Faults:

Sat nav toggle button came off while vacuuming the car's interior. It easily clicked back into place.

General Comments:

Last year I picked this car up at a dealership second hand, for the price of a new Holden Barina.

Like most luxury brands, this well cared-for, low-kms example was great value.

This car is very well-made, and even well after 100,000kms feels like a brand new car with no signs of wear or tear at all. The interior even smells like a new car, and has none of the usual signs of age like cracking leather, fading headliner etc.

It is very comfortable and smooth to drive. The engine is smooth, has got plenty of torque, and works well enough with the automatic gearbox.

Fuel economy is not fantastic, but I put that more down to my driving style and living in the city. On long distance highway trips, the economy is much improved.

Ride quality is great and the handling is sharp and involving. There is not much understeer and lots of grip available. There is some tyre noise at speed, but I suspect that's more to do with the quality of tyres fitted.

The only issue I have is that Lexus Australia never released these cars with a manual gearbox. I feel that this is the missing link between what is a fine car, and a great car.

Faults:

Navigation system will not allow keys to be pressed whilst the car is in motion, which is disappointing when you want the passenger to access the system.

General Comments:

The car drives very smoothly, with great responsive power when the acceleration is required.

However, the cabin is a little small and lacks head room. Also the leather seats are uncomfortable on long trips.

Faults:

A dark paint spot on the bonnet, fixed under warranty.

Rattles in the dash area.

General Comments:

Much much more reliable than my previous Audi A4 2.0 CVT, and doesn't consume excessive amount of engine oil like the Audi does. Much cheaper to keep and run than the Audi.

Quieter and comfortable, handles well although not quite up to BMW or Merc. Good equipment level, cooled and heated front seats. Nice and smooth engine + transmission. Suspension is on the soft side, but gives a comfortable ride. 2.5L engine is adequate, and only consumes around 8.5L of fuel around town at an average speed of 50km/h. Rear seats are comfortable, but leg room is not great.

Only complaint is the rattling and squeaking noise coming from the dash area and the moonroof in summer time. Front of the car is prone to stone chips, and the paint work is not as good as my previous Audi.

Boot is fairly small, and rear seats cannot be folded down.

Faults:

I have had the car for two months, so nothing so far. Hopefully it stays that way.

At 100K kilometres, this car still drives like new, and is immaculate!

General Comments:

This car handles very very well! One of the better handling cars I have had a pleasure to drive. A real driver's car; awesome steering feel and response. Best appreciated on twisty roads!

Performance is very good for what the car is. It is not that fast in straight line, but will match and beat most average cars on the road. My previous car was a twin turbo Soarer, so it is a bit of a step down in performance, however the average person won't be disappointed.

The 2JZ-GE engine is the atmo version of the Supra 2JZ-GTE engine. Essentially the same engine, but without turbos strapped on the side. It is possible to turbocharge this engine for only a few thousand dollars, which will make it a very fast car! Not only in straight line, but also on corners!

Comfort level is quite good. The seats are very supportive, and a bit firm, although they lack adjustable lumbar support. Surprising given the seats are electric (forward, back, up, down, bottom tilt, and back tilt). That is perhaps an oversight by Lexus, and it bothered me for a little while, but am used to it now. The lumbar support in the seats is quite good mind you, but you cannot adjust it.

Rear leg room is quite small, however this is a baby Lexus, so don't expect a limo.

The interior is styled in a way which suggests performance, rather than comfort. It is not a plush ride, but it is comfortable over bumps and uneven roads.

At 100K kays, the alcantara leather shows hardly any wear, which is good. Steering wheel and gear knob leather also show hardly any wear. The dash looks like brand new. No gaps between panels; everything sits in place.

Something that I noticed very quickly was that there is very minimal noise in the cabin. Not only from the outside, but also the interior trim is very well put together, and makes no rattles or any other noises at all, even over heavy bumps. The build quality of this car is just outstanding!

The Sports Luxury version of the IS300 is very well equipped. It comes standard with:

- Heated leather electric seats

- Powered sunroof

- GPS satellite navigation, that pops up from the top of the dash when needed, different to other manufacturers, but very cool

- Auto climate control, operated by dials however

- Auto HID headlights

- Electric windows/mirrors (with woodgrain in doors, made of REAL wood)

- Cruise control

- All safety features (ABS, TRC, EBC, VSC, 6 air bags)

- In dash 6 disc CD player, with 8 speakers, quite good

Plus few other goodies, bells and whistles...

Boot space is not too big; one big suit case and few smaller bags will fit alright. I had trouble fitting a bigger box once; I had to resort to putting it on the back seats. The actual boot lid is quite short.

Fuel economy is reasonable for a 6 cyl 3 litre engine. In the city I can cover about 550 kilometres on a 65 litre tank. That is 50% driving in heavy peak hour traffic too. The little economy gauge on the dash shows consumption at about 7-8 litres per 100 kays on the freeway at 100 km/h. I use the premium 98 octane fuel (BP Ultimate).

The IS300 is very classy, reliable, and comfortable. I am very happy with this car, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone (who doesn't need space for 3 kids and a dog of course) who appreciates attention to detail.

Daniel.

P.S. Over time I will update this review in the comments section.

Faults:

Absolutely nothing. The car was delivered new and has totally exceeded my expectations.

General Comments:

The Lexus has been an experience from the minute I stepped into the dealership.

The car is a joy. Fun to drive, great handling, willing engine and yet maintaining an atmosphere of luxury.

Having compared it to the Passat, BMW, X type Jag and small Mercedes the Lexus became my obvious choice.