Considering An Is 300H, But Have A Few Questions

[jamroller]

Good Afternoon, Im 6ft and have the IS 300H Executive the seat does alter and i find the position very comfortable, i recently did 8 hrs drive and it was very comfy.I

recently had the Jag XF and although a nice car the Lexus is better, no messing with silly stop start buttons, no clacky diesels in slow moving traffic. The satnav is as good as any others I've used and the car has plenty of performance if you want it, i mainly use it in Eco mode and get 45 - 48 to gallon, if you drive it in Sport mode its fast but MPG suffers, but you can't have both performance and MPG.I

ve owned a MB E320Diesel and its as good although the sat nav is better, i would opt for a test drive over a weekend and see what you think, personally i love mine and can't see what i could change it for that would be better value for

[DanD]

Voice control. Love it or hate it. Loves you or hates you too, depending on your accent!

[jamroller]

My voice control works ok, i have even got text messages coming up so well happy

[mingkwong]

Direct responce to the "dangerous" overtaking / power delivery lag.

I can see what some people are referring too when they make this point, and I experienced it once myself, needing a quick overtaking manouver with my previous car being a 2ltr 150bhp diesel. I floored it and a delay followed which made my heart jump into my mouth, before it took off.

The reason was I was in auto mode, and had floored it in the wrong gear ratio, it took a moment before the computer decided to drop a gear ratio. (possibly the fuel economy algorithm)

The solution I use ever since that moment is to manually drop a gear ration using the paddles, preferably switch to sport, then move the gear stick into manual (move to left). This instantly automatically drops a gear ration and will rev to "red line". The power with this method is instantaneous and very impressive.

If you have a test drive give it a try.

I think this is due to the CVT gear box which is not responsive for rapid acceleration, traditional 6 speed auto doesn't have such problem.

[ColinBarber]

Auto boxes are just as slow to kick down, especially Lexus auto boxes which as set up for smoothness rather than performance. At least with the hybrid you have power from the electric motor whilst the engine revs up. If you need to overtake then as feanor has stated you either force higher revs via manual mode or at least put it into sport mode which will minimise any delay and use the electric power more quickly

[mingkwong]

That was not the case when I had the test drive, IS250 was not quick to kick down but still a lot faster response than IS300h, but I agree that Lexus setup the gearbox for smoothness rather than performance.

Anyway this is the review extracted from auto express" The 300h is smooth and refined at very low city speeds and on the motorway, but attempt to extract any performance and the whining CVT gearbox, lazy throttle response and sluggish acceleration (despite an output of 220bhp) spoil the fun."

[ganzoom]

That was not the case when I had the test drive, IS250 was not quick to kick down but still a lot faster response than IS300h, but I agree that Lexus setup the gearbox for smoothness rather than performance.

Anyway this is the review extracted from auto express" The 300h is smooth and refined at very low city speeds and on the motorway, but attempt to extract any performance and the whining CVT gearbox, lazy throttle response and sluggish acceleration (despite an output of 220bhp) spoil the fun."

Rather than rely on magazine reviews I think a more extended road test of the IS300H will give you a better idea of it's 'in-gear' acceleration. 0-60mph and 40-70mph more than matches the BMW 320D which, I admit it by no-means 'quick', but its the standard that most car reviewers seem to compare the IS300H to.

I've owned a 380bhp BMW 335i, for the last 4 years (which I do class as a 'quick' car), even in the 335i, if your in the wrong 'gear' it takes time for the transmission to adjust to your throttle input. The IS300H is not as quick to respond as the 335, but its by no means slow compared to a 320D.

[capese21]

Autoexpress have a quick drive and then quote an opinion. I prefer to make up my own mind. I wouldn't have even test driven my IS300 Fsport if I had only read magazine reviews.

They seem biased to whatever company advertise with them so best ignored.

The CVT gearbox doesn't "whine" and is a quick enough car in normal mode with excellent acceleration from rest. In sport mode it is a quick car certainly as good if not better than its rivals.

It isnt a track racing car agreed but I didn't buy it to go round the Nurburgring.

Ed

[michaelH]

Well said, Edward. I was surprised by that comment, especially when AE have been more positive about the IS in some recent write-ups. Have they simply not worked out how to get the best out of it? The car does makes some noise if you rev it hard for a tight overtake, but the rest of the time, even when going fast, it is very refined and composed. Is it perhaps that the noises it does make are just different from those of a turbo diesel?

[capese21]

The car does makes some noise if you rev it hard for a tight overtake,

but the rest of the time, even when going fast, it is very refined and

composed. Is it perhaps that the noises it does make are just different

from those of a turbo diesel?

Perhaps they got confused with he slight motor noise heard at very slow speeds? It is strange to me as lots of the reviews I read mentioned the noise of the engine revving as you put your foot down. Are diesels quiet when revving I doubt it from the ones I have driven!! Or maybe they didnt turn the ASC off!!

The CVT does not whine though that is utter nonsense!!

Ed

[ColinBarber]

The whine they refer to is the constant speed of the engine running at high revs, it is due to the CVT keeping the engine at the optimum speed for maximum power delivery rather than the actual CVT itself - it is just lazy journalism.

[michaelH]

If these guys had been brought up on hybrids and E-CVT transmissions, what on earth would they have made of diesels with manual gearboxes?

[capese21]

The engine noise is no different to dropping into 3rd gear ready to overtake or as my previous car did kick down and rev up to give good acceleration. Quite a few of the reviews did call it whine or "annoying drone"

"Noisy CVT gearbox, no diesel, poor real-world fuel economy" What Car?

I almost didn't even bother with a test drive after reading What Car & Auto express reviews. But I loved the look of it so did and bought one & cancelled the XF.

At present I am averaging 40 mpg but have been doing short journeys with cold starts.

A diesel would probably have blocked its DPF up by now!!

Ed

[mingkwong]

The engine noise is no different to dropping into 3rd gear ready to overtake or as my previous car did kick down and rev up to give good acceleration. Quite a few of the reviews did call it whine or "annoying drone"

"Noisy CVT gearbox, no diesel, poor real-world fuel economy" What Car?

I almost didn't even bother with a test drive after reading What Car & Auto express reviews. But I loved the look of it so did and bought one & cancelled the XF.

At present I am averaging 40 mpg but have been doing short journeys with cold starts.

A diesel would probably have blocked its DPF up by now!!

Ed

A good read.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/our-cars/lexus-gs450h/the-cvt-gearbox---a-love-hate-relationship/

[Northern_Si]

Paid a visit to Lexus Bolton earlier. Had a sit in an IS300h with manual seats and I'm too big for the car. With the seat at the lowest setting my head was touching the roof lining. Damn shame as I liked the car.

Sat in the NX. Headroom slightly better but reading on here the MPG is dreadful.

I like the GS but the 300h is too underpowered for the car. The 450h is just a bit thirsty.

Back to looking at the Germans again.