bmw 330ci vs lexus is300

the bmw 330ci is the is300s competitor right? anyways, whichever one it is, has anyone driven both cars? how was its steering, and everything about it? or if anyone has opinions on it, what do you think? looks, and performance wise.

the beemer is slightly faster, but it is down to taste really on this one, they are both very, very good cars.

personally id rather have the german quality.

No contest for me. 330Ci superior in every way.

bmw no question. from looks, to performance, to driving dynamics, etc. the lexus can't hang. although reliability of the lexus goes without saying. bmw? questionable. but i would take the 330 over the IS300 any day of the week.

BMW, has the IS completely outclassed, obviously/

Totally agree with you guys, the BMW 330CI is better in every arear in my opinion except for price.
The IS300 has very nice styling, but it now has become trendy and not as impressive, same goes with it's interior styling. It's performance once was very good, but now it is just average for it's class. The IS300 is a nice car, but it's competition has gotten better while it has remained the same. Hopefully the next generation IS300 will have a lot more power.

I've driven both, and I'd take the IS 300. The BMW has a better transmission and a more luxurious interior, but I just like the feel of the Japanese cars...they feel so down-to-earth.

Yea, the Lexus is easily outclassed. The 330Ci is about as close as you can get to the M3 right now. Easily my favorite car in this class. I've always found Lexus boring, especially compared to BMW. Lexus is really about luxury before performance, and therefore their cars struggle to compare to BMW. The Lexus was actually compared to the 325i in a recent Car and Driver comparo and the Lexus lost to the Bimmer, the Acura TL, and the Infiniti G35. So if it can't beat the 325i, it stands no chance against the even better 330Ci. Of course im biased towards BMW, but this is just one of those things where the winner is so obvious its not even funny.

Other good cars in this class that should be compared
1) Infiniti G35 (Sedan more comparable to the IS300, Coupe closer to the 330Ci)
2) Acura TL
3) Audi A4
4) Caddilac CTS

ive driven both bmw 330 has so much more on the lexus except the aftermarket

Eh, guess I'm the only one who likes the IS 300 more. I've never really liked German cars that much, though.

well from just reading magazines, the bmw is the better car in every way, but i know that you can improve a cars performance with some tuning. i think that the lexuses double wishbone suspension all around is more attractive than the beemers multilink rear/macpherson strut front setup. i really wanted to hear opinions from people who has actually driven both cars, and if you have, try to give as much detail as you can. i think that id like the bmw better if i drove both, but thats if its stock, the car will feel different after tuning. i wanna see how peoples opinions will compare to mine when i drive one.

does anyone know the steering ratio for the is300? i think the bmw has 15.4:1.

I've driven both, and I can honestly say that I think the Lexus has better handling and steering than the BMW. The IS 300 felt lighter on its feet, and the interior was more ergonomical and functional (function over form). Plus, I think the IS 300 looks ten times cooler than the BMW. Keep in mind that I'm only 18, not the typical Lexus/BMW buyer. The IS 300 just appeals to me a lot more; most Japanese cars do.

..... Keep in mind that I'm only 18, not the typical Lexus/BMW buyer. The IS 300 just appeals to me a lot more; most Japanese cars do.

with all due respect and nothing personal, but that statement right there answers a whole lot of questions. most people in the market for bmw's and lexuses aren't 18 years old. what does that say about the IS300?

With all due respect to your opinion that the IS300 has better handling, you would be pretty much on your own on that. Read almost any article comparing the two in any aspect. I know R&T and C&D have both said the 325i outhandles everything in its class. I have also drivin both, and the BMW is far superior.

330Ci > 325i > IS300

del: You're right, and that's why I said it. The IS 300 is not really meant to go head-to-head with the BMW 3 Series; it's meant to get younger clientele into Lexus dealerships. The edgy styling, the cool-looking interior, and the overall ride of the car are all meant to appeal to younger enthusiasts like myself. The BMW is better in just about every way, but it isn't meant to appeal to people my age. It's meant to appeal to older buyers who want a sporty, entry-level luxury sedan.

I drove the 330i Sport...and the 330Ci...and an IS300...I'll take a 330Ci Sport anyday over the IS300

Now the IS430...

the IS300 was ment to compete with the 323i...but since itz debut...BMW has came out with more models and the IS has stayed the same

i think youve got more tuning options with the is300 but if ur gonna keep it stock then i have to go with the bmw

i think youve got more tuning options with the is300

i personally think u have a lot more since it is the Altezza or IS200/IS300 in Japan...and they've created a lot of aftermarket for it there...

Like I said, the IS 300 is a different car than the BMW 330i. They both have 3.0-liter inline-six engines and they're both compact sedans, but they serve different purposes. The IS 300 appeals more to the younger crowd, whereas the BMW appeals more to the older, more refined crowd.

God kman, your starting to make me feel like an old man... and im only in my 30s. Your comments about how younger people like the IS300 make me think that well to do 20 year olds like inferior cars :)

As for tuning, theres a pretty good aftermarket for BMWs. Dinan, Active Autowerkz, AC Schnitzer to name a few.

Now the IS430, that sounds like competition for the new M3 coming out.

the is430 isnt coming out... toyota just hired a company to build it to get feedback and look at possibilities... there were no intentions of actually building it

Like I said, the IS 300 is a different car than the BMW 330i. They both have 3.0-liter inline-six engines and they're both compact sedans, but they serve different purposes. The IS 300 appeals more to the younger crowd, whereas the BMW appeals more to the older, more refined crowd.
Not really, BMW's biggest market for the 3 series, would have to be people 25-40, not necessarily old people at all. The IS200 (as we know it over here, due to it having a 2.0 I6) is predominantly driven by old folks over here, if at all (Not a very popular choice in the segment)

id be looking to modify the car, so stock peformance doesnt matter much. i wouldnt know which car id get till ive driven both myself, and when i do, ill keep in mind that the cars performance can be improved.

a cars performance has a lot to do with its tuning, like the bmw is tuned with sportier handling, the is300 has softer suspensions than the beemer does, and of course you can change this. i like the fact that the is300 uses double wishbone all around, it makes better for good ride/handling combination, and easier tuning. macpherson struts require more tuning or more effort for it to perform just as good as the double wishbone type, like you would have to add stiffer springs, and add more negative chamber. plus the double wishbone will still have a more linear chamber change. this is one of the reasons why the is300 got my attention, otherwise i would probably go with the beemer, but id still have to drive both cars to see how i like it.

Not really, BMW's biggest market for the 3 series, would have to be people 25-40, not necessarily old people at all. The IS200 (as we know it over here, due to it having a 2.0 I6) is predominantly driven by old folks over here, if at all (Not a very popular choice in the segment)

the is200 is an inline 4... im pretty sure u knew that, but just being picky :icon16:

Nope, she's definitely a six.

you could put in the 3sgte motor in the is300 right? i think the 2.0 in the is200 is a straight six with a pathetic 160 or something hp.

Though having repsect for Lexus, and no one jump down my throat, but it will never be a Beemer. The commercial says "the ultimate driving machine" for a reason. Outside of high priced exotic rareities i think it is pretty safe to say Germans make the best s*it... I'm not just saying this blindly, evryone knows german engineering has always been second to none. They have always had the best tanks, the best Einstein's, etc.

you could put in the 3sgte motor in the is300 right? i think the 2.0 in the is200 is a straight six with a pathetic 160 or something hp.
Well, condiering that teh Altezza in Japan uses a BEAMS 3SGTE, then yees, you most certainly could.

the 2.0 in the IS 200 is an inline-four, I thought...it makes 200 or so hp in Japan as the Altezza RS 200, but as the IS 200 it makes something like 160 :(

It's a six pot in Europe. chins! :p

Wow, a 2.0-liter inline-six...that's nuts. :)