^ When I worked at Honda, Majority of Civic customers were getting into HRV's and CRV's so it doesn't surprise me that the same is happening for Mazda.

i'd say bring on the hatchbacks/cuvs/trucks



:fuckthatshit:

Cx-3 is mazda 2 based
cx-30 is mazda 3 based

According to US sales CX-30 (13,430) has sold more than Mazda 3 (12,978), but the cx-3 (3,757) has sold less.
https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/pre...sales-results/

Not as much in Canada though, cx30 at 2400, mazda 3 at 3877 YTD
http://en.media.mazda.ca/2020-06-02-...s-for-May-2020

I'll chime in here since I have a 2018 IS300 F-Sport RWD (with the 8AR-FTS 2.0L turbo). Gf and I are huge Lexus fans, and we're on the side of loving their styling, as it pertains to the polarizing two extremes of people who either love or hate Lexus styling these days.

Some notes from my ~2yrs of ownership thus far (plus observations with/without JB4 and CAI)

Pros:

• Excellent chassis, car feels planted and lively through the corners
• Communicative steering that isn't overly light
• Really great interior fit and finish/materials
• Decent power and torque to get around, doesn't feel slow (JB4 makes a HUGE difference in low-mid range torque and CAI make motor pull much harder to redline)
• Very refined engine especially for a 4cyl
• Subjective but nothing else looks like it on the road, really stands out

Cons:

• Front alignment settings make front tires wear out super quickly (known issue on F-Sport cars). I've installed RCF front LCA bushings which supposedly help alleviate the overly pliable standard LCA bushings/dynamic toe issues, but at that point my tires were already worn out (only around 30k and front tires are almost bare, rear tires have plenty of life left)
• Gas mileage with/without tune is pretty terrible under boost, avg around 12-13L/100km mixed highway/city without any spirited driving, throwing it in eco and keeping it mostly out of boost nets around 10L/100km under the same driving conditions
• 8AR-FTS motor has a known/well-documented weak boost vacuum regulator issue (TSB but no recall) that will cause severe boost fluctuations and make the car rock back and forth when accelerating (I'm currently experiencing this issue). Some people on Lexus forums report having that part replaced 3-4 times as even the improved part plus revised hose routing causes the same issue
• Rear trunk opening is kind of small/not tall enough
• The 8spd auto trans has the most horrific shift logic I've ever experiencing in any car of any sort, gear changes can be super jerky and it constantly hunts for gears all the time in an attempt to keep revs low/save gas. Throttle response can also be dangerously slow, sometimes up to a 1.5 second delay from when your foot mashes the gas to when it changes gears and start accelerating. This is particularly concerning when making left turns where there's ample space to make the turn, but because the throttle is so slow to respond sometimes that the safe space disappears once your car starts to move
• The fake engine noise sounds horrible, but if you turn it off, the motor is almost silent, however you are able to adjust the volume through a knob
• Will be a con to some, but audio controls/software are pretty archaic and I still have the tiny old screen and there's a ton of lag in the software, not a big deal to me cause I hate massive touchscreens in cars and wish everything still came with a cool 1DIN radio

For those that are saying boohoo another refresh of the same shit from 2013 lame blah blah etc. - YES it's the same "New N" chassis, now with that being said, it still drives very nicely, and I have no doubt that with the significant chassis and suspension revisions that Lexus made with this 2021 model, it will drive spectacularly. I read in the press release that they did in fact make some shift logic changes to the 8spd, so hopefully that will fix some of the deal breaking issues of that transmission. Also, for anyone who's sat inside an IS, the interior works really well, and same as the 4Runner/Taco, it's the same "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality, and for once I must agree with Toyota/Lexus. It's a godsend to me that I can still get a car without a disgusting supersized iPad in the centre console.

I'm still undecided if I want to get the 2021 model, since the F-Sport is now only offered on the IS350 (which in Canada only comes with AWD with the antique 6spd auto), which means the price will most likely be south of $60k, which means it's getting into M-Sport territory...

For me, it's the opposite feelings.

I've owned 4x ISxxx

2x IS300 (both 2003), 2006 IS350 (Had it for 3.5 years), and I currently own a 2008 IS-F
I have driven a 2015 IS350 for about 3 days (I had it as a loaner while doing recall notices on my 2006 IS350)

To the point, I like the new styling, but the engine needs to be gone. The IS is now well behind it's competitors, in tech and power.
2006 = 306hp
2021 = 311hp

WTF is this.

Unrelated, but you wouldn’t happen to have a GarageFive plate frame on that IS and a 3 series cabrio with Studie badges (and weeb content), would you? If so, we might be building neighbours soon :lol

I think we value similar things in a car. We test drove the crop of entry level luxury sedans in 2014 and came away liking the IS350 the most short of the infotainment. The RWD Fsport was the best drive of the bunch and it probably still is. The AWD models were not nearly as good, and that stupid hump was weird.

We test drove the IS200t when it showed up and came away unimpressed.

Thinking back to the IS350 test drive, and comparing to the my M3, I think the IS350 drove better, but obviously the M3 is more capable in every way.

If you are getting 12-13l/100km with the 4cyl, I don't think the IS350 would be worse at all.

Considering the improvements made on the car, it seems like doubling down on the strengths on handling while doing nothing to mitigate the shorts in the drivetrain.

Yeah the interior is old, but it's still one of the nicer interiors. The new G20 has a great looking interior, but the material choice is suspect. Ditto the C class with it's photogenic interior, but plastics in person.

Yes those are my cars! I just moved from Richmond to Vancouver around a week ago though. You wouldn't happen to have a collector-plated W210 wagon would you :badpokerface:?

It's a shame you can't get an IS350 in RWD configuration in Canada anymore. We weren't able to test drive the IS300(200t) before we got it but we did test drive a fully loaded IS350 F-Sport Series 3, and man I gotta say that 6spd trans is a letdown, completely ruins the car. Sure it shifts smoothly, the gear ratios are essentially manual gear ratios, but in a car with an automatic transmission with more than 300hp, trying to justify the lack of gears by saying that it's geared like a manual doesn't make any sense at all.

That's why as much as gf and I love Lexus, their current lineup just doesn't really make much financial sense to us. We test drove the UX250h three times, trying to get ourselves to like it (because we want a hybrid) but we just couldn't. The RC/IS in its current configurations don't really make much sense when you factor in all of the above that was mentioned regarding its "if it ain't broke don't fix it" stuff. We don't have babies yet so no need for a GX460 (I'll have one eventually for sure), and the RCF is out of our budget (and for the price of one, there are better/faster options).

So yeah...not sure if our next car will be Lexus anymore.

I think that wagon owner also has a clean white W124 sedan because it was in the same spot, right after the ramp. I drive a GS, parked across from you while you were charging your BMW :haha: I was thinking these are some RS-demographic cars as I parked... Those Studie badges caught my eye.

The Lexus 6-speed in the AWD is really slow to kick-down and yes, that hump next to my leg is quite annoying (also gets warm after spirited drives).

Before the reveal of the “new” IS, there were rumours of the 5.0 V8 dropping in as a F variant but it seems like that’s not the case. Other discussions call this IS a stopgap for the RWD platform that a Toyota is developing with Mazda, which will include a new inline-six.

Great write up Akinari! I'm not too familiar with anything 2014 and newer from Lexus so I appreciate the context.

I'm definitely not feeling this new design and I think it's extra sour with nothing major changing. More of a refresh. I wasn't too keen on the large grill style they went with around 2013(ish) with all of the their models and while I really like the current gen IS when it dropped, the grill still bugged me. I adore the LX570 and all of it's archaic tech and power plant but the grill is such a gut shot. The GS-F is too big to compare to the IS-F and everything else they offer is just kind of meh.

Still though, my love for all things Toyota/Lexus stems from focusing on depreciation and reliability with a splash of fit/finish and easy resale. There is a certain familiarity and predictability that comes with Toyota/Lexus that puts my mind at ease moreso than other brands, even though most other offerings have better styling.

Fingers (and toes) crossed for a new IS-F. I chased one since 2008 and now owning one it truly is God's chariot (I kid, but not really).

that trunk lid tail light even when one side gets hit replace the whole thing $$ :lol

Yes that owner does have a W124 sedan as well.

I'm trying to find a converter/adapter for the NEMA 14-50 outlet to a standard 5-15 outlet, so I can use my trickle charger in my own spots meant for an electric car.

it's a 3-piece
trunk has to open
https://i.imgflip.com/1jqcf8.jpg

They dropped the RWD I think after the 1st year. No one bought it in NA because you neeeeeed AWD for a bit of leaves on the road.

I'm a Toyota fan, and by extension a Lexus fan, but I'm getting the same feeling as you about their lineup. The RC is a frankenstein of a car. When we were looking for a babymobile the NX was on the radar but dropped off pretty quickly. The car felt too cramp, the interior did not work(somehow the IS does though, how'd they manage that?), it was way too slow. The RX was too expensive.

A lot of the current Lexus product are just poor rehash/redesigns of Toyota product.
The NX is the last gen Rav4, poorly executed
The UX is a the CH-R, which is a shit vehicle to begin with
The RX is a Highlander
The ES is an Avalon

They are killing the GS, the IS, while a good car needs a bit more than a reskin. If they could add valvematic to the 2GR-FSE that would be awesome.

Yeah I understand old Lexus cars were based on Toyotas as well, but they were the higher end stuff that Toyota of North America did not sell and were a step above what are pedestrian Toyotas.

/rant

PS: going to rant about how BMW has lost their way..... lol

I find the NX centre console to be extremely narrow/cramped. They designed it strangely by putting their signature hourglass-shape grille into the centre console. For me, that's why the NX interior feels so cramped. One of my gf's good girlfriends has a fully-loaded 2019 F-Sport NX, didn't like it much when I drove it.

It's interesting when you look at it this way, because it goes to show how far Toyota has come in terms of closing the gap between their non-luxury and luxury brands. While I'm not a fan of the new RAV4, it's a great crossover in every way. I personally am I massive fan of the C-HR and it's in my top 3 list of cars I may possibly get, looks really cool no doubt about it. I've driven the RX350L and didn't think it was worth the premium over the Highlander. The only car that MAYBE gets a pass from me is the ES, which is actually very well done and noticeably more luxurious than an Avalon.

Honestly I wouldn't be half as salty as I am if they let Canadians have the RWD IS350 with the 8spd auto. Their logic doesn't really make sense, because the IS300 (2.0T) is RWD and I've literally never ever seen one ever anywhere, so might as well drop this one off too :fuckthatshit:

*rants about how BMW has lost their way*

Only car I'd currently consider in their lineup is an X2 M35i because it's the closest thing they have in North America to a hot hatch and it's actually not priced too terribly. Don't even get me started on the 2GC, it's an abomination of a car, just when we thought the CLA was as nasty as it gets.

Never really figured out why it didn't work, but it just didn't. The last gen Rav4 is not a bad vehicle, I don't know how they messed it up so badly. When babymobile shopping we tried the last gen Rav4, it had one of the biggest trunks, back seats, and front seats. The NX is none of those, on top of the mess of a center console. The only thing nice about it was the gauges.


That's another angle of looking at it. I had a 1st gen Highlander because of my mom, the current Highlander is miles above in terms of build quality and material choice. The jump in interior luxury and comfort from the Rav4 to Highlander was really stark. The same though can be said from Corolla to Camry. But it just makes me feel like Lexus has not done enough to differentiate themselves from their cheaper siblings.

C-HR.... just get a Corolla hatchback :lol


Most current gen IS I see on the road are 350AWD. Maybe I just don't pay enough attention. I asked Tofu to look for a IS350 RWD F sport for me a few years back. I don't think one ever popped up.


M240 or M2? If we have the X2 we won't get the 1 series hatch, it's pretty much the same car. I don't understand how Mercedes could have had the CLA, GLA, and A class all in the lineup at the same time at one point.

I was waiting on the M2GC because it was rumoured to come. I am so glad I went and ordered a F80 M3. I would be crying if I knew what was coming was the current 2GC.

I loved it when it first came out, but now the more I look at it, the more I dislike it. Something about the roofline doesn't sit right with me, I think it's too high.

I don't want another coupe. I've actually never been a fan of 2-doors, but had no choice with my BMW cause I wanted a convertible. Something about having four doors proportionally just appeals more to me.

You want a 4 door convertible with room to spare?

Hyundai's got you

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...0kqiabxret.jpg

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...yrpi8gr35u.jpg

or diy...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6eoUutOsZoQ/hqdefault.jpg

You could get the Murano CrossCab

yea but that's a 2 door, he wanted a 4 door.

https://i.redd.it/v5vsxjvdipsy.jpg

I dunno mang if I was in the market for an Is hard to say no to wagons and AMG

https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/content...ON-HERO-MR.jpg

how did that hyundai pass rollover test?

It didn't Hyundai Australia cut it open to use for top-down shot. After it was sent to the crusher but not before some oddly satisfying photos. LOL

yea the light on the trunk lid is 1 piece it's gonna be more pricey to replace vs having to replace a smaller assembly on one side of the trunk if only one side is hit.