Compare the2024 Volkswagen Golf RVS 2023 Lexus IS

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Golf R’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The IS doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Golf R. But it costs extra on the IS.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Golf R has standard Rear Traffic Alert with automatic braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Rear Cross-Traffic Braking costs extra on the IS.

The Golf R’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The IS doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Golf R and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

Warranty

The Golf R’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the IS’ (7 vs. 6 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Golf R for 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the IS (2/20,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are almost 3 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Golf R’s warranty.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Golf R’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the IS’ engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Golf R’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the IS’ camshafts. If the IS’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Golf R DSG is faster than the IS 500 5.0 DOHC V8 (automatics tested):

	Golf R	IS
Zero to 60 MPH	3.9 sec	4.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	10 sec	10.4 sec
Quarter Mile	12.5 sec	12.8 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Golf R gets better mileage than the IS:

			MPG
Golf R
AWD	Manual	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/28 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
IS
	Auto	5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
AWD	Auto	350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Golf R Automatic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The IS doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Golf R uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The IS requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The Golf R offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The IS doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Golf R offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The IS doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Golf R Automatic’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The IS doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Golf R’s brake rotors are larger than those on the IS:

	Golf R	IS	IS 500 Performance
Front Rotors	14.1 inches	13.1 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.7 inches	12.7 inches

The Golf R stops much shorter than the IS:

	Golf R	IS
70 to 0 MPH	151 feet	159 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	117 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Golf R’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the IS 300’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Golf R has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the IS 300.

Suspension and Handling

The Golf R handles at .99 G’s, while the IS 500 Performance pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Golf R executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the IS 300 AWD (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 25.9 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

Chassis

The Volkswagen Golf R may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Lexus IS.

The Golf R is 1 foot, 4.5 inches shorter than the IS, making the Golf R easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Golf R has .3 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

Ergonomics

The Golf R has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The IS doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Golf R and the IS have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Golf R is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The IS prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Golf R’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The IS’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Golf R’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The IS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Golf R to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The IS doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Golf R has a standard rear wiper. The IS doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Golf R has standard extendable sun visors. The IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Golf R has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the IS. The Golf R also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the IS.

The Golf R has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the IS.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Golf R has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Golf R’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The IS doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Motor Trend selected the Golf R as their 2015 Car of the Year. The IS has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Golf as the 2015 North American Car of the Year. The IS has never been chosen.