LEXUS GS vs LEXUS IS - IN-DEPTH COMPARISON!!! 

Thanks for your comment! Did the 2015 get the new gauge cluster or was it just 2016+?

@@sammygoris 2016 is when it changes.

agreed. the facelifted GS is ugly

@@sammygoris As mentioned by adnanhamdan, it's 2016 for the update. Toyota/Lexus is always behind on the gauge clusters and screen displays. They use what works and don't get on the new stuff bandwagon early. My car is nearly 8 years old and still looks/runs close to new. I have to admit, I keep the paint protection up big time and treat the leather to keep it fresh. A friend who is a sales manager for a dealer saw it last weekend and said it smells like a new car. I read the 2016+ cars seem slower to reviewers. Have no idea if this is true. 2015 moves well for "only" 306 hp. Not the quickest car I have owned (2003 modified Mustang Cobra plus several muscle cars when I was young) but it is fast enough for the street. Handles way better than the muscle cars did. EDIT: I have Continental Extreme Contact Sport tires and it's hard to get the car to break loose in corners unless I am really getting on it and turn traction control off. Adaptive suspension on the F Sport is great.

@@cliffvictoria3863 thanks for your thorough comment. Yeah I guess that’s where I don’t understand why they are slow with screens and gauge clusters. It’s software, the skies the limit. There is no additional reliability concerns, once you’ve got a screen in there, there is no additional complexity in improving the functionality of the screen. Take a look at the 2023 LS, the flagship sedan, the best that Lexus has to offer, yet its gauge cluster has the exact same functions as the 2014 IS. However driver assistance tech, I understand. There is a lot more complexity in it so I do get why Lexus is slower with that tech. With the 2016 and up, I believe it’s because of the 8-Speed over the 6-Speed and slightly less aggressive gearing ratios?

Absolutely - both are great cars!

Thanks! Very kind of you to say. Appreciate the comment!

Thanks for the comment. Yep the comfort of the GS never seizes to surprise me whenever I drive in it!

I do understand that they are targeted to slightly different markets, but I don’t think the feature differences still make sense. All of the IS’ competitors have electronic trunks, why would the IS not get one? Why world a more premium car like the GS have a dated gauge cluster? It has nothing to do with the markets they are targeting. Yes the IS is a more nimble car, but it’s not so track-focused that it would negate having a couple of extra seat adjustments? I highly doubt weight savings were the reason to not add further adjustments. I disagree with the HUD point - the whole point of a HUD is that it’s less distracting than having to glance down. That’s why fighter jets have HUDs in them. I work in an airline and we train the philosophy around HUD use. And all the other compact sport sedans have HUDs. I intentionally designed the video to say that some differences are justified, because of their different markets and I did not mark those differences against the car, becauseI do understand the different purposes of each car. I believe I was being very fair with that. The problems I have are around the unjustified differences between each car.

@@sammygorisi feel as though the differences may have been due to cost-cutting and trying to meet some type of budget, so they removed/used different versions for some things.

Thanks! Appreciate it! Hope it’s useful!

Yes, am, aware, and have studied this part of the car segment for a long time. I'm aware of compact, mid-size and full-size. Compact is always entry-level luxury, full-size is full luxury, and mid-size is somewhere in the middle. My complaints are about why some IS features aren't in the GS, which should just be a larger and premium version of the IS? And some features that are in the GS, should be in the IS, because they are not real 'luxury' features, they are just standard features. Why doesn't the IS get a HUD? A 2019 Toyota Corolla has a HUD and it's not even remotely a luxury car!

that's not true. ES is bigger than a GS, more comfort, more space, more of everything.ES is an Avalon equivalent nto a Camry.

Thanks man! Appreciate it!

I see where you're coming from, but I have taken those things into consideration. I tried (but maybe failed!) to clearly state that some things are premium features that you should only be available in a luxury mid-size sedan. I understand that. But in my opinion, across the industry standards, SOME of those things should be available on a luxury compact sedan. Look at how many luxury compact sedans come with HUDs? Look at how many luxury compact sedans come with powered trunks? Look at how many luxury compact sedans come with heated rear seats/3-zone climate? My friend's Hyundai i45 even comes with heated rear seats! The fact that the 2IS was industry-leading but the 3IS is industry-lagging? Do those expectations seem strange to you? Bear in mind that there were also plenty of things that I said that I will accept won't be as good in the GS too, I wasn't against every decision that was made, but just a small number of key things. Please also read the comment in a light-hearted conversational tone, not trying to sound argumentative but hard to capture my tone in a comment!

IS starts around 40k which is lower than many of its competitors,. At that starting price you should expect some cost cutting. For the IS that was the non power trunk and power side mirrors. I used to drive the 16 IS and now I drive a 18 GS

The GS is rear wheel drive just like the IS. The ES is the one that is front wheel. The GS and IS are essentially the same cars underneath, just the GS is stretched out and rides better. I own one and it's a much more premium experience than the IS. The only thing the IS has on it is the looks but you them around every corner. Plus the 350 motor is harder to find in the IS as opposed to the GS where almost every used one has it. I'm pretty sure the GS250 was never sold in America, only the 350.

Thanks for your comment! Yep some good points you raised. See if I filmed this video like a few months back, I would’ve leaned slightly more in favour of the GS! I’m really on the fence. That’s definitely a point I thought of after too about there not being as many GSs, they’re more rare. I’m saying that, at least in NZ, Lexus is still fairly rare compared to BMW, Merc, Toyota, Ford etc. I do really like the space of the GS too. And I do wish I did say a bit more about how most people don’t like the PFL non-F GS, but there are some people who prefer the simpler looks of the larger grille etc, and I respect that. In the end I had to rush the video a bit because it was getting really windy! But yeah to each their own, too very great cars and different pros and cons and at the moment slightly more leaning towards the IS! Haha that’s quite funny about Elon musk! Made me laugh! Have a great day!

@@sammygoris Thanks for the detailed response I appreciate it. Just to reiterate I loved the video it was very well done. I'm not very typical as I would actually prefer an ES to an IS and I know that's a rare opinion. I respect the ES's cushiness and overall comfort over the IS's tight and cockpit like feel. I know most who care about cars like the IS more, but I'm unusual that way. I'm definitely glad I have a GS though, I feel it has a great balance between sportiness, comfort, and luxury.

Hey man, I'd definitely go for the GS if you're 6'2. If you got an IS, there would be virtually no backseat as it's pretty tight. I'm short so it's not so bad for me. You could get an ES, but the ones around the same price range as a pre-facelift GS are fairly ugly. The GS looks a lot better. If you have the money then I'd get a 2020 ES or something, but again that's a different price bracket. Hope that helps!

In fact IS has more head and legroom of the 2 at the front.

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Hi there, I purchased mine from CAR-ACT. They were really helpful. I ordered a couple together with the friend which drastically brought the shipping prices down. Services was really good too and really good communication and after-sales support