What are the differences between MY2008 and later years?

[MerchantOfVenice]

Hi all,

Hope you are well.

I read the buyers guide that the year to get for an IS250 are 2008-2009. Why is this?

What are the differences between the 2008/9 and 2010 onwards?

Also is it possible to retro fit DAB? Lastly what is ACC/PCS?

 

Cheers

 

 

[J Henderson]

MY2009 revisions are mostly cosmetic.

 

Exterior-wise, the door mirrors are smaller and incorporate side repeaters. The front bumper and grilles are slightly different, the rear bumper is slightly different too. As are the tail lights, which are a different design with "L" shape reversing lights.

The 17" wheels are also slightly different with more rounded spokes.

 

All the changes are very hard to notice tbh, with the mirrors and rear lights being the easiest to spot.

 

 

On the inside, the central dashboard where the nav screen is (where equipped), has a different look with sleeker, flush-fitted buttons that are the same colour as the rest of the console.

The centre armrest storage compartment gained a USB port, and I believe the MY2009 is when music streaming via Bluetooth became possible. Nav unit also became HDD-based as opposed to having maps on DVD.

 

Some small changes to the suspension etc maybe also have occurred as the rear ARB is mounted differently on a 09+ car.

 

Can't remember what the acronyms stand for, but ACC/PCS is the radar cruise control system. I believe only an SE-L could have this option (and it was a cost option).

 

Not sure if DAB can be retrofitted or not. If it can it'll probably be quite an expensive endeavour!

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[Linas.P]

ACC/PCS is radar cruise, don't worry about it - you won't find one for sale.

There are no difference between 2005 and 2008, available trims SE (most basic), Sport (Se +18" wheels no leather option), SR (SE + body-kit, no leather option) and SE-L  - all bells and whistles. Very early cars had solid versus vented rear brakes.

2009-2011 is transition into new range, kind of constant face-lifting, so it is hard to track whats comes when. I would need to refer to my previous posts, but from memory in 2009 you get new trim level SE-I, adds nothing on top of existing SE-L, then in late 2009 you start getting F-Sport - again style, upgrades nothing essential changing. 2009 as well starts getting new style real lights and indicators in the mirrors. 2011 gets DLRs and Advance trim, Advance is like SE + leather without ventilation and few other style bits. At some point in time they all got HDD sat-nav, but there are 2009 with and without it, so anyone guess. 

2012 is final face-lift, you get latest sat-nav with full post-code (potentially DAB), still sat-nav in Lexus was useless and remains useless to this day. I never understood why would anyone want DAB or radio, but I guess that is personal choice. When it comes to retrofitting anything to Lexus - forget it. Best bet is to get one of those full replacement chinese android head-units.

I still maintain the opinion that the best car to buy is early SE-L - that is 2005-2008. Later face-lifts didn't add much if anything at all, but you will be paying premium for having later year car. I guess the only bonus getting 2009+ is that you can still get extended warranty on them (max 10 years old), but apart from that there are nothing major in the cars. Personally, owned 2012 F-sport, 2010 AWD premium (sort of US equivalent to ~SE-I) and current one is 2006 SE-L.

[Texas]

Cough cough,Yes ACC is quite a rare feature and it was one of only a couple of paid for options available on a SE-L model IS250. The sunroof ( moonroof as Lexus refer to it) and metallic paint are about it.

ACC or Adaptive Cruise Control features a millimetre microwave radar transmitter/receiver that is built into the ‘L’ badge in the front grill on the car and can be identified by its solid plastic like construction as opposed to the relief design of non ACC fitted cars, also there will be a ‘Distance’ adjust ( choice of 3 ranges) button on the lower right of the steering wheel.

paul m

[F.A.]

1 hour ago, Texas said:

Cough cough,Yes ACC is quite a rare feature and it was one of only a couple of paid for options available on a SE-L model IS250. The sunroof ( moonroof as Lexus refer to it) and metallic paint are about it.

ACC or Adaptive Cruise Control features a millimetre microwave radar transmitter/receiver that is built into the ‘L’ badge in the front grill on the car and can be identified by its solid plastic like construction as opposed to the relief design of non ACC fitted cars, also there will be a ‘Distance’ adjust ( choice of 3 ranges) button on the lower right of the steering wheel.

paul m

Wasn’t  the Multimedia system with the Mark Levinson Audio also an option across range? 

It may be worth noting that the Mark Levinson Audio was no longer available on any IS, with exception to the ISF, for the MY 2011  facelift. 

[F.A.]

We have had both a 2007 IS250 SE- L  with the Multimedia system and Mark Levison Audio and a 2011 facelifted SE -L with Full Map Nav.  Here are my honest thoughts after running the two side by side for the past 8 years.

I preferred the look of the 2011 model. The front and rear lights looked nicer and up to date  in IMHO.  I felt that the 2011 model still looks fresh in today’s market. 

The interior was also nicer as the wood was a dark grey colour instead of the brown/ red wood in our 2007 model. The leather in the 2011 model worn a lot better and still looked as new after 111000 miles compared to the leather in our 2007 which had half the mileage on it. 

The Sat Nav would accept full post codes  and screen was crisper on the 2011 model  but while the 13 speaker  Pioneer stereo was good, it was no match for the Mark Levinson system. It was a shame that Lexus deleted option on later models. 

Our 2011 model sat on 18” standard alloys compared to the 17 “ standard alloys on our 2007 model. The 2011 wheels never corroded whereas the 2007 wheels lasted no longer than a year before corrosion started to appear. We had one set changed under warranty and paid to have them refurbished by our Lexus dealer on multiple occasions but we just gave up in the end.

I felt that the 2007 model handled better and had a heavier but more direct steering feel. 

We had a few  of issues such as a dash board rattle, rear shelf rattle and the wing mirror dip on reverse failing on the 2007 model, which seemed all have been resolved on the 2011 model. 

The 2011 model also came with auto folding mirrors when locked and auto locking when you pass 10mph etc which neither were available on the 2005-2007 cars as a feature form Lexus. I think there is a retrofit kit to add the mirror feature IIRC. The 2011 model came with the LED day light running lights but you lost the AFS system which was a shame. I’m still it sure why my GSF appears to be missing this function also  

If I was looking to by another 2IS, I would buy the newest one possible and aim for a 2011+ model if you can live without the ML Audio.  

We still have the 2007 model but sadly our 2011 was sold last month. 

I hope this has been of some help. 

[F.A.]

On 7/28/2019 at 7:46 PM, J Henderson said:

MY2009 revisions are mostly cosmetic.

 

Exterior-wise, the door mirrors are smaller and incorporate side repeaters. The front bumper and grilles are slightly different, the rear bumper is slightly different too. As are the tail lights, which are a different design with "L" shape reversing lights.

The 17" wheels are also slightly different with more rounded spokes.

 

All the changes are very hard to notice tbh, with the mirrors and rear lights being the easiest to spot.

 

 

On the inside, the central dashboard where the nav screen is (where equipped), has a different look with sleeker, flush-fitted buttons that are the same colour as the rest of the console.

The centre armrest storage compartment gained a USB port, and I believe the MY2009 is when music streaming via Bluetooth became possible. Nav unit also 

 

Not sure if DAB can be retrofitted or not. If it can it'll probably be quite an expensive endeavour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lexus offered a DAB module that could be retrofitted. I think it was around £350 when I looked back in 2013 but that was without fitting. The aerial was stuck to the inside of the front windscreen onthe passengers side and as a result , looked a bit like an afterthought, even on cars that were fitted with this from new.