SW17LS

I know, I owned one! My only issue with that car was a few glaring missing features, such as a power tilt/telesoping wheel, and it was probably the ugliest car I ever owned. Great car...but ugly.

Toys4RJill

So you think the new front ends are not aggressive enough? I think they are. Compared to BMW, MB, and Audi, Lexus is not the frontrunner for front ends IMO. MB is still the best.

Toys4RJill

Most Lexus and Toyotas lost some of the softer materials from the past. No big deal as most are happy with them. Some are even sitting on fake leather so I doubt it matters. The current ES350 is the most appealing ES ever, IMO, but I can't say the remote touch is that great, as its lakikg a touchscreen combo.

SW17LS

I think you underestimate the number of women that dislike minivans, or swear they "would never drive a minivan". I'm a big proponent of the minivan, having one has really shown me how wonderful a family vehicle they are, and having had an SUV and a minivan with kids I see the benefits of the minivan. When I hear friends and such contemplating SUVs I always point out my experience with the Minivan and suggest they seriously consider one. You'd be surprised how many men I know who say they would love to have a minivan in the house, but their wives refuse to even consider one.

A minivan purchase is also still largely a family purchase, and largely a family vehicle is still chosen by the husband. A person, man or woman, doesn't just go out and "buy a minivan" theres a family process that occurs there. Like I said, its a purchase made out of practicality not out of passion. A 3 row crossover however is a different thing.

mmarshall

Yeah, the headlights were awkward-looking....but I thought the rest of the car was pretty handsome.

mmarshall

I won't claim to speak for others, but I suspect that what is actually happening in some of those cases is that they are simply using their wives as an excuse (even if the wife never said that), that they have bought into the stigma and stereotypes from the auto press about minivans, and they are afraid that their sports buddies at the office will rib or tease them around the water-cooler. So, true or not, the "wife didn't want it" alibi becomes the excuse.

Can I prove that? No. Do I strongly suspect it? You bet.

SW17LS

Eh, it has a high greenhouse, sloping hood and trunklid thing going on, most attractive angle is the rear, or the rear quarter.

Great interior though. Not that there wasn't cost cutting, because there was and you expect that at that price point but it was well hidden.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i keed...

pbm317

Nope, there are plenty of statistics, and verbatim comments from couples focus groups, etc, recently, that women are the bigger pushback on purchasing a minivan for the family.

So SW15 is spot on with this, hugely practical and functional. A lot of the younger women just don't want to be driving the vehicle that their own mothers drove.

spwolf

they want RX and 3 row version of RX from Lexus, not a Sienna.

As I mentioned several times before, within 2 years, we will have at least 2 more SUVs from Lexus... no space for minivans. SUVs sell well everywhere, minivans barely sell and plus you need different sizes in USA and Japan where they do sell.

Stroock639

i'm aware of this, yes i wanted the car to look cooler, and mainly just give it a little something to distinguish it somewhat. you'd be surprised how smooth it still is though. only over bumps and bad roads do you notice a difference really. and a bit more engine noise does nothing to change the ride quality, i wanted to hear it a bit more. all i'm saying is that comfort should be the priority, then handling. i'm not one of the original LS 400 buyers so i was willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort to achieve the aesthetics i was after, but it's still a soft body rolling cruiser. the changes were purely aesthetic, i didn't expect these springs to turn it into a miata. i will say that with the 245/45-18 430 wheels it does feel more planted in a higher speed corner, but that's just a side effect.

mikez

lol no I meant they are not entering the market quite aggressive enough, the front ends are more than aggressive enough for me. I do like the IS from afar, big head turner.

All their market entry products are too sensible, playing it safe, launching it while knowing that in the back of their minds that while they might not blow current leaders out of the market, the product will sell and its better than taking a leap and fail.

The CT, NX, RC are (in my opinion) the prime examples of this. When Lexus first launched the LS they did not say "lets make something almost as good as the S class, but sensible enough that some people who thought they are getting ripped off will get the LS", they launched a car that was pretty much in every conceivable way better than the competition.

The CT (not sure what it is), is not as hot as a hot hatch, its not very practical, it is literally a good looking upper market prius. NX did not blow the x3 out of the water, RC is same etc.

mmarshall

Well, yes....and that is part of what I was saying. Perhaps my post was unclear.....or you misunderstood part of it. I don't think we really disagree. Wives will indeed have their say, but sometimes the husband will use that as a reason for not get something he thinks his friends and co-workers will rib him for.

And sometimes that depends on how many kids those younger women have.

SW17LS

None of the people I'm talking about were hiding their own dislike for minivans. It's been told to me point blank from the women themselves.

Plenty of women don't want minivans. They're out of style.

mmarshall

Is utility, space efficiency, and plenty of seats inside out of style? You and your wife seem to like your Sedona. I realize some women may be tired of minivans, but seems like your wife isn't.

And, as far as style goes, minivans have never been about style, but about moving people efficiently. In fact, the Nissan Quest lost a lot of sales when it stated going after style and image more than simple design and space-efficiency.