Lately, I'm struggling...
05-07-09, 11:56 AM
#1
Lately, I'm struggling...
...as a Lexus enthusiast and this has probably been noticeable in some of my recent posts over the last few months. The 1998 GS was the car that made me an enthusiast and that was at 11 years old- ever since then I have been a Lexus finatic. With some of the recent moves that the brand has made over the last two or so years, I find myself increasingly concerned about how much longer my Lexus-loyalty will last.
Let me explain.
First off, I am admittedly a dash stroker. I think mmarshall and FKL are maybe the only other two people who come to mind who obsess over interiors like I do- right down to the gaps between panels, grain in the interior, and the sound the door makes when it shuts. Simply put, I feel like Lexus has slipped-substantially in some instances- in this area from where they once stood and interior quality has always been a Lexus core competency and high point for me. Here are my qualms:
1) Flat, shapeless, nearly-monotone hollow feeling door panels.
Now, getting out of interiors and looking at some of these cars as a whole, I am finding it really hard to be excited about Lexus anymore. In late 2005 the brand never looked hotter with the promise of new L-Finessed designs like the new IS and GS which both looked great at the time. We then got the ES350 which was certainly an improvement from the outside, and the LS which has been great, but since then things have gone flat. There really needs to be more emphasis on youthful and fun products, across the range. Yes we have the IS-F and thank god...if not the brand would probably start growing mold around the edges. However, the IS-F alone cannot float the image of the company.
The LS is great and certainly caters to an older crowd, but even the S and 7 with wheels and kits offered from the factory can elicit far more interest than the LS- even in Touring trim. This generation of GS really has largely been a failure and IMO, shows a very poor lack of planning and strategy. 300 to 350, 430 to 460, and 450h all in two years...umm...why didn't we have at least the 3.5L at launch when the IS did? Awful power steering, no sports package, weak advertising, etc. IS has been a great product, one of the bright spots in the lineup, but the 2.5L V6 has been left too long and is sorely spanked by the competition and there is no coupe version.
Looking at SUVs...The LX really lost it's luster this generation IMO. The exterior looks like a melting Highlander and the interior, while wonderful overall, is not to the same standard that the LX 470 was years ago. GX is still one of my favorites- handsome and strong with a great, high quality interior. The new RX is a sure improvement over the last, but it also gained 400 lbs and has an interior that, short of Remote Touch, is not as attractive as the old car with far less wood and tinny interior panels.
I can't figure out if Lexus even cares about adding more excitement to their lineup or if they are just slow to respond. If it's the latter there is really no excuse and their ignorance is showing as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have all moved quickly, every model year, to make changes to keep their products interesting. I know Lexus is conservative, they always have been, but the same old process of introducing a car, not touching it for two years, then refreshing it in the third simply won't work any longer- Lexus is being outpaced and out performed, significantly.
It's common knowledge that I hate the mock up HS with the styling inside and out of a Corolla, the Camry's hybrid system, and the Avensis platform. I found this utterly embarassing for The World's First Dedicated Luxury Hybrid. How about the world's worst luxury mockup? Having seen the ISc in person...that too is a disappointment. The body panels are feminine and chubby looking- nothing like the G or 3 convertibles. If these two products, as well as the RX, are an indication of where the brand is heading then I will surely be jumping ship for my next car purchase- likely to Infiniti or BMW. It doesn't seem that Lexus products are built to the standard that they once were and I mean this in terms of engineering, quality, and benchmarking. Has Lexus become complacent? Conceited? Or just conservative and cautious?
As brands like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and even Jaguar move to swiftly update, renovate, and invigorate their products and lineups Lexus is quickly being left in the dust IMO. I am not saying that they should chase the 1 series or the Q5 per se, but there are still plenty of markets that Lexus could venture into successfully. Unfortunately they have already failed with two of them- dedicated hybrids (HS) and ISc (Convertibles). So how about some coupes? How about a unibody 7 passenger SUV...the one that has been in the product pipeline but continuously delayed (I know this for a fact from sources within the company). The RX is a great grocery getter and the GX is a true off roader, but what do we have to challenge the X5 or Q7? Nothing. Or maybe coupes? How about something like a Merc CL? I haven't said anything about the poor SC that has clearly been left out to dry...though it's only redeeming quality is having the finest interior in the entire stable.
In conclusion to all of this I will say that Lexus needs to get back to building the highest quality interiors like they once did- this is practically what has made them famous. If they aren't going to do performance or fun-to-drive then at least please go back and get interiors right. Additionally, the company badly needs to infuse more excitement into the lineup. Yes the IS-F is a great step in the right direction but there is far more beyond that that needs to be established- IS coupes, GS coupes, sport packages for the GS and better ones for the IS and LS, a redesigned SC, maybe a roadster to compete with the SLK, Z4, and TT. Lastly, they need to move faster when updating products to keep them competitive. They announced a few years ago that they would be doing this, but I have yet to see the results. I love my GS but when you step back and look at Lexus in the late 90s and early 00s, compared to now...it sort of looks like two different companies and I am not so sure that I like the direction they have been taking lately.
Knowing this is a Lexus forum, I'll get my flame suit on and wait for replies.
Let me explain.
First off, I am admittedly a dash stroker. I think mmarshall and FKL are maybe the only other two people who come to mind who obsess over interiors like I do- right down to the gaps between panels, grain in the interior, and the sound the door makes when it shuts. Simply put, I feel like Lexus has slipped-substantially in some instances- in this area from where they once stood and interior quality has always been a Lexus core competency and high point for me. Here are my qualms:
1) Flat, shapeless, nearly-monotone hollow feeling door panels.
They showed up first on the ES 350 and then went into the LX, then RX, and now the HS. Lexus cars have always had somewhat decadent interiors with rich woods and colors abound. Every Lexus, except for maybe the IS300, has followed this rule. Now the door panels feel like they are made from rubbermaid containers with vinyl stretched over them. Knock on a door panel in the ES 350 or RX 350, even LX 570, and it sounds conspicuously hollow and thin. Additionally, why are the so flat? What happened to handles or pulls that had a little design to them? The RX and HS are by far the worst with no wood trim on the panel itself (yes, on the arm rest) and nearly monotone.
See the door panels here:
2) Wheres the wood?See the door panels here:
As I mentioned above, Lexus interiors have always been praised for lavish woods but evidently the interiors of most Lexus products are being de-forested at a rapid pace. The LX may be the most disappointing to me in this regard, with the RX and ES following closely behind. If I dish out $90K for a luxury SUV it better have enough wood on the interior to build a raft out of- yet the LX has far less than the old 470 it replaced. I don't mean wood all up the dash, around the nav, and around the vents like some cheap dash kit but I DO mean artfully worked into door panels, center consoles, some parts of the dash and in other well thought out, detailed locations. While not everyone likes wood I think it should be at least offered in all luxury cars and the amounts that Lexus is offering have become less, less, and less. The LS 460 somehow got away with a well-wooded interior but many of the other products are shedding wood at an alarming rate, IMO.
When you go from this, with plenty of wood and stitched leather:
to this, with a wallet sized patch of wood and hard plastic:
There is a problem, IMO. Especially considering the price increase.
Or even this:
to this:
3) Some of the plastics could be betterWhen you go from this, with plenty of wood and stitched leather:
to this, with a wallet sized patch of wood and hard plastic:
There is a problem, IMO. Especially considering the price increase.
Or even this:
to this:
While I don't really mind the current ergonomic layout of any of the models, I can see where some people call the center stack "plasticy" and too reminiscent of some Toyota offerings. The painted aluminum trim-look alike thing is getting sort of old and the buttons are becoming more and more. Remote touch looks like a great way to solve this dilemma but I recently went car shopping with a friend (Actually one of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, but that's another story) and she was trying to decide between the LS600hL and S600. Ultimately she went with the S because she thought the center stack on the LS was sort of cheap looking with plastic buttons up each side of the nav. Again, I really don't mind the current setup but I think it could be better. Maybe we'll have to wait to see how the next gen IS, GS, and LS integrate Remote Touch.
4) Still...funeral palettes are the only optionI don't want to go too far into this because I do every now and then in other threads, but the standard black, tan, and grey leather really just isn't cutting it. If I want a luxury car I want it to have different color options than a Toyota Yaris. Look at some of the rich and expensive looking colors that Mercedes and BMW offer. Every time I see a BMW with saddle or a Mercedes with the nearly-white leather I drool a little. How about more varieties of wood while we are at it too? The ES gets one, same for the RX. IS has two and GS has three. Go look at the options the Germans give you and then get back to me.
Things like this:
or
or even
Things like this:
or
or even
Now, getting out of interiors and looking at some of these cars as a whole, I am finding it really hard to be excited about Lexus anymore. In late 2005 the brand never looked hotter with the promise of new L-Finessed designs like the new IS and GS which both looked great at the time. We then got the ES350 which was certainly an improvement from the outside, and the LS which has been great, but since then things have gone flat. There really needs to be more emphasis on youthful and fun products, across the range. Yes we have the IS-F and thank god...if not the brand would probably start growing mold around the edges. However, the IS-F alone cannot float the image of the company.
The LS is great and certainly caters to an older crowd, but even the S and 7 with wheels and kits offered from the factory can elicit far more interest than the LS- even in Touring trim. This generation of GS really has largely been a failure and IMO, shows a very poor lack of planning and strategy. 300 to 350, 430 to 460, and 450h all in two years...umm...why didn't we have at least the 3.5L at launch when the IS did? Awful power steering, no sports package, weak advertising, etc. IS has been a great product, one of the bright spots in the lineup, but the 2.5L V6 has been left too long and is sorely spanked by the competition and there is no coupe version.
Looking at SUVs...The LX really lost it's luster this generation IMO. The exterior looks like a melting Highlander and the interior, while wonderful overall, is not to the same standard that the LX 470 was years ago. GX is still one of my favorites- handsome and strong with a great, high quality interior. The new RX is a sure improvement over the last, but it also gained 400 lbs and has an interior that, short of Remote Touch, is not as attractive as the old car with far less wood and tinny interior panels.
I can't figure out if Lexus even cares about adding more excitement to their lineup or if they are just slow to respond. If it's the latter there is really no excuse and their ignorance is showing as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have all moved quickly, every model year, to make changes to keep their products interesting. I know Lexus is conservative, they always have been, but the same old process of introducing a car, not touching it for two years, then refreshing it in the third simply won't work any longer- Lexus is being outpaced and out performed, significantly.
It's common knowledge that I hate the mock up HS with the styling inside and out of a Corolla, the Camry's hybrid system, and the Avensis platform. I found this utterly embarassing for The World's First Dedicated Luxury Hybrid. How about the world's worst luxury mockup? Having seen the ISc in person...that too is a disappointment. The body panels are feminine and chubby looking- nothing like the G or 3 convertibles. If these two products, as well as the RX, are an indication of where the brand is heading then I will surely be jumping ship for my next car purchase- likely to Infiniti or BMW. It doesn't seem that Lexus products are built to the standard that they once were and I mean this in terms of engineering, quality, and benchmarking. Has Lexus become complacent? Conceited? Or just conservative and cautious?
As brands like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and even Jaguar move to swiftly update, renovate, and invigorate their products and lineups Lexus is quickly being left in the dust IMO. I am not saying that they should chase the 1 series or the Q5 per se, but there are still plenty of markets that Lexus could venture into successfully. Unfortunately they have already failed with two of them- dedicated hybrids (HS) and ISc (Convertibles). So how about some coupes? How about a unibody 7 passenger SUV...the one that has been in the product pipeline but continuously delayed (I know this for a fact from sources within the company). The RX is a great grocery getter and the GX is a true off roader, but what do we have to challenge the X5 or Q7? Nothing. Or maybe coupes? How about something like a Merc CL? I haven't said anything about the poor SC that has clearly been left out to dry...though it's only redeeming quality is having the finest interior in the entire stable.
In conclusion to all of this I will say that Lexus needs to get back to building the highest quality interiors like they once did- this is practically what has made them famous. If they aren't going to do performance or fun-to-drive then at least please go back and get interiors right. Additionally, the company badly needs to infuse more excitement into the lineup. Yes the IS-F is a great step in the right direction but there is far more beyond that that needs to be established- IS coupes, GS coupes, sport packages for the GS and better ones for the IS and LS, a redesigned SC, maybe a roadster to compete with the SLK, Z4, and TT. Lastly, they need to move faster when updating products to keep them competitive. They announced a few years ago that they would be doing this, but I have yet to see the results. I love my GS but when you step back and look at Lexus in the late 90s and early 00s, compared to now...it sort of looks like two different companies and I am not so sure that I like the direction they have been taking lately.
Knowing this is a Lexus forum, I'll get my flame suit on and wait for replies.
05-07-09, 12:04 PM
#2
Good read and good points.
Unfortunately a lot of the non Lexus enthusiasts, loyal Lexus customers loves Lexus no matter what lol. My mom for instance, wants nothing but Lexus and every new model Lexus looks and feels better and better to her, she loves her new RX so much she would never consider anything thats not a Lexus, not Acura, not Infiniti, nada.
For her the interior of a new car is a new car, it looks good. The leather seats looks good, feels comfy, as long as its not black (she dislikes), she will love it, as long as there are some wood, she will oogle over how nice it looks. As long as the paint is metallic and high quality, she will adore how it looks under the light.
I think people like her represent the majority buyer of Lexus
Unfortunately a lot of the non Lexus enthusiasts, loyal Lexus customers loves Lexus no matter what lol. My mom for instance, wants nothing but Lexus and every new model Lexus looks and feels better and better to her, she loves her new RX so much she would never consider anything thats not a Lexus, not Acura, not Infiniti, nada.
For her the interior of a new car is a new car, it looks good. The leather seats looks good, feels comfy, as long as its not black (she dislikes), she will love it, as long as there are some wood, she will oogle over how nice it looks. As long as the paint is metallic and high quality, she will adore how it looks under the light.
I think people like her represent the majority buyer of Lexus
05-07-09, 12:10 PM
#4
Take the flame suit off because a lot of people are going to agree with you 
I'm with you on the interior. When I sat in the new RX it was underwhelming too much plastic and not enough wood. Sure not everyone loves wood interiors, but there is no option for a brushed aluminum or CF interior either. Also, the availability of leather colors bugs me too. The SC430 has had 4-5 different leather interiors available during it's lifecycle, but the other cars have 3 - black, gray, and tan/beige. Boring.
That being said, branching out into different car companies isn't necessarily a bad thing. When people tell me "I'm only going to buy/consider x brand for my car choices" all I can do is tell them they're missing out. I love my IS especially versus with the competition that was available at the time, but that doesn't mean I won't consider a myriad of cars/brands the next time I'm in the market. Honestly, if the new CTS was available when I was car shopping, I might be in one right now
I'm with you on the interior. When I sat in the new RX it was underwhelming too much plastic and not enough wood. Sure not everyone loves wood interiors, but there is no option for a brushed aluminum or CF interior either. Also, the availability of leather colors bugs me too. The SC430 has had 4-5 different leather interiors available during it's lifecycle, but the other cars have 3 - black, gray, and tan/beige. Boring.
That being said, branching out into different car companies isn't necessarily a bad thing. When people tell me "I'm only going to buy/consider x brand for my car choices" all I can do is tell them they're missing out. I love my IS especially versus with the competition that was available at the time, but that doesn't mean I won't consider a myriad of cars/brands the next time I'm in the market. Honestly, if the new CTS was available when I was car shopping, I might be in one right now
05-07-09, 12:14 PM
#5
Your post should be sent to Lexus headquarters 
I am very **** about my interiors. In fact, I care a lot more for interior than exterior just because I spend more time in there than outside looking at the car. I really hate the bland/flat doors, while BMW, Mercedes, and hell even ACURA have some sport of styling to them. Last time I saw flat door panels, I was in a 1986 Toyota 4Runner.
The only lexus that I would actually buy now is the LS460. Everything else is just 2nd to the competition. The ES350 interior is by far one of the worse interiors I have ever seen from Lexus. The previous ES330 interior looks very comfortable and inviting. And whatever happen to the soft plushy leather inserts on the door panel? Not sure if you mentioned it, but they seem to be phasing out on Lexus vehicles. The SC430's interior is one of the best I've seen. If Lexus can bring it up to the same level again, I'll be fine with it.
I am very **** about my interiors. In fact, I care a lot more for interior than exterior just because I spend more time in there than outside looking at the car. I really hate the bland/flat doors, while BMW, Mercedes, and hell even ACURA have some sport of styling to them. Last time I saw flat door panels, I was in a 1986 Toyota 4Runner.
The only lexus that I would actually buy now is the LS460. Everything else is just 2nd to the competition. The ES350 interior is by far one of the worse interiors I have ever seen from Lexus. The previous ES330 interior looks very comfortable and inviting. And whatever happen to the soft plushy leather inserts on the door panel? Not sure if you mentioned it, but they seem to be phasing out on Lexus vehicles. The SC430's interior is one of the best I've seen. If Lexus can bring it up to the same level again, I'll be fine with it.
05-07-09, 12:15 PM
#6
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Mike I'm going to slap you next meet and let you hear my rattles
I think you bring up valid points but there is one I would like to state quickly.
Lexus brought the heat in regards to interiors since their inception. The competition has clearly caught up and passed it in some levels.
We are consumers that would be perfectly happy in a new Accord interior. I look at car interiors today and am amazed. From GM to Ford to Hyundai to Infiniti to Caddy, EVERYONE has stepped their games up.
Thus Lexus interiors (and Audi) no longer feel as "special".
I am a big interior dash stroker as well. To me its as important if not more so than the exterior. I am not going to sit here and say my 3GS interior has the best interiors in the world. The 2GS in comparison was unique and well built but it literally debuted over 10 years ago. Back then most car interiors still SUCKED
What I have learned to love is the intricate detailing of L-finesse. Whereas in the past Lexus interiors were all squares and right angles, the new ones are curvy and "flow". For example if you look at the bumper lines on the rear of the 3GS they match with the door lines. Very subtle but that is what Lexus does so well.
One last thing. I've noticed those diehard Lexus people in the past are very reluctant to change. I was one of them
TO be honest this is the FIRST Lexus I've bought that inside and out, I am not totally in love with. The tech is what really got me.
The last Lexus GM stated Lexus challenge is keeping loyal customers happy while attracting new ones. No easy feat!
Good thread idea!
I think you bring up valid points but there is one I would like to state quickly.
Lexus brought the heat in regards to interiors since their inception. The competition has clearly caught up and passed it in some levels.
We are consumers that would be perfectly happy in a new Accord interior. I look at car interiors today and am amazed. From GM to Ford to Hyundai to Infiniti to Caddy, EVERYONE has stepped their games up.
Thus Lexus interiors (and Audi) no longer feel as "special".
I am a big interior dash stroker as well. To me its as important if not more so than the exterior. I am not going to sit here and say my 3GS interior has the best interiors in the world. The 2GS in comparison was unique and well built but it literally debuted over 10 years ago. Back then most car interiors still SUCKED
What I have learned to love is the intricate detailing of L-finesse. Whereas in the past Lexus interiors were all squares and right angles, the new ones are curvy and "flow". For example if you look at the bumper lines on the rear of the 3GS they match with the door lines. Very subtle but that is what Lexus does so well.
One last thing. I've noticed those diehard Lexus people in the past are very reluctant to change. I was one of them
TO be honest this is the FIRST Lexus I've bought that inside and out, I am not totally in love with. The tech is what really got me. The last Lexus GM stated Lexus challenge is keeping loyal customers happy while attracting new ones. No easy feat!
Good thread idea!
05-07-09, 12:26 PM
#7
Well the problem is not that the competition has caught up, the problem is that Lexus has dropped the ball. Interiors of all new Lexus models are pretty lousy, except maybe for the LS460, and even that is still not as good as the LS430, especially LS430 UL.
See, if I'm gonna have to deal with cheap looking interior, might as well do it in a fun to drive BMW.
See, if I'm gonna have to deal with cheap looking interior, might as well do it in a fun to drive BMW.
Mike I'm going to slap you next meet and let you hear my rattles
I think you bring up valid points but there is one I would like to state quickly.
Lexus brought the heat in regards to interiors since their inception. The competition has clearly caught up and passed it in some levels.
We are consumers that would be perfectly happy in a new Accord interior. I look at car interiors today and am amazed. From GM to Ford to Hyundai to Infiniti to Caddy, EVERYONE has stepped their games up.
Thus Lexus interiors (and Audi) no longer feel as "special".
I am a big interior dash stroker as well. To me its as important if not more so than the exterior. I am not going to sit here and say my 3GS interior has the best interiors in the world. The 2GS in comparison was unique and well built but it literally debuted over 10 years ago. Back then most car interiors still SUCKED
What I have learned to love is the intricate detailing of L-finesse. Whereas in the past Lexus interiors were all squares and right angles, the new ones are curvy and "flow". For example if you look at the bumper lines on the rear of the 3GS they match with the door lines. Very subtle but that is what Lexus does so well.
One last thing. I've noticed those diehard Lexus people in the past are very reluctant to change. I was one of themTO be honest this is the FIRST Lexus I've bought that inside and out, I am not totally in love with. The tech is what really got me.
The last Lexus GM stated Lexus challenge is keeping loyal customers happy while attracting new ones. No easy feat!
Good thread idea!
I think you bring up valid points but there is one I would like to state quickly.
Lexus brought the heat in regards to interiors since their inception. The competition has clearly caught up and passed it in some levels.
We are consumers that would be perfectly happy in a new Accord interior. I look at car interiors today and am amazed. From GM to Ford to Hyundai to Infiniti to Caddy, EVERYONE has stepped their games up.
Thus Lexus interiors (and Audi) no longer feel as "special".
I am a big interior dash stroker as well. To me its as important if not more so than the exterior. I am not going to sit here and say my 3GS interior has the best interiors in the world. The 2GS in comparison was unique and well built but it literally debuted over 10 years ago. Back then most car interiors still SUCKED
What I have learned to love is the intricate detailing of L-finesse. Whereas in the past Lexus interiors were all squares and right angles, the new ones are curvy and "flow". For example if you look at the bumper lines on the rear of the 3GS they match with the door lines. Very subtle but that is what Lexus does so well.
One last thing. I've noticed those diehard Lexus people in the past are very reluctant to change. I was one of them
TO be honest this is the FIRST Lexus I've bought that inside and out, I am not totally in love with. The tech is what really got me. The last Lexus GM stated Lexus challenge is keeping loyal customers happy while attracting new ones. No easy feat!
Good thread idea!
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05-07-09, 12:30 PM
#9
Good read and good points.
Unfortunately a lot of the non Lexus enthusiasts, loyal Lexus customers loves Lexus no matter what lol. My mom for instance, wants nothing but Lexus and every new model Lexus looks and feels better and better to her, she loves her new RX so much she would never consider anything thats not a Lexus, not Acura, not Infiniti, nada.
For her the interior of a new car is a new car, it looks good. The leather seats looks good, feels comfy, as long as its not black (she dislikes), she will love it, as long as there are some wood, she will oogle over how nice it looks. As long as the paint is metallic and high quality, she will adore how it looks under the light.
I think people like her represent the majority buyer of Lexus
Unfortunately a lot of the non Lexus enthusiasts, loyal Lexus customers loves Lexus no matter what lol. My mom for instance, wants nothing but Lexus and every new model Lexus looks and feels better and better to her, she loves her new RX so much she would never consider anything thats not a Lexus, not Acura, not Infiniti, nada.
For her the interior of a new car is a new car, it looks good. The leather seats looks good, feels comfy, as long as its not black (she dislikes), she will love it, as long as there are some wood, she will oogle over how nice it looks. As long as the paint is metallic and high quality, she will adore how it looks under the light.
I think people like her represent the majority buyer of Lexus
One product that always perplexed me was the GS. You would have middle age successful business men and women come in, drive it, and then come back for a drink while their salesman got the numbers together. I'd ask what they thought and the response was ALWAYS the same: "It just doesn't drive quite like the Bimmer. Have you driven that 5xxi? The GS just isn't right..I dunno." or "The E Class is smoother and the interior just seems a lot nicer." You also hear that the back is small or the headroom is cramped, but I never failed to hear comparisons to the 5 and E in which the GS never fared well. Most GS buyers were people looking to upgrade from ESs or downsize from LSs. A lot of IS owners I talked to aspire to 5 series or E classes, not GSs. There is a big disconnect here for Lexus.
People would return loaner cars- typically ES 350s and RX 350s- and I would ask what they thought as a way to break the ice. 1RX owners almost always told me it didn't feel much different from their car and that they wouldn't spend the money to upgrade. ES330 owners would complain about the lack of wood and plus materials. Some even complianed that the ride wasn't as smooth as it could be. Granted there were also plenty of people who did like the updated models, but it's pretty clear that Lexus is not inciting much passion or interest in their own customer base.
Furthermore, I'm a young guy- 21 and almost out of college. When I talk about cars with my friends it's about the Audi S5, 335i, G37, or the new E class. Being a Lexus enthusiast I try to throw something in about the IS 350 or new ISc and the response is always, "oh...yeah. I guess." It's like Lexus merely exists and is often forgotten when people discuss cars that "turn them on" and that they are passionate about. What is Lexus going to do when the generation that has aspired to own products that are different from theirs finally has the buying power to walk into the showroom? At my age I obviously can't afford a new Lexus but the time to plant the seed is NOW because at some point I will. People talk a lot about the halo effect, which is part of the problem for Lexus. The other half is the excitement, or lack thereof.
You talk about your mom being the typical Lexus customer and I think that is a somewhat accurate description. One thing I have noticed is that there are all different types of Lexus customers- LS people are completely different from GX or IS people, but I see your point and personally know plenty of people who will walk into a dealership with a check and say, "I want another LS- black on black. Call me when it's here". My thoughts are that Lexus is doing fine with their existing customer base who is already loyal, but is slipping when it comes to attracting new customers and I would guess that this is because of their largely boring and staid product line.
05-07-09, 12:31 PM
#10
I don't care for wood really.
I'd take carbon fiber trim or brushed aluminum over wood.
The panels however are losing shape. They used to have panels that came together at a rounded edge to make the interior feel more natural and soft. Now you see hard edges mated together which makes it obviously plastic and hard looking.
Design wise, I think the ES and SC have failed miserably, and the GS is par at best. Everything else I like and think is an improvement over older versions (RX, LS, IS, LX).
I'd take carbon fiber trim or brushed aluminum over wood.
The panels however are losing shape. They used to have panels that came together at a rounded edge to make the interior feel more natural and soft. Now you see hard edges mated together which makes it obviously plastic and hard looking.
Design wise, I think the ES and SC have failed miserably, and the GS is par at best. Everything else I like and think is an improvement over older versions (RX, LS, IS, LX).
05-07-09, 12:31 PM
#11
I totally agree about the interior quality on new lexus's except for the LS460....every 10 yr old lexus interior feels more rich and better quality everywhere compared to its newer model....door panels is a great example to show, Whatever happened to the padded soft door panels? Also it seems like Older Dash materials seemed more leather feel while new ones feel some cheap rubber/vinyl
05-07-09, 12:35 PM
#12
Well the problem is not that the competition has caught up, the problem is that Lexus has dropped the ball. Interiors of all new Lexus models are pretty lousy, except maybe for the LS460, and even that is still not as good as the LS430, especially LS430 UL.
See, if I'm gonna have to deal with cheap looking interior, might as well do it in a fun to drive BMW.
See, if I'm gonna have to deal with cheap looking interior, might as well do it in a fun to drive BMW.
