The short answer
The IS350 has a much bigger engine, stronger brakes and smarter stability control. The IS250 is the calmer, cheaper car. The problem Dee sees on Nigerian roads is IS250 owners driving as if they had an IS350. If you want IS350 performance, buy the IS350. If you own an IS250, upgrade the brakes before the looks.
At a glance
- IS250: 2.5 litre V6, about 204 hp, about 8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, smaller brakes.
- IS350: 3.5 litre V6, about 306 hp, about 5.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, bigger brakes and VDIM stability control.
- Own an IS250? Spend on brakes and brake fluid, not grilles, lights and rims.
Which generation are we talking about?
The IS is the sportiest sedan in the Lexus range and has come in three generations. This guide covers the second generation, built from 2006 to 2013, the one you see everywhere in Nigeria. It had a facelift partway through, and the cars in our video were a 2007 IS250 (before the facelift) and a later IS350 (after it).
How to tell the facelift apart
- Headlamps: pre-facelift cars have xenon headlamps with no daytime running lights. Facelift cars add LED daytime running lights.
- Front bumper: the fog lamps change shape, becoming round on the facelift, which also adds headlamp washers.
- Mirrors: the facelift adds indicators on the side mirrors.
- Rear lights: the two versions have different tail lamp indicator colours, so the back of the car is a quick tell.
- Cabin: facelift cars get silver touches on the steering wheel and paddle shifters.
What is actually different under the skin
| Lexus IS250 | Lexus IS350 | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.5 litre V6 (4GR-FSE) | 3.5 litre V6 (2GR-FSE) |
| Power | About 204 hp | About 306 hp |
| Torque | About 251 Nm | About 375 Nm |
| 0 to 100 km/h | About 8.1 seconds | About 5.3 seconds |
| Gearbox | 6 speed automatic | 6 speed automatic |
| Front brakes | 2-piston calipers | 4-piston calipers |
| Rear brakes | 1-piston calipers | 2-piston calipers |
| Stability system | Standard stability control | VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) |
Both share the same chassis, double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, and ventilated discs. Figures are from our video; check the exact car and market you are buying from.
Inside, both are well equipped for their age: 10-way power driver and passenger seats, a sunroof, a screen with Bluetooth, and optional extras such as satellite navigation and a pre-collision warning. Whether the Mark Levinson sound system is standard or optional still divides owners.
Don't drive an IS250 like an IS350
This is the point Dee wanted every owner to hear. The IS350 reacts faster, stops harder and is kept in line by VDIM, which manages braking, stability and steering together. The IS250 has the same looks but smaller brakes and a simpler stability system. Driven hard, it simply cannot stop or hold the road like the bigger car.
Own an IS250? Upgrade the right things
- Brakes first: instead of spending on grilles, headlamps and new rims, put that money into IS350 brake calipers.
- Brake fluid: consider a higher-spec fluid, for example DOT 4 instead of DOT 3, so the brakes are less likely to fade from boiling fluid under hard use. Ask your mechanic what suits your car.
- Drive to the car you have: the safest upgrade costs nothing.
If you are still choosing between the two, work out the yearly running cost of each first. The IS350's extra power comes with higher fuel and running costs.