Head-to-Head Showdown: 2006 BMW 330i vs. 2006 Lexus IS 350

Convenience. Design. Comfort. The 2006 Lexus IS 350 wins each of these categories. Could the previously infallible BMW 3 Series actually suffer a shutout? Maybe, but not here. That’s because the last category for judging, the driving experience, goes to the 2006 BMW 330i, though the final tally was surprisingly close. The BMW offers better steering. The Lexus offers lots more horsepower. The BMW offers better handling. The Lexus offers paddle shifters. The BMW offers the much less intrusive Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system. The Lexus offers, well, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM), a system that steals from Fun to pay Safety. The result is a Lexus that cuts power too early, triggers flashy warning lights, and diminishes your role in making driving decisions. With DSC, the BMW 330i gets drivers through hair-raising corners with equal security, though it does so while providing more throttle, braking, and steering control. That’s a serious issue for enthusiasts, and when coupled with the BMW’s superior handling, it pushes the 330i over the finish line first.

2nd Place: 2006 Lexus IS 350

Sometimes it’s about more than horsepower. Blasphemy. Crazy talk. Whatever – it’s true, and a comparison test between a 2006 BMW 330i and a 2006 Lexus IS 350 is the only proof needed. The redesigned IS comes to play with 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque, numbers that trounce the BMW’s 255 ponies and 220 lb.-ft. of twist. And, let there be no doubt about the effectiveness of the Lexus’ abundant power, as there’s bountiful low-end torque and gobs of passing power for those Autobahn runs. A six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters transmits the 3.5-liter V6’s output to the rear wheels. There’s also a manual mode using the shift knob on the center console. On paper, the Lexus seems the clear choice. But what a car promises on paper and delivers on the street can be quite different.

With more than 300 horsepower, the 2006 Lexus IS 350 feels downright potent, but it’s the engine’s supporting cast of characters that steal some of the car’s thunder. Our editors were mixed on the performance of the automatic transmission, with some praising the shift paddles while others complained about the system’s delayed shifts and the chintzy feel of the actual paddles. In routine city driving and when simply clicked into “drive,” the Lexus moves effortlessly through traffic, offering seamless gear changes and minimal wind and tire noise. However, push the sport mode button on the dash behind the steering wheel, and the transmission focuses more on quick power delivery at the expense of those silky shifts. At times, the sport mode can make the throttle feel jerky, as if the transmission can’t quite find the right gear.

Charged with reigning in the IS’s power is a braking system that is impressive overall, though is not without its quirks. Comments on the brakes included “driver feel is sacrificed and, with the slew of VDIM systems hooked to braking, there’s a definite disconnect” to “sometimes a little hard to modulate near full braking.” The brakes are effective and are generally well-modulated, but with all of the technology working behind the scenes there are scenarios, such as sudden stops, where the binders’ efficacy may surprise you. After a long run down a twisty mountain road those brakes lost a bit of their grip and started to fade. The BMW handled the same run with no noticeable fade.

Lots of power and effective brakes are great, but if you’re like us, you want to know how this sports sedan handles on challenging back roads. Simply put, the 2006 Lexus IS 350 is a hoot when pushed…just not as much as the BMW 330i. But, ooohh, it’s close. Under aggressive driving conditions the body remains balanced, exhibiting little body roll and neutral cornering. The beefy 18-inch Dunlop Sport Maxx tires grip well, but screech under duress, and the steering does an excellent job of absorbing bumps, even in the middle of corners. Steering is nicely weighted and responsive with no dead spots, and the engine’s power delivery is linear, except for when the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system kicks in.

VDIM controls the stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, and various braking components, making it worthy of kudos for safety but it gets big time demerits for pulling the fun rug out from under the IS’s driver. Beneficial as it may be, all of that VDIM technology robs the driver of power in hard corners, as beeps sound and warning symbols illuminate the dash to indicate that handling limits are being approached. As VDIM takes charge by adding some brake pressure here and lessening a smidge of throttle there, a driver can be left dead in the water when exiting a corner as the IS’s computer catches up. Picture coming out of a turn, knowing that a maniac in a BMW 330i is barreling along right behind you, only to find that a solid plant of the throttle as you pass the apex of a corner does nothing. That’s VDIM at its finest, much like systems offered by countless other manufacturers. However, BMW lets drivers dance a little closer to the edge of safety before taking over, an important factor appreciated by driving enthusiasts.

1st Place: 2006 BMW 330i

For such a conservative looking car, the 2006 BMW 330i packs a helluva lot of fun. Some may guess that the high grin quotient is due to the BMW’s tight steering, unrelenting power delivery, infallible brakes, relatively unobtrusive stability and traction control systems, smooth gearbox action, or unflappable suspension. And they’d be right. It’s true that the 330i rides a bit stiffer than the Lexus and provides an interior that is several degrees shy of lukewarm, but that is all forgotten when traffic subsides and the twisty roads ahead start calling. Excessive speeds come quick and easy, though drivers of the IS 350 will notice better throttle response at takeoff. Transmission shifts are smooth, smoother in fact than the Lexus when switched into sport mode. Keep the throttle planted, and the 330i pulls hard to redline, remaining composed as the needle spins across the tachometer. Impressive, but not any more so than the Lexus. In the corners is where the BMW is most alluring and shows its mettle against the IS 350. It’s in the hairpins and blind, decreasing radius turns where the driver can fully appreciate tremendous grip, steering that is as precise as it is responsive, brakes that provide excellent feedback, and vehicle control systems that keep the car on the right side of the double yellow while still allowing the driver to hammer the throttle when necessary. The Lexus IS 350 looks fast and has lots more power, but it’s the 2006 BMW 330i that glides through the hairiest of twisties like water through a straw.

Those corkscrew back roads are great fun, but in reality most drivers will find themselves creeping along in workday traffic. The BMW 330i is fine for that, too, thanks to an active steering system that decreases the rotation of the steering wheel at slow speeds. A good example is a tight turn in a cul-de-sac – instead of twisting the steering wheel two or three turns lock-to-lock, active steering allows the front tires to be turned to full lock by rotating the steering wheel only half a turn. The system also makes quick and easy work of parallel parking. Road feel through the steering wheel is more pronounced in the BMW. Drivers who don’t like to know about every bump in the road may be better off with the Lexus.