looking at getting my first Lexus - IS300h

[gtanny]

Hi,

 

just thought I would ask for some advice, I'm currently looking at a 64 plate IS300h with 75k on the clock, I have never had a Lexus or a Hybrid but i love the styling of it and the hope of reliability.

Closest I have owned would be either an old 3 series or a Mondeo, i like the way both of those drove so hoping the IS would be something similar but the higher priority is reliability and comfort as my 10 minute commute is now 30-40 so a city car is no longer a comfortable option.

I would like to get one soon but obviously with the current situation I am unable to test drive one and without ever driving a Lexus or a Hybrid I am concerned I may not be a fan, although very unlikely.

My other options I was looking at were C class Mercedes or a Mondeo but the reliability and styling or the Lexus is really pushing me towards it.

I know this is an owners club so reviews will be slightly bias towards a Lexus but is there anything i need to worry about getting an IS300h, i know the mpg figures are more likely to be mid 40's then 60+ that I might get should I opt for a diesel alternative as my commute is 90% A roads.

I would be buying from a Lexus dealership as I want the true Lexus experience, if that makes any difference.

My only other concern would be my closest dealership is 30 miles away but I would hopefully only be taking it in once a year for service & MOT so I'll just enjoy the day out.

 

[Mr Vlad]

Hi Gary. Nowt wrong with the is300h but of late there's been issues with the 12v Battery when it's changed then weird electrical issues popping up. 

I've had 2 is300h. First one lasted 5 weeks coz I just couldn't get used to the CVT gearbox, all cars before were manual. I swapped it for a mk4.5 mondeo titanium x sport ecoboost. That was an auto so after a year I swapped back to a is300h and loved it to bits. MPG averaged 50. It was more than quick enough. Comfort 10/10. Handled great. Swapped it for the RX450H bigger car needed.

If you've not had an auto gearbox before then you may struggle. Because when you want to accelerate fast you floor the gas pedal and the engine screams at near red line until you let go coz you've reached your speed. There's no gear change like you'd expect. It's like a one gear only but if you've had autos then you'll get used to it and love it.

Definitely take one for a test drive. If you can get the Premier spec.

30 miles to your nearest dealer isn't bad. When you book a service ask for a curtacy car and you'll get a new lexus for a day.

I wish you well in your search. 

[steveo1973]

Hi Gary, like yourself I've owned various cars ranging from Mondeos to all of the german 3.

I bought a is300h 3 months ago. Going from previously owning a BMW 320d, I took the leap to lexus and its the best move I've ever made.

Mine to is a 2015 model with 50k on the clock. I opted for the Executive edition in Pearl White. Its a great spec example and has pretty much everything you'd need. I stayed away from the F Sport as the ride quality tends to ruin the experience for me anyway being too harsh.

My nearest dealer is 40 miles away which is no problem as its just another excuse to enjoy another ride out. Lol. Brilliant car you won't regret it if you want a top luxury quiet relaxing drive. Stick it in sport mode and its a completely different beast, will give you a lot quicker throttle response and probably leave a smile on your face!

[gtanny]

The one I'm looking at is an executive edition, turns out my local dealer is actually about 7 miles away, they just don't show up when I'm searching for used cars, although the one I'm looking at is an executive edition 60 miles away it's 2k cheaper and 12 months younger than the premier edition at my local dealership.

 

I'm very close to reserving it on the website in the hope they will hold it for me till the 12th so I can take it for a drive before making a final decision but the price and colour are both perfect 🙂

[steveo1973]

Reserve it! They don't hang around long. I missed out on one by a week for waiting but luckily found one somewhere else just make sure the service history and Battery health check all backs up!

[Linas.P]

Overall, not much to worry about - it is well built and well equipped car (although avoid standard audio because it is horrible). My only concern is performance as it is really underwhelming, but for many people that isn't an issue. In short if you like little bit more performance from the car then IS300h is not great option, but if you want just reliable and comfortable car which isn't very quick then it is great option. 

Executive is one of the lower trims so I would be reluctant - I would rather look for Premier or F-Sport, especially F-Sport because it has digital dash which transforms the car from rather boring hybrid to futuristic looking dials, it straight away feels like you are in modern car.

[Mr Vlad]

OMG Linas. Have you actually owned a is300h? I've had 2 and what you say about its performance is absolutely kkrraapp.

You're right about the trim however. 

[gtanny]

Cheers,

I'm not worried about performance being underwhelming, I'm coming from a basic spec 1.4 Ford B-max that has a 0-60 of nearly 14 seconds, for sportier drives I can always use my partners TT, I love her car but I have to children so I cant get away with anything too sporty as they barely fit in her back seats.

 

think I'm going to pop a reservation down and hope they will hold it pending test drive on the 12th.

[paulrnx]

From a performance perspective it just depends what you’ve been driving and therefore what you are used to.  In isolation an IS300h is ok but viewed against faster versions of a 3 series, C Class or Audi A4, it is pretty poor.

This subject always crops up. Someone says an IS300h has poor performance and then someone will take offence because they think their IS300h is quick. It’s just what you are used to and what your expectations are.

My advice to anyone moving to an IS300h from the competition is that they should test drive as many as they can on as many different roads as possible to make sure the car meets their needs.

From my perspective an IS300h has barely adequate performance but then I’ve owned plenty of cars that were considerably quicker in every respect.

The relationship between throttle and performance is fairly non-linear in any Lexus 300H hybrid. You really do have to mash it to the floor to get any appreciable response in terms of actual acceleration. Sport mode improves things but doesn’t remove it entirely. This is why it is important to do as many miles as you can in various cars to determine if it’s right for you. They are an acquired taste but once you get them they are lovely cars. They are not performance cars though and I do cringe when I read some of the Lexus marketing hype when they describe the performance of an IS300h.

Test drive, test drive and test drive to make sure you are happy with the performance. They are lovely cars when you get them as long as your expectations are not too high in terms of performance.

[paulrnx]

2 minutes ago, gtanny said:

Cheers,

I'm not worried about performance being underwhelming, I'm coming from a basic spec 1.4 Ford B-max that has a 0-60 of nearly 14 seconds, for sportier drives I can always use my partners TT, I love her car but I have to children so I cant get away with anything too sporty as they barely fit in her back seats.

 

think I'm going to pop a reservation down and hope they will hold it pending test drive on the 12th.

I think you’ll be fine coming from what you are. In fact you’ll be impressed with the performance. The one you have mentioned sounds like a reasonable deal to me. Good luck 👍

[LenT]

Looking at the original spec for the IS300, which may include all versions, I notice that it only comes with the emergency injectable tyre kit, not even a spacesaver wheel.

I can testify from personal experience that you may be very glad that you insisted on a proper wheel - even a speed restricted one - should a tyre develop anything more than just a slow leak.  I certainly was when a helpful lad broke the entire valve while trying to release the dust cap!  In that case even injecting the chemical glop would have been impossible.

Oh, and obviously check that the dust caps are the easily removable plastic type and not the metal ones that tend to corrode on the valve and lead to helpful motorists ripping the valve out while trying to remove the dust cap and costing you a £75 charge to replace the TPM valve!
 

Or have I mentioned that before?  Not that I was annoyed, you understand.

[steveo1973]

Here we go again on performance! Its not a slow car it has the same 0.60 as its rivals you may think its not as it obviously not as torquey as its turbo diesel rivals. No its not a performance car but its plentiful and will match its rivals. In sports mode only.

You all can say its slow but I've also owned c class, audi a4 and bmw 3 series all with 1.8-2.0d and it'll keep up no problem. Dont let people put you off.

Its got most of what most people want. Great car. Try it and coming from what you have previously you won't be disappointed.

[gtanny]

Well, its now reserved and I immediately realised I should have waited until after midnight as it shows reserved till 04/04 and I know they are closed tomorrow being Easter Sunday.

 

I don't know if they need to manually trigger a refund in PayPal but if it becomes available again (I'm working a night shift tomorrow again too so I can watch) i will reserve again.

 

Now to see if there is any way I can get a test drive in one before the 12th

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, Mr Vlad said:

OMG Linas. Have you actually owned a is300h? I've had 2 and what you say about its performance is absolutely kkrraapp.

You're right about the trim however. 

I don't need to own it to know how bad it is - I appreciate that not everyone wants performance car, but IS300his really not the car one buys to enjoy driving dynamics. It is factually slow, engine is not engaging and not powerful. 

[Mr Vlad]

Linas. Keep out of threads of cars you haven't owned. Personally I'm sick and tired of your inputs which you have gained from research or copied and pasted.

The is300h isn't a performance car but it's performance in real life is excellent. Between the two I owned I had a 240bhp ford mondeo and yes it had 240bhp. I had it on a rolling road as I was intrigued why it pulled so well. It had a mild tune. Anyway my 2nd 300h felt as quick as the mondeo. Trick was to make sure traction Battery had at least 50% charge. Sport mode activated. Pedal to the floor beyond the detant in its travel. I showed up many cars with that cars take up from a standing start and boy oh boy did I enjoy it. Brought a smile to my face each and every time. 

Gary. I hope your reservation on that car is successful. You'll love it when you get it or one like it 👍

[paulrnx]

35 minutes ago, steveo1973 said:

Here we go again on performance! Its not a slow car it has the same 0.60 as its rivals you may think its not as it obviously not as torquey as its turbo diesel rivals. No its not a performance car but its plentiful and will match its rivals. In sports mode only.

You all can say its slow but I've also owned c class, audi a4 and bmw 3 series all with 1.8-2.0d and it'll keep up no problem. Dont let people put you off.

Its got most of what most people want. Great car. Try it and coming from what you have previously you won't be disappointed.

It doesn’t have the same 0-60 as an A4 2.0T, a C250/C350, or a 328i. All of these are faster than an IS300H. It just depends what you’ve experienced.

For anyone coming to an IS300H for the first time, I maintain that they should test drive on as many different roads as possible to ensure that the car’s performance meets their needs. It’s not just about foot to the floor maximum acceleration. It’s also about how a car feels in the mid range at partial throttle settings. It’s also about whether a driver wants a linear feel between throttle position and performance. Each to their own but it doesn’t change my opinion - anyone looking to move to an IS300h should test drive as much as they can to ensure they’re happy with performance.

I love these cars, I’ve had two IS300H but I’m not blind to their short comings in terms of performance. I know a few people who have run higher end C Class and 3 series cars who have been abjectly disappointed by the performance of an IS300h on a test drive and walked out of a Lexus dealership never to return again. One guy I know very well, coming from a C350 CDI, returned his test IS300H and asked the sales guy why he’d buy a 220bhp car that had the performance of a 140bhp car. A bit harsh I thought but I could see where he was  coming from.

[paulrnx]

4 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Linas. Keep out of threads of cars you haven't owned. Personally I'm sick and tired of your inputs which you have gained from research or copied and pasted.

The is300h isn't a performance car but it's performance in real life is excellent. Between the two I owned I had a 240bhp ford mondeo and yes it had 240bhp. I had it on a rolling road as I was intrigued why it pulled so well. It had a mild tune. Anyway my 2nd 300h felt as quick as the mondeo. Trick was to make sure traction battery had at least 50% charge. Sport mode activated. Pedal to the floor beyond the detant in its travel. I showed up many cars with that cars take up from a standing start and boy oh boy did I enjoy it. Brought a smile to my face each and every time. 

Gary. I hope your reservation on that car is successful. You'll love it when you get it or one like it 👍

It’s just opinions. No right or wrong. Just different opinions. No need to get worked up about this.

[steveo1973]

9 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Linas. Keep out of threads of cars you haven't owned. Personally I'm sick and tired of your inputs which you have gained from research or copied and pasted.

The is300h isn't a performance car but it's performance in real life is excellent. Between the two I owned I had a 240bhp ford mondeo and yes it had 240bhp. I had it on a rolling road as I was intrigued why it pulled so well. It had a mild tune. Anyway my 2nd 300h felt as quick as the mondeo. Trick was to make sure traction battery had at least 50% charge. Sport mode activated. Pedal to the floor beyond the detant in its travel. I showed up many cars with that cars take up from a standing start and boy oh boy did I enjoy it. Brought a smile to my face each and every time. 

Gary. I hope your reservation on that car is successful. You'll love it when you get it or one like it 👍

Well said...I totally agree and I own one!

[steveo1973]

6 minutes ago, paulrnx said:

It doesn’t have the same 0-60 as an A4 2.0T, a C250/C350, or a 328i. All of these are faster than an IS300H. It just depends what you’ve experienced.

For anyone coming to an IS300H for the first time, I maintain that they should test drive on as many different roads as possible to ensure that the car’s performance meets their needs. It’s not just about foot to the floor maximum acceleration. It’s also about how a car feels in the mid range at partial throttle settings. It’s also about whether a driver wants a linear feel between throttle position and performance. Each to their own but it doesn’t change my opinion - anyone looking to move to an IS300h should test drive as much as they can to ensure they’re happy with performance.

I love these cars, I’ve had two IS300H but I’m not blind to their short comings in terms of performance. I know a few people who have run higher end C Class and 3 series cars who have been abjectly disappointed by the performance of an IS300h on a test drive and walked out of a Lexus dealership never to return again. One guy I know very well, coming from a C350 CDI, returned his test IS300H and asked the sales guy why he’d buy a 220bhp car that had the performance of a 140bhp car. A bit harsh I thought but I could see where he was  coming from.

For a start put it against the cars its suppose to be at not a 328 bmw. Its rivals are c220d, bmw 320d and the audi 2.0d all for the company car buyers see the YouTube comparisons.

[ganzoom]

10 hours ago, gtanny said:

My only other concern would be my closest dealership is 30 miles away but I would hopefully only be taking it in once a year for service & MOT so I'll just enjoy the day out.

 

Ignoring the pointless comments on performance, the IS300H is just about as reliable as they come.

I've been desperately trying to find a valid excuse to replace ours as I really want a Tesla Model 3, but every time I sit down and do the maths it simply doesn't make any kind of sense due to how cheap and reliable the IS300H.

We bought ours new in 2015 and literally nothing has gone wrong on it. I've never needed to even to up the oil, and its even still on it's original V12 Battery!!

Whilst there is throttle lag, the actual performance is pretty good, especially 'in gear'. The chassis is very good so disguises the speed you are travelling at.

Versus a diesel its a much more refined car.

 

[gtanny]

10 minutes ago, ganzoom said:

Ignoring the pointless comments on performance, the IS300H is just about as reliable as they come.

I've been desperately trying to find a valid excuse to replace ours as I really want a Tesla Model 3, but every time I sit down and do the maths it simply doesn't make any kind of sense due to how cheap and reliable the IS300H.

We bought ours new in 2015 and literally nothing has gone wrong on it. I've never needed to even to up the oil, and its even still on it's original V12 battery!!

Whilst there is throttle lag, the actual performance is pretty good, especially 'in gear'. The chassis is very good so disguises the speed you are travelling at.

Versus a diesel its a much more refined car.

 

I'm just about to finish a night shift, I'm going to sleep on it, but I have watched a lot of video reviews and read a lot of comparisons but I'm 95% sure I'm going to get it, if i wake up and still happy I'm going to email them to hopefully arrange collection some time next week.

 

Given my only concern is how it drives given the comparisons regularly mention it is on par with a C class and 3 series BMW and some say its better to drive I don't see me having an issue with it as my B-Max is essentially an underpowered overweight fiesta on stilts (I've had it 4 years and its be faultless but is certainly not a commuter car), I'm not expecting it to be as thrilling and as good in the corners as my partners TT is be but its more for relaxing on my way to/from work and picking my children up.

 

[Fester119]

Morning

i took receipt of my first IS300h Premier level on Tuesday and I absolutely love it. Plenty of power when needed. 
After doing lots of research all phase 3 models are on the same power train and suspension. The only difference between them is the trim levels and wheels. 
My advice would be go for the premier trim level, all the bells and whistles. 
In my opinion you will not regret buying one. 

[LenT]

 

38 minutes ago, Fester119 said:

My advice would be go for the premier trim level, all the bells and whistles. 
In my opinion you will not regret buying one. 

I think Gary has already established that it’s an Executive trim version. And I don’t think the total cost has been mentioned, which might be a factor.  But I would suggest that the total ownership experience of a Lexus IS is greater than the sum of its parts.

Real life performance is more than just adequate- and sticking it Sport mode does noticeably sharpen it up.  Forget the YouTube witterings of self-styled Motoring pundits who complain about fractions of seconds. The only strange thing about the IS series to me is that Lexus Is discontinuing it in the UK while launching newer versions on the USA!

Go for it - and enjoy.

[Thackeray]

3 hours ago, gtanny said:

if i wake up and still happy I'm going to email them to hopefully arrange collection some time next week

Check the 60,000 mile service has been done as it's one of the expensive ones because the spark plugs are changed.

[Mr Vlad]

Yes as above but the spark plug change isn't that expensive. I was quoted £25/plug supply and fit.