Is300H Test Drive

Carl911 · December 7, 2014

I thought I'd take one of these new is300h out for a spin to see what they really drive like compared to my is250.

I was a little skeptical in particular regarding the 4 cylinder motor.

First impressions of the interior are how different it looks. My wife in particular wasn't keen on the newer design although myself, I found it to grow on me very quickly.

Personally, if I'm to spend a lot of money on a new car I want it to be something completely new and different from what I had before but still be a Lexus.

I think the new shape certainly manages to be different.

The interior seems to wrap around you slightly more than the old shape, the front seats do have more support and I found the general comfort of the seating every bit as comfortable as the older shape, probably more so.

The ride quality was excellent in the SE model I test drove.

It drive slightly firmer than my SE-l but over bad roads I found the bumps to iron out much better and the car was nothing like as fidgety over rough patches as my SE-l can get. Granted, my car has a few miles on it but I have driven younger models that felt much the same as my own.

The engine/hybrid drive was enjoyable. It took me a few miles of various styles of driving to fully appreciate how the combination worked but after about an hour of driving of felt right at home with it.

Cruising at any speeds over 50mph felt pretty much the same as the older is250 which I mean in a good way as the is250 just purrs at these speeds. Noise levels are about the same although as mentioned, rough bumpy rides were much better in the new car.

Travelling on the motorway around 70-75mph then flooring it for an overtake resulted in drop down similar to what I'd expect in the is250. I found the kickdown to be smooth and after the initial acceleration a little surge of power could be felt pushing the car forward just a little quicker assumedly as the combination of Battery and petrol engine torque combined.

In both these situations I found the drive to be just as adequate as the is250.

Probably what impressed me most about the engine was off the lights. I had one stop at traffic lights onto a carriageway so took advantage of the sport mode and give it everything it had.

The car flew of the lights and propelled up to 70mph in what felt more like 6 seconds than the book time of 8.4. The torque from the batteries from a standing start are really impressive. It certainly does not feel like the sedate car that the hybrid badge would indicate.

Of course in stark contrast you can pull off the lights in a more civilised manor as would be my normal driving mode and sail away in near silence as only the hybrid engages. Rather nice cruising tnrough town and car parks.

Some have mentioned tne strange sound of what mostly sounds like one gear acceleration.

As far as I was concerned the slightly different tone of the acceleration is only really apparent under heavy acceleration and once up to speed is just as quiet as my is250.

It's not like you would normally drive everywhere flat out so I cannot see any reason why this would bother anyone.

If I'm honest, even the v6 is250 does't sound like much unless you go through a tunnel or change the exhaust so I don't feel like I'm missing the tone of the v6 either.

Only other thing of note was a slight whine each time you come to a dead stop. Something to do with the hybrid system but again, once you accept that you are driving a hybrid car this just seems perfectly ok and you only really notice it if you are driving in complete silence with the radio off anyway.

So am I sold on the new is300h.

To be honest, yes I probably am. If I want to replace my is250 next year and fancy something totally differ et, yet at the same time feeling very similar to what I have become to love about a Lexus IS then this car would certainly fit the bill.

I still felt special driving it and somehow tne little H badge made me feel just that little more Eco friendly.

Just my pennies worth.

Carl

michaelH · December 8, 2014

I made the switch back in July (IS250 SE-L to IS330h luxury /prem nav) and would endorse just about all these observations, especially that concerning the ride over uneven roads. The newer car does seem a little more planted and stable as well. Eco friendly or not, it is certainly more wallet friendly, especially when driving around town. In the old IS, I would get a very promising mpg reading after a long journey (say 38 mpg over 300 miles) only to watch it fall like a stone after a few short trips (probably averaging 20 mpg) around town. In the 300h, not only can you get over 50 mpg on a long trip (in summer, anyway), but you can get something like that around town as well. Not in winter and on new winter tyres, however, as I have been finding out recently. 45 seems the best I can get ATM, but having just gone over the Cambrian hills last night with the higher parts covered in slushy snow, I don't regret fitting them.

Carl911 · December 9, 2014

I made the switch back in July (IS250 SE-L to IS330h luxury /prem nav) and would endorse just about all these observations, especially that concerning the ride over uneven roads. The newer car does seem a little more planted and stable as well. Eco friendly or not, it is certainly more wallet friendly, especially when driving around town. In the old IS, I would get a very promising mpg reading after a long journey (say 38 mpg over 300 miles) only to watch it fall like a stone after a few short trips (probably averaging 20 mpg) around town. In the 300h, not only can you get over 50 mpg on a long trip (in summer, anyway), but you can get something like that around town as well. Not in winter and on new winter tyres, however, as I have been finding out recently. 45 seems the best I can get ATM, but having just gone over the Cambrian hills last night with the higher parts covered in slushy snow, I don't regret fitting them.

Hi Michael,

Probably my only real negative comment when comparing the new cars with the old is that the specs seem to be quite different.

They have done away with the rear sun blind which I liked but could live without I guess.

Also I noticed that things like the rear arm rest was absent on the base model SE.

Trouble is, I have got used to the extras on my SE-l and the only way to get close to similar spec is the top of range for around 40k.

I looked at the luxury with additional electric seats and mark levinson which took me up to around the 35k mark.

As a matters interest, what specification did you end up with?

Greenfield · December 9, 2014

I fully agree with Carl, Lexus have been a bit tight with equipment on the new model and I was not happy going backwards so was "forced" to the Premier to get the electric memory seats, reversing camera and Levinson with the added bonus of the blind spot monitor which I think is excellent. Although I did get a good deal by accepting a new vehicle they had in stock which was in Satin Silver rather than my preferred Sonic Titanium, now that I have had the car for a few months I have grown to rather like the Satin Silver and didn't have to wait many weeks for delivery.

Carl911 · December 9, 2014

That's the one thing I can't do without, the mark levinson setup. I do like my ml sound which really makes the difference in my opinion.

still, only a £2995 upgrade-lol

ganzoom · December 9, 2014

I got a 15% discount through drviethedeal on a factory order premier spec....Cannot wait for it to delivered.

Carl911 · December 10, 2014

I got a 15% discount through drviethedeal on a factory order premier spec....Cannot wait for it to delivered.

That's a good discount, ill bookmark the site. How long do you have to wait for delivery?

ganzoom · December 10, 2014

Ours is in rare color combination (sonic titanium with ivory leather), plus we've order 17inch allows instead of normal 18inch that come with premier spec. So delivery not due till late March, so nearly 4 months from order to delivery providing no delays!!!

michaelH · December 10, 2014

Carl, sorry to be slow in replying. My old car was top spec (except for the radar adjusted cruise control) and I miss some of the features. Yes, perhaps I ought to have hung out for a premier model on 17 inch wheels. Next time perhaps. I miss the top spec seats and proper leather interior, but not that much, now that i have (at last) adjusted the driver's seat just as I want it. I don't really miss the ML stereo. Now I am very serious about hi fi, but didn't regard the ML as proper hi fi. The DAB/FM radio/DVD in my car (Luxury with premium nav) is I think the one between the basic version and the ML version. The radio seems as good (and more versatile); the DVD isn't quite as good but I have Bluetooth and USB audio so I can use my apple devices. The car is essentially quieter at speed so the music eventually sounds just as good overall. Also, the premium nav is essential if you want the excellent reversing camera.

The new car has bi-xenon headlights, which is a big plus if (like me) you do a lot of night driving on unlit roads. I had xenons on the old SE-L, but is yours an SE-L or SE-l? If the former then you have them too, but otherwise this will be a useful improvement. One difference with my old car is that the old xenons were adaptive and coupled with a halogen pair for full beam. The adaptive bit made no practical difference that I could see. The new one has bi-xenons which I think are not quite as powerful on full beam as the old xenon-halogon combo, but better on dipped (better lens/projector?) which is where it really matters.

The nav system is more advanced, but more fiddly, as many have said before. No spare wheel, which is a minus. I might try to get hold of an old same saver, but in the event of a puncture I would need to find space somewhere for the old full size wheel, so that limits its value when fully laden.

Carl911 · December 11, 2014

Thanks for the reply. My current car is an SE-L Like your old car with pretty much everything on including sunroof.

It's interesting what you say about the ML stereo though. I thought the difference between ML and Jon ML on the old model was fairly dramatic and just more enjoyable to listen to. From what you have described it sounds like the system below ML has now been greatly improved. Do you still get 5.1 as a matter of interest seeing as you do have dvd?.

Carl

Steve44 · December 13, 2014

Functionally, there is no difference between ML and non ML on new IS, you can only spec ML with premium nav. You still get dvd, 5.1, dab, 2xUSB, etc etc.

ML gives you amp and a couple of extra speakers, all of which are ML spec.

As has been discussed on here before, ML sound is a matter of personal taste, some swear by it, others including myself thought it was a waste of money, as we preferred the regular sound. The system uses a Pioneer HU.