1 Year Review of My IS500

Toyota Division and International Models Forums Lexus
1

Hi Toyota Forum… I’m back with a 1-year update of my IS500. My 6-week and 3-month updates were pretty popular, so I thought it was only natural to post again at the 1-year mark.

Things I Love: It’s the perfect daily driver for what I need it to be. Comfortable and feels luxurious in fit and finish and ride quality. I also love the peace of mind driving a Lexus has given me regarding reliability and low maintenance cost. The 5.0L V8 engine along with my cat-back exhaust keeps me smiling every day. Here’s a clip: https://imgur.com/a/UHajbM2

Things I Like: It may not be as flashy or special as my previous car, but I enjoy not feeling like I’m average traffic. In this year of ownership, I’ve only seen TWO other IS500s, while I’ve lost count of how many M340is, S5s, and C43s I’ve seen. I’ve also received way more compliments on this car than my last one, which is odd since I thought the last one was way more special.

Things I Don’t Like: While I love the linear power delivery of the NA V8, I do miss the low-end torque of a turbo, especially for overtaking in traffic. It often feels like I have to give it everything just to merge or pass someone. Once it gets going, it really takes off, but the front-end weight and softness in the chassis contribute to this feeling. Similarly, while I enjoy the interior quality, I wish for more aluminum and carbon fiber instead of plastics and pleather.

Things I Hate: My biggest complaint is the transmission. No sugar-coating it; it just sucks. It’s always trying to be in the highest gear, and even in manual mode, shifts are slow. This really detracts from the sport sedan experience. In Eco and Normal modes, that makes sense, but even in Sport+, the transmission feels sluggish and isn’t as smooth or refined as its competitors.

In Summary: This car excels in some areas but struggles in others. It will never match the German competitors in terms of dynamics, but I don’t think that’s what Lexus aimed for. It’s a fantastic luxury cruiser that prioritizes comfort and emotion over pure driving dynamics. Honestly, if AMG would bring back the 3.0L V6 for the C43, I might choose that path. But in a market flooded with 4-cylinder hybrid powertrains, the IS500 stands out in a crowd.

1-year-review-of-my-is500-v0-bruv9hdja1xe1
1-year-review-of-my-is500-v0-bruv9hdja1xe11080×1799 393 KB

3

Every time I mention the awful transmission in my RC F, people act like I’m not driving it correctly. I feel your pain.

4

Bret said:
Every time I mention the awful transmission in my RC F, people act like I’m not driving it correctly. I feel your pain.

RCF owner here; I understand. But honestly, Sport+ helps a lot.

5

@Asher
Sport+ certainly helps, but I often switch back to Sport mode for the extra two gears. Eco and Sport+ are the only two modes I find predictable.

6

Bret said:
Every time I mention the awful transmission in my RC F, people act like I’m not driving it correctly. I feel your pain.

Not a V8 owner, but I agree about the sluggish transmission in my 350. It’s definitely this car’s Achilles heel.

7

Bret said:
Every time I mention the awful transmission in my RC F, people act like I’m not driving it correctly. I feel your pain.

Someone suggested communicating with the transmission through the pedal. I don’t own a car, but I think Lexus cars could definitely benefit from a sportier transmission.

8

I completely agree about the transmission. The car excels at slow speeds or going really fast, but it refuses to do anything in between. After driving numerous German cars, this transmission feels like it came from a dump truck.

9

@Quinlan
Perfect analysis. Great for stop-and-go and great when flooring it in manual mode, but awful at everything else.

10

Just for fun, are you shifting at heavy throttle or wide open throttle? The car responds best when you’re really pushing the pedal.

I came from a Scat Pack with a ZF transmission. I think people who complain about the IS500’s transmission are a bit overdramatic.

11

@Milo
It’s a slush box until you really get into it, then it snaps off downshifts and upshifts.

12

Jin said:
@Milo
It’s a slush box until you really get into it, then it snaps off downshifts and upshifts.

You have to just tell the auto transmission what to do through the accelerator in my old Camry.

13

@Lesley
Same thing with a GS; it takes getting used to.

14

Zander said:
@Lesley
Same thing with a GS; it takes getting used to.

Is that why my GS feels so lazy under normal driving?

15

@Milo
Agree that at wide open throttle it’s okay (not smooth at all). Coming from a C43, the difference is stark and is definitely my least favorite aspect of the car.

16

Ashby said:
@Milo
Agree that at wide open throttle it’s okay (not smooth at all). Coming from a C43, the difference is stark and is definitely my least favorite aspect of the car.

To each their own.

17

Could someone explain the difference between the IS500 and GSF? They seem to be pretty much the same car.

18

Wyatt said:
Could someone explain the difference between the IS500 and GSF? They seem to be pretty much the same car.

Same engine, yes. But the GS-F is on a different level with its interior materials and suspension tuning. It’s also larger.

19

@Junita
GSF is a track-ready car with better rear end steering, larger capable brakes, and built-in engine oil and transmission coolers. The IS500 is just a basic IS with a larger motor. ‘F’ means more than just a motor.

20

@Vaughn
It’s a complete car on its own—mixes elements from other models and adds its own features, if I remember correctly from the Savagegeese video.

21

@Vaughn
Agreed.