I CU2

Hi Guys,

I'm really curious - how come you all picked the TSX over the IS250?

defconskylude

IS250 was too small and had cheaper plastics than the TSX.

pickler

i dont usually hate cars. but i have to say lexus/toyota make me want to vomit everytime i get in one. The tsx on the other hand is fun to drive, v6 in a straight line and i4 in corners. the tech/premium models are also very nice inside, specially in beige leather. however i do think the 5 speed automatic is getting rather old, its the same transmission that moses brought down mount honda. they could have used better closer gearing for its high reving engine, but the wider gears do give you great mileage. better than the is250.

Misc-ura

Styling is big, the IS lexus looks very feminine to me, I like the hard lines of the tsx design. Also better mpg, and the interior as well. It doesnt help that the IS has been around for so long either, just looks long in the tooth.

opboarding

is250 is for girls

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

interior is tiny compared to the tsx. no 60/40 rear seats.

ed_423

because it cost more. i would have totally gone with the IS though. lol

defconskylude

yea thats what i initially thought too. its a girly car

BaoZZeR

I honestly would have gotten a manual IS250 like my brother if I didn't find my manual TSX. The TSX was never brought into consideration when I was car shopping cause I didn't know they made a new body style and I thought the old one was very feminine. I finally chose the TSX because too many people local that I knew got an IS like my cousin in my avatar. So I basically just got the TSX to be different but I am glad I did get this car because it is much roomier. I became a bit of a trend setter because my cousin got a TSX last week because of my car lol. I like the feature of the passenger mirror going down when I'm in reverse making reverse parking evenly much easier. I also like the fact that this car looks so sporty when it really isn't. I say the only thing my brother's car has over mine is a push to start and huge aftermarket support but I REALLY do not like sitting in the back seat that shit is horrible. I believe the MPG are pretty much the same but i think the IS has a bit more hp.

ttk5

Like Miscura said, for me the IS250 looks feminine. Certainly after modifications you can make it look drastically different but initially it was the stock styling that made me turn away. Also, the TSX just has a more subtle and underrated luxury to it that appealed to me. Where I live (Vancouver), Isx50's are super common and the TSX's are still pretty rare. Its nice having a car that is less common

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

The IS250 leases surprisingly poorly given that Lexus typically has very high resale values. It is also substantially smaller in the back and overall was just not as practical as the TSX. Plus the manual transmission on the TSX is infinitely better than what is offered in the IS. I have driven several iterations of the IS250 over the years, including one loaded to the hilt with F-Sport parts, and it just does not offer anything that would make it worth the extra cost.

aznpapaya

It's surprising that everyone here on this TSX Forum prefer the TSX over the IS, lol, I wonder what the response would be like if you post the same thread over at ClubLexus...

First off. My previous car was an IS350, had it for 5 years so I know everything about the car. Currently I have a TSX. I love both car so I think my opinion is more unbiased.

Since everyone here have or will have a TSX, I want to be on the IS side, please don't flame me lol....

1. MPG - My TSX is only given me ~25mpg, the IS250 would give you a comparable mpg. My 350 gave me an average of 18mpg but this is very multiple mods and me flooring it. I believe the 6cyclinder TSX mpg is very similar to the 350. So there isn't that much of a difference in the MPG.

2. Performance - it's true that stock TSX is a lot more fun to drive! But a point to consider, when i had my 350 I was able to pick up a used mint Tein Spring for ~$200, some people on the Clublexus forum are RICH and changes their mind easily, so they will sell you a brand new set of springs they put on didn't like for cheap lol. But with the tein springs the car handles like a champ. So true TSX is more fun to drive but add a couple hundred bucks and it will way better. It's true that you HAVE TO MOD the car to make it more fun to drive, but consider this: If you are the type of person who really like drive aggressively or desire more fun then what a ordinary person would, you will sooner or later install either springs or coil on your car so it will handle better. So either way you are going to get spings/coil so I dont think the fact that you have to get springs to make the IS more fun to drive a good arguement...

3. Look - This is very subjective, but while i can see why the car look very feminine but it is very aggressive once you mod it. Like the argument I just made, you will mod your car sooner or later so you cant say this is con because at the end of the day both car will be mod and both will look aggressive.

4. Cost - A fully loaded IS is currently ~40K while a fully loaded TSX is ~32K. But you get what you paid for. I personally think the leather in the IS is of a better quality then the TSX. The rear windows in the TSX aren't auto(one push auto) while it is in the IS. Both side mirrors tilt down when you go into reverse and not just the passenger side(still don't know why it's just the passenger side, I ALWAYS PARK ON THE LEFT SIDE so this is pretty much useless to me lol). Some other minor things: there is no top cover in the trunk therefore the structure and wires are exposed, the IS has a nice fabric cover covering all the metal bars and wires. The dash in the TSX looks and feel like it was made out of Styrofoam while the IS have "real" soft plastic that feels very nice when you touch it. The IS has PUSH START and heating and ventilated seats and you dont have to just pick either low or high but you can pick anything else in the between. Personally the ventilated seats is awesome especially on a hot summer day. Also my IS is a 2007 so I have a dial for my sunroof. I can just turn the dial to set how much I want to open my sunroof, as for the TSX you have to press it once to open and then again to stop it at the desire opening. Again some of these things are very minor but then its the thing that Lexus took the time to do where Acura didn't bother doing. As I said you get what you paid for. It's true that you are paying almost 10k more for the IS but you get a little more here and there, some might be minor some might be major, for example both mirror being able to tile down! Oh I almost forgot, when I saw the lumbar handle in my TSX I was like WTF...lol, My friend Legend have the same handle! I can't believe that it's been more then 10 years and Acura didn't upgrade their lumbar support handle...

Size - I think the two car are very comparable in sizes. The TSX Trunk is much much larger. When I had my IS everyone complained that there wasn't enough room for them in the back seat, they will complaining the same thing in my TSX so I'm assuming it's the same. I'm a college student who wont need a big trunk to carry large amount of crab in my trunk, don't need the folded seats cause i rarely carry anything larger then my trunk cause if i do then it have to sit on my leather which might scratch it. So folded seats is not a concern for me. As for back seat leg room, I paid 30-40k so I can be comfortable not my passengers!

I think that's pretty much everything I can think of. Again I'm being the devil advocate because this is a TSX forum, I would gladly do the same and defend the TSX if this was posted in the IS forum.

In the end I chose the TSX mainly because I wanted a different car. I could of bought another IS, but after test driving a 12' IS it was to similar to my IS so I decided I should venture out and try the TSX.......

Let the flaming begin lol...

ed_423

its always good to have an unbiased review. and i will stand by my point, if the is cost a little less, i would go for the IS anyday. i like the size, look, rwd, aftermarket support, 6 speed instead of 5spd, etc.

aznpapaya

For me it's not the cost but rather Lexus being lazy and not willing to change up the IS. Since the IS sell so well they want to milk it a little longer before they introduce the 3rd gen.

This is my logic, please let me know if I'm wrong..

IS is for girls = Girls are more attracted to the IS
If girls are attracted to IS = It's easier for you to use your car to pick up chicks
If you are able to use your car to pick up chicks easier = Less money and energy you need to spend on making your car and yourself look nice to pick up chicks.

In my book, less money and time needed to pick up hot chicks =

opboarding

If this were true then guys would drive beetles. The bubble generation, not the old one, or the newest slightly more aggressive one. If I ever see a guy driving one of these I just shake my head.

aznpapaya

A car can only get you so far, you will have to do some of the work! There are girls out there that will date you just because you drive a nice car. If you're trying to pick up sophisticated, rich, smart, and sexy chicks you are going to need a little more then a nice car. But if you want to pick up trashy girls, a nice car is all you need

But I still think my logic is true, because if you drive a car that girls like then they will most likely look it and is more attracted to it therefore will will most likely notice you.

ed_423

a lot of girls love my tsx haha

i have a friend that drives a beetle LOL

pickler

in canada the IS sales have almost come to a halt. the acura CSX (now ilx) was selling more and that was just a rebadged civic. says something about the IS.

PyroDave

point proven. ed woulda gotten the is, thats why i didn't even consider it

defconskylude

the little space is what totally killed it for me and im 5'7. i sat down, looked and felt the plastic and it just felt wrong. that was 10 minutes of my time and there was no need for me to look any further at the MPG, performance, cost, etc.

sat inside the TSX, felt right inside, looked great outside and it sold me.

Nedmundo

The IS was too small inside, and had no folding rear seat. It was also very difficult to find one with a manual transmission. Cost was not the issue at all; I just decided that if I went RWD, it would have to have been a BMW. (Now, it's more like a BRZ to add to the TSX! )

mmafighta

Who the hell said I was looking @ the IS before buying my TSX?

I was cross shopping between the 3 series and the 1st generation TSX. My initial plan was to sell my old G35 coupe for a CPO 08 335i sedan...But the price was way too high, around 38K....(This was back in June of 2008, certainly you can find 08 335i's with low miles for under 32K out the door) And the BMW dealership gave a such low ball offer on my G35, like 8grand trade in, I thought might as well keep the fucking thing. So the bimmer was off my list of choices. Then I was looking @ the brand new A4's the FWD version 2.0T...But it was over 37K+ with navigation and the whole shabang so I said Fuck German luxury.

Then my choices narrowed down to two, the 1st gen or the brand new 2nd gen. Decided to go with the 2nd generation because I thought it looked and drove better and the dealer I went to gave me a ridiculous price @ the time, full option 32K OTD! I signed the paper, and have racked on 80K miles since then I also remember my cousin giving me shit for choosing the 2nd gen because he thought it looked ugly. couple years later, he changes his mind and thinks my car looks better than the 1st gen. Thats right.

mmafighta

also I realized how shockingly fast Nissans/Infinitis depreciate in just matter of years.

something like 40-60 percent down from retail just in 3 years? I'm not saying my car is the most reliable because it isnt, but it certainly aint some poorly built 90's ford car either.

ed_423

i would have def. kept the g35 coupe, love that thing haha. why did you trade it in? gas? new car itch?

Euronoob

I don't think I would've minded a IS250... I love the tinge of blue in the pearl paint. Not like I'd keep it stock anyways so it doesn't matter about the stock look to me :P

tobwac

everyone drives a4, 3series and IS where i live i dont really see other TSX around so this was why i picked that car plus IS is been out for so long almost unchanged last thing was the price

Mr. NC

My neighbour had one....so we can't have 2 of the same cars right next to each other lolololol. It is smaller and does feel cheaper but rwd and a nicely proportioned body make it nice nonetheless. If the TSX had the same cut/"cute" butt of the IS + front wheels pushed to the corners I think it would look even sportier

I CU2

Cost would probably have to be one of the major things separating the Accord Euro to the IS250 in our market. It's about $40k for a Luxury Accord Euro (Same as your base TSX, except for added little things like 18" stock rims, premium sound system etc).

The base IS250 is about $62k here, compared with the top of the line Accord Euro at about 42k (i4 TSX w/tech) that's a difference of 20k! Not to mention the flagship being 84k (That's like two cars ~1AUD: 1USD).

Used, I could probably trade in my car for an older IS250 with higher km's but probably the age of the car would be my main concern as they've been out for a while and I don't want to buy it and have a new model coming out (I just wanted your guys opinion as they are in direct competition in the US market - or so I think?)

Our entire Accord Euro line here come standard with all 4 automatic windows, the 8 speaker premium audio system and a trunk lining cover. I'm not sure why Acura didn't have them included standard as it is marketed as a Semi-luxury vehicle in your market and to Honda Australia it's just a competitor to the Camry/Mazda 6 here. Strange...

blutsx

The IS Rear legroom feels like half of TSX's... When sitted comfortably in the front seats. TSX is 4k cheaper (TSX Tech Package vs. IS Base+Navigation).

gonzo08452

Now if only Lexus offered an IS250 wagon w/ awd......

MrOtocinclus

I hate pedal parking brakes, I gotta have a hand brake, and IIRC the IS has the former.

CAgine

Uh what bmw dealer did u go to..? offering 38K for an used 335i?

mmafighta

I still have it. I was about to offer it in the trade, but the stealership lowballed me hard. The car has 84K miles currently.

Wanted to find something a little more fun, better mpg, and better built. And it was breaking down on me gradually. Thought about scing it, but was advised from doing that, as it shortens the life of the engine, and major problems ensues with the 04-06 G's.


They pretty much start @ 40K....The 4door 335i I was looking only had 6000 miles..But come to think of it, those guys were assholes. unfortunately my timing for looking for a new car was months before the economy took a dump (I'm not gleeing over this tragic event btw). Probably would be on the bimmer forum right now, if I had wait a little later before buying the tsx.

I CU2

10*

aznpapaya

One of the main reason why I didn't want to buy the IS, since they introduced the new body style and have already incorporated it to their GS and RX, they should be releasing the a IS and ES soon. I was hoping to switch back to the IS after the 3rd gen been out for a couple years.

BTW, my IS had 13 speakers( I didn't have the premium package just the base) and it didn't get blown every couple months

CU2011

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2009/...ior/trunk.html

what do you mean?

ed_423

^ when you peak inside the trunk

opboarding

Just a little peek though.

PyroDave

not a big peak.

aznpapaya

if you look inside your trunk at the "roof" there is nothing covering it. The IS has a lining that covers it and make it look nice

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55999657@N04/7373911288/http://www.flickr.com/photos/55999657@N04/7373911288/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/55999657@N04/, on Flickr