Lexus Enthusiast: Cross Country Road Trip with 2017 Lexus IS 300 AWD

[krew]

Hey there everyone,

I realize posting this in the main forum is an abuse of power, but I want to get everyone’s opinion about my next car.

My CT 200h F SPORT lease is up next month, and of course I’ll be replacing it with a new Lexus. The biggest consideration for the new car was upgrading — the CT has been a great little car, but it lacks the polish of a modern day Lexus. It’s a bit loud, the F SPORT suspension is jarring, and it lacks many of the features I’ve grown used to in testing the rest of the lineup. I want more of a luxury car this time around.

The RX was an early contender, but it’s too much vehicle for my three-person family.

There was the NX, but life is such that I could not wait for late-summer update, and I just can’t go with a vehicle that will be replaced in a few month’s time.

In the end, after many test drives with my wife, I’ve settled on an IS 300 AWD. I’ve mostly made up my mind regarding standard vs. F SPORT, but here are the two Canadian packages for your review:



As I mentioned, luxury is really important this time around, and in test drives I’ve found the IS F SPORT suspension a bit much. This pushed me towards the Luxury package, and really, the options are much better — rear sunshade, parking sensors, adaptive headlights, leather seats, power steering wheel, these are not minor options. I also like the standard grille better.

That said, I want to hear what everybody thinks about standard vs. F SPORT.

The next thing is color — there are two choices with the standard IS 300 AWD that I’m going between: Atomic Silver with Black interior, and Eminent White Pearl with Flaxen interior.






I figure this will be a pretty unanimous vote in favor of Atomic Silver, but I also thought EWP and Flaxen was a little more luxurious. My wife thinks it’s for a retiree.

If I went with F SPORT, there’s no contest — Atomic Silver with Rioja Red all the way.

So there we have it, an announcement of sorts. I obviously sound like my mind’s made up, but opinions were made to be broken. What does everyone think?

 

[James]

More luxury car...so you're going to buy the LC rt?!? I like F sport IS all day over regular but regular with atomic silver is a beauty.

 

[krew]

More luxury car...so you're going to buy the LC rt?!? I like F sport IS all day over regular but regular with atomic silver is a beauty.

Both @mikeavelli & @Gecko were teasing me, saying I should get an ES.

Atomic Silver is a great look on every Lexus.

 

[RAL]

Krew, I hope you choose the IS 300 AWD with the Luxury package!

IMHO ...
It is the perfect blend ... luxurious YET sporty!
Atomic Silver with Black is ... strikingly distinctive YET classically beautiful!
The new standard grille is ... aggressive YET refined!

I've had mine for over 2 months ... and have absolutely no regrets with the choices I made.
The more I drive the car, the more I love it! ... and I hope you and your wife do too!

It ... IS ... a Lexus!

 

[Tragic Bronson]

Came to suggest this, but we're 37 years too early

 

[Benito]

Is there really no driver's memory seat in that F-Sport package? I would go with the luxury package. You admit to preferring the appearance of the luxury package better and I think that the options are better on the luxury package as well.

I also predictably prefer the atomic silver and black.

 

[Gecko]

Atomic/Black luxury package!

 

[krew]

Is there really no driver's memory seat in that F-Sport package?

I can't believe this isn't a standard feature on every Lexus.

 

[mikeavelli]

Hey there everyone,

I realize posting this in the main forum is an abuse of power, but I want to get everyone’s opinion about my next car.

Am I the only one slightly turned on? hahahaahahah

You know me, F/F-Sport is life but I think for you, the luxury package makes sense.

Atomic Silver/Black

 

[PeterF]

ditto for the Luxury package and Atomic Silver/black. what an impressive vehicle!

 

[Brooks2IS]

Luxury Package, Atomic Silver. That's the exact IS I want myself.

Agreed... All Lexuses deserve memory seats and a power tilting/telescoping steering wheel. These features make a difference!

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Luxury package and Atomic Silver / Black. No question. It's not a Lexus without a tilt/telescoping wheel. The clearance and backup sensors are also something I literally rely on multiple times a day to keep my LS scuff-free, and auto-dimming mirrors are great for nighttime driving.

 

[mikeavelli]

In retrospect why does sport and luxury have to be so stark....surely people in a F-Sport want some of those features...

 

[Ian Schmidt]

In retrospect why does sport and luxury have to be so stark....surely people in a F-Sport want some of those features...

I was a bit put off reading krew's list by how much luxury you give up going F-Sport. F-Sport should add sportiness, not subtract luxury.

 

[corradoMR2]

Well my preferences are with F/FSport purely on the sportier looks and better handling but from a value standpoint it s***s. You get so much more with the Luxury package already mentioned above plus genuine wood trim vs plastic faux cf trim in the FSport.
P
As for color, I'm in the minority. I dont like Atomic Silver as it's conservative to my eyes. The beige tones dont gel with me but the depth and lustre is outstanding.

Krew: I love my IS 300 AWD but like the 250 awd , it's a hog on gas. 12L/100km mixed city/hwy on premium fuel, far from the 5.2L/100km I averaged with the CT. Miss this fuel economy but the IS is a more engaging and refined ride.

 

[GSCT]

Krew, I have to agree with your wife on the "old man tan" interior, but other than that, whichever one you get, how can you go wrong?

 

[krew]

Thanks to everyone for weighing in on my new Lexus purchase -- there was a very clear winner, even though I admit to having pretty much made up my mind before posting.

I have reserved a 2017 Lexus IS 300 AWD at the OpenRoad Lexus Richmond dealership in British Columbia -- it's the full Luxury package in Atomic Silver, with black leather interior and a ton of features.

Just as we did with the CT, my family will be flying out to Vancouver later this month and driving home to Ontario over 10 days. This is going to be a special occasion, as my seven-year-old daughter will be traveling with us -- this will be her first major road trip, and my wife and I could not be more excited.

I'll expand more on the trip as we get closer, but here's a rough itinerary:

Richmond, BC -> Kamloops, BC -> Calgary, AB -> Billings, MT -> Deadwood, SD -> Sioux Falls, SD -> Kansas City, KS -> St. Louis, MO -> Columbus, OH -> Buffalo, NY -> Home

Anybody have some must-see stops along this route? I have everything pretty scheduled, but would love to hear any suggestions you have.

 

[krew]

As for color, I'm in the minority. I dont like Atomic Silver as it's conservative to my eyes. The beige tones dont gel with me but the depth and lustre is outstanding.

Krew: I love my IS 300 AWD but like the 250 awd , it's a hog on gas. 12L/100km mixed city/hwy on premium fuel, far from the 5.2L/100km I averaged with the CT. Miss this fuel economy but the IS is a more engaging and refined ride.

I feel like Atomic Silver is just in the middle -- not quite conservative, not quite crazy like USB (which I love as well). Perfect world, and I get Obsidian or Caviar every time. Problem is the dirty winters and the dusty summers, I can't be cleaning the car all the time and I don't want to look like a slob either. Atomic Silver just absorbs all that and still looks good.

As for gas, it is what it is. We've got a Prius in the family as well, which my wife drives. That's our family out-and-about car. Through the week, I barely leave the house -- to busy reading and writing about Lexus.

 

[krew]

This may be obvious, but last week I traveled to OpenRoad Lexus to pick up my new Lexus IS 300 AWD and am currently driving the car back home to Ontario.

I'll have a larger story coming once I get home, but I wanted to share a couple photos of the new car: