8 gears?? Auto-boxes are BORING. Shift changes up are fast, down the gears it sucks.

Car handles well, feels well planted and stable. Brakes felt a bit wooden.

Engine note is nice. I did notice a weird hissing sound as well though on acceleration. Below 3500rpm it is very docile, and you wouldn't notice the great big V8, but above 3.5, it comes alive.

Interior is pretty darn ugly. Driving position is wrong. The steering wheel is on a weird angle meaning i just couldn't get into the right position. The seats are excellent though, but the steering wheel angle throws it out of balance, hoping back into the M3 was like putting on your favorite glove, it just feels right.

Lack of options on Lexus' gives me the shits. Hideous interior leather options. Although its standard equipment is excellent.
Overall its a nice car, although boring. It just didn't excite me at all.

Would you get out of an M3 for one? Absolutely not. For me its nowhere near the car an M3 is.

RS4? Nope.

C63? Perhaps, but the engine in the C63 would keep you in there, although they are similar cars, the most similar out of that segment i reckon.

 

I would love to get an IS-F as a daily driver. To me its a compact quick reliable car that is probably cheapest to maintain out of the bunch. I agree it could never measure up to what an M3 or an RS4 in terms of handleing but in terms of reliabilty it being a low maintenence car it beats the rest

 

not a surprising review, it doesn't even have a bloody LSD. inexcusable in a car that is supposedly competing with the M3.

it's just ridiculous to me that cars like these don't even have the option of a manual transmission. for real driving enthusiasts that would make up for many shortcomings in other areas. just another car i would never even consider...

 

IS-F is alright, for the money much rather an RS4

 

If you would start to compare the ISF especially with the M3 it's a no brainer but I'm not talking about performance per se if you're looking for a small powerfull, reliable daily driver I would look no further than the ISF. Moreover the ISF is significantly cheaper than the German Trio and in terms of reliability the German cars are horid to say the least ( I'm talking about the Middle East)

 

I've heard nothing but excellent reviews in comparison to the M3/RS4 so it's interesting to hear you say this. Can't wait to get some seat time in one. So would you say it's more of an S4 rival?

 

... and did you borrow your dad's reunion suit walking in that showroom, giving the impression that you could actually afford an IS-F?

 

Maintenance shouldn't be an issue with these cars as they will all come with a comprehensive factory maintenance warranty, so that kind of becomes a moot point.

The price is one thing i didnt touch on. Down here the IS-F is 137,000NZD fully loaded, a comparable spec M3 is 170,000NZD which is very similar to the RS4. The C63 is a little more expensive, but i cant remember its price exactly.

So its cheaper than the German rivals, but, it just isn't there. Especially against the RS4 and M3. It isn't nearly acomplished enough.

And the lack of a manual box, and 8 gears, who the heck needs 8 gears, definatly hurts it in my eyes.

 

Na I took a leap out of your book and brought a fake Panerai, to, you know, look the part.

Its a good car, if your looking for that kinda thing.

It is just way, way to boring. And unlike the C63 ( which is a pretty average car in my view ) the engine in the IS-F can't make up for it, like the C63's engine does.

Yeah that is a good way to put it, it is an S4 rival. It doesn't seem to have the cynamics to match the M3's etc.

 

Glad to see I'm not alone hating the IS-F, Lexus could've done something sooo nice, but just f'd up totally. I mean just look at it? The "IS" body has tons of potential and yet they screwed it up.