Also I've a feeling the 2.5 V6 engine will soon be replaced as it's now an old design and I've seen rumours that Lexus are developing a 4 cylinder turbocharged engine. It's surprising how much effect the tyre size has on fuel and emissions, even bigger jump from 17" to 18" as there is from 16" to 17". Also I fear the ride quality might suffer with the low profile 18" tyres.

Hi Stuart, Sorry I missed it as I mostly just check this forum. Glad to see you got a test drive and that you liked it. Like you I think I need to start saving the pennies!

Hi Stuart Just wondered if you were able to attend the Lexus Cardiff event and get a test drive? I've been invited to a similar event by Lexus Cambridge next Friday. Best regards Roger