4th Generation IS on the way

[rayaans]

1 hour ago, ganzoom said:

Not entirely sure about the exterior changes, but upgrading the sat nav to 12inch screen is good, it wouldn't make it system any better but at least prettier and easier to use.

I wonder if Lexus will now also make the 'safety pack' a included option even at base spec.

 

Lexus have a really bad habit of providing very cartoonish looking press release pictures. Ill reserve judgement until I see it in person as I made the mistake of thinking the updated GS-F looked awful until I actually saw it based on this picture:

 

Overall I think the IS looks promising. From what I have deciphered:

- All IS trims now get the 10" display and are available in Graphite Black and Deep Blue which replaces Celestial black and Atlantic Blue. They also get remote touch with an enter button (stops the journalists complaining about it moving whilst trying to press down on it) and a leather surfacing along with contrast stitching on the remote touch handrest and on top of the housing above the speedo.

- F-Sport models gets LED headlights and a wire grill (metallic Black) instead of the plastic one currently.

- New wheel options for the Luxury/Premier model and new interior option with Sandstone appearing like the GS

- It appears that the centre console is recessed instead of sticking out (nice touch) and its brushed metal! The surround near the analogue clog has changed slightly too, with less silver plastic and more black plastic.

- But.... Where are the seat heating/cooling controls and memory seat buttons? Id assume this is not present in North America?

- Word is that Safety System + is standard equipment but dont know if this will apply to the UK!

 

 

 

[rayaans]

have to say, live pictures do look very good indeed.

[wh05apk]

Looks ok from the front wheels back,  the front being like a cheap aftermarket body kit,  it looks too "shouty" previously it looked smart and professional,  now it is toö fussy and angular,  a bit like the NX,  but more over the top. 

[200h]

i like the idea of having the wire grill as i feel the plastic

grill feels cheap it doesn't ooze quality ,the front of the F sport

is what puts me off having one .

[Linas.P]

On 4/22/2016 at 4:38 PM, rayaans said:

"DONT BUY THIS CAR IF YOU DRIVE LESS THAN 15K MILES/YEAR"

Well yes, you are right.. I am just talking from experience - diesel cars are not designed to do low miles/short journeys. It is fair to claim that they are simply not well designed, because this is not indicated anywhere.

back to topic - the face lift seems unnecessary in my opinion, but it is just standard thing in product life-cycle.

I kind of hate that Lexus in UK have very restricted product range e.g. there are no IS/RC 350s. 200t sounds equally wrong as 220/200d, while 300h is not really 300... rather 200+100. thinking out all cons. and pros. I would probably go for 300h, but if I would have option of 350.. that would be main choice. I guess maybe this is strategy to push for IS-F/RC-F - as they believe in UK buying power makes this a reasonable upgrade. Essentially, giving two extremes "over-practical aka boring" or "mad".

[rayaans]

1 minute ago, Linas.P said:

Well yes, you are right.. I am just talking from experience - diesel cars are not designed to do low miles/short journeys. It is fair to claim that they are simply not well designed, because this is not indicated anywhere.

back to topic - the face lift seems unnecessary in my opinion, but it is just standard thing in product life-cycle.

I kind of hate that Lexus in UK have very restricted product range e.g. there are no IS/RC 350s. 200t sounds equally wrong as 220/200d, while 300h is not really 300... rather 200+100. thinking out all cons. and pros. I would probably go for 300h, but if I would have option of 350.. that would be main choice. I guess maybe this is strategy to push for IS-F/RC-F - as they believe in UK buying power makes this a reasonable upgrade. Essentially, giving two extremes "over-practical aka boring" or "mad".

There's not enough demand in the UK for an IS350, no one would buy one due to the V6, tax and running costs. With hybrids, Lexus have always used a name which suggests what kind of power it is putting out, for example 300h = 220 horsepower i.e naturally aspirated 3.0l V6 power, 450h = 308hp = 4.5l naturally aspirated 4.5l before the times of direct injection etc.

The 200t is actually very quick, you'd be stupid to go for a 350 over it especially as the cost would be much much higher for a 350.

[Linas.P]

That is probably personal thing, I would actually go for RC-F if I could afford having RX as second car. My current 2.5l v6 is on the bottom edge of the power I want, I would never consider car with engine less than 2.5l and ideally 3.0+ (with few exceptions like BMW i8 maybe). 2.0l + turbo for me it is a little bit of cheating ( had Passat CC 2.0 TSI ... hated every mile on that car). Appreciate, turbo and reasonable base e.g  3-4l v6 or v8 (ok straight-6 BMW) where the base power is enough to drive comfortably and extra induction aids some "madness" in certain RPM range. That completely doesn't work out on 1.6, 1.8 or 2l engines in my opinion .. well unless its golf (same engine in passat... or Lexus is bad taste). 

RC/IS 300h are only appealing because of the obvious benefits when taxing and other associated costs (call them government initiatives). I probably can accept, 300h suits Lexus character i.e. quiet, refined, luxurious. 200t is more a little bandit, golf boy racer (no offence to owners :)). 350 I guess is real joy without the price tag and unreasonable expenses of "F", just straight forward v6 petrol - simple and honest. It might be I am the only one thinking like that in UK...

[ColinBarber]

I'd have a 350 if it was available. Unfortunately Lexus GB are too conservative. The cars are built to order so it isn't too much of an issue that they won't sell many. I'm surprised, given their attitude, they sell any of the F models.

[rayaans]

2 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

I'd have a 350 if it was available. Unfortunately Lexus GB are too conservative. The cars are built to order so it isn't too much of an issue that they won't sell many. I'm surprised, given their attitude, they sell any of the F models.

My dealer said only certain cars are built to order such as  unusual colour combinations.  Most are "in stock" vehicles which are already on the ship to Europe

[ColinBarber]

I'm sure there are engine/trim/colour combinations that sell well, or dealers will take as demonstrators, to allow a certain number of cars to be pre-ordered but that doesn't have to be the case, especially for a lower volume model such as a RC or IS 350 - if someone wants the extra power they will probably be prepared to wait 10 weeks for delivery.

[ganzoom]

9 hours ago, rayaans said:

My dealer said only certain cars are built to order such as  unusual colour combinations.  Most are "in stock" vehicles which are already on the ship to Europe

 

Our car was a 'custom' order so had to wait nearly 4 months for delivery. At the time the dealer showed me they had access to about 20-30 new cars ready go, but none were in the colour/spec we wanted.

 

[dutchie01]

the bigger the engine the better the drive. nothing beats a big naturally aspirated v8. wafting along on an ocean of torque, never having to stress the engine always knowing there is plenty of power available when needed..

the only reason i drive a hybrid is co2 and tax.  

[rayaans]

Agreed, petrol isn't too much of an issue for me anyway even though I drive 10k miles a year. Id rather have a big V8. There's going to be a big push for V6's and V8's once the new VED comes out as it doesn't really take CO2 into account

[Linas.P]

16 minutes ago, rayaans said:

Agreed, petrol isn't too much of an issue for me anyway even though I drive 10k miles a year. Id rather have a big V8. There's going to be a big push for V6's and V8's once the new VED comes out as it doesn't really take CO2 into account

I hope you are right on this as well. Petrol was unfairly disadvantaged based on current rules.

On 350 note I am sure that many people would be happy to wait for few months, no need to have them readily available. This must be Lexus sales decision no to make them available in UK for some reason. 

[Gary T]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

On 350 note I am sure that many people would be happy to wait for few months, no need to have them readily available. This must be Lexus sales decision no to make them available in UK for some reason. 

Is the 350 available anywhere in europe? If not they would have to certify it conforms to european regulations, which may cost too much for the number of sales expected.

I always thought that it would have made more sense to sell the 350 rather than the 250 when Gen 3 was launched as it would have offered a lot more performance for not a great deal more in running costs and had a bigger differentiation to the 300h.

[Linas.P]

2 hours ago, Gary T said:

Is the 350 available anywhere in europe?

No... you are probably right. They only certified the cars they expected to sell well. RC/IS 350 would have been a niche product ( not to mention Lexus as a whole is niche in Europe) and would never been profitable sell.

Obviously for customers this is never good.. now it is either all or nothing and no middle ground. But in Lexus sense 5% will be RC-F, 65% 300h and 30% 200t.. if released RC350 at best would cut 2,5% from each 200t and RC-F owners which would be loss, slight increase in profit from 200t would not offset loss on RC-F (obviously Lexus making most profit on "F").

i think this is still less questionable tactics, than what they did with IS220d (no AT option).

[ganzoom]

18 hours ago, dutchie01 said:

the bigger the engine the better the drive. nothing beats a big naturally aspirated v8. wafting along on an ocean of torque, never having to stress the engine always knowing there is plenty of power available when needed..

the only reason i drive a hybrid is co2 and tax.  

 

Ture....Except an full EV drivetrain is smoother, quicker to respond, and so much more economical.

Large combustion engines are already niche products, over the next few years they will all but dissapear. 

[DanD]

On ‎26‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 1:42 PM, 200h said:

i like the idea of having the wire grill as i feel the plastic

grill feels cheap it doesn't ooze quality ,the front of the F sport

is what puts me off having one .

Really? - Does it look any different?

I'd bet the metal one will cost a lot more to replace though!

[Ian J. Parsley]

Sorry for drifting off topic - re colour/trim combinations.

Common colours/trims will usually already be available on the ship or even in Portsmouth (where they enter the UK). Less common ones are built to order and take months.

My wife recently ordered a CT at the end of January and was told it would be May. When she switched to silver, however, they said one was already in Portsmouth and she had it ten days later.

Just to demonstrate that one!

[Ian J. Parsley]

Back on topic...

I hope that is brushed metal around the centre. My only complaint with the current interior is not enough attention was paid to that section, which looks like it is taken straight from an '80s casio stereo. 

I still think there are too many buttons, although I think I spy a clear "FRONT" on the demister button, which seems very minor but for me is quite significant - I often hit the wrong one (whereas I don't in the CT, which has them clearly marked).

So, a useful step forward, seemingly.

[rayaans]

19 minutes ago, Ian J. Parsley said:

Back on topic...

I hope that is brushed metal around the centre. My only complaint with the current interior is not enough attention was paid to that section, which looks like it is taken straight from an '80s casio stereo. 

I still think there are too many buttons, although I think I spy a clear "FRONT" on the demister button, which seems very minor but for me is quite significant - I often hit the wrong one (whereas I don't in the CT, which has them clearly marked).

So, a useful step forward, seemingly.

Yes its written in the press release that the centre console is brushed metal.

Also has anyone zoomed in on the button around the drive mode selector. Its just above the SNOW mode and I can't figure out what it is!

[Eire Lexus]

Perhaps they have introduced start stop on the non hybrids??

[crispian]

what's behind the gear lever?  looks like it's a display of some sort

 

[rayaans]

14 minutes ago, crispian said:

what's behind the gear lever?  looks like it's a display of some sort

 

Its just where the SD card goes and all cars with Mark Levinson have this already.

You can see the brushed metal on pre-facelift models behind the gear stick and this is only on cars with ML:

Basically Lexus have used the same brushed metal but put more in the car and replaced the plastic centre console with it.

It would have been good to replace the silver trim pieces on the doors too IMO.

[Martin F]

Interesting that the power on the 200t seems to have reduced slightly from 245BHP to 241.