peteharvey

Just EPA government specs only, the all new 3 Series has 95 + 17 cu ft passenger & trunk, to old 2012- 4GS's 99 + 18.4 cu ft.
For comparison, the latest 2017-24 BMW 5 Series has 99 + 18 cu ft.

I've driven and sat in back of old 2012-19 3 Series - it's tiny inside - much smaller than 4GS.
New 5LS has capacious rear legroom compared to 4GS, and 4GS is much bigger, or at least noticeably bigger than 3 Series.

EZZ

The front legroom on both the 3 series and GS are 42 inches and 42.3 inches respectively. The rear legroom on the 3 series is 35.2 and the GS has 36.8 so the GS is decently bigger with 1.5 inches more of legroom. Whats weird is that the 3 series seems to be wider than the GS. interesting...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

because wider looks cool yet lexus probably designed gs to be ok on narrow japanese streets? or maybe tax regs.

peteharvey

If you talk to Steve LS, and even Spwolf - we will all tell you to actually sit at the front and adjust the front seat to your liking, and then sit in the rear to get a real "seat of the pants feel", because seating measurements are very complex, they can't simply be measured with a tape.
4GS rear legroom feels a lot more than just 1.5" more than 3 Series.

My old 3GS has short seat bases, and this makes interior feel more spacious!
On the other hand, my new 4GS has very long seat bases, and this can make interior feel smaller than it really is.
One of the ways the ES feels so spacious is to cheat by using short seat bases - to make the vehicle feel bigger than it really is!

3GS soft cushions sink to provide slightly more room, while 4GS firm cushions don't sink for slightly less room.

Coupes, sports cars, and Tesla sedans with underfloor battery packs - can all cheat with low seats, and ankles raised, and knees pointing to the sky for very unrefined uncomfortable long distance seating.
With a 4" high battery pack, to get proper seating position, Tesla must raise their Models 3 & S by roughly 4" aka: Bolt, Leaf and i-Pace.
That's why when people argue about sedans vs CUV/SUV tall wagens, I often think that the future will be intermediate - thanks to the 4" high battery packs.

Cars do get bigger and bigger with each generation, so best compare new 3 Series with new Toyota Crown in Japanese Domestic Market JDM.
Though nothing wrong with comparing new 3 Series with ageing 4GS.

Although cars getting bigger and bigger, they aren't actually getting that much bigger.
A lot of the newfound extra length is due to the new curvaceousness of the latest models.
If the overall length and width was maintained, the curvaceous styling would reduce the size of the new interiors.

Careful of wheelbase.
Most cars increasing in wheelbase for dynamic reasons, and the wheelbase is actually NOT equating to increased cabin length.
Eg new Corolla, Camry and ES - all with longer wheelbases, but actually shorter cabins, or at least less legroom than their predecessors!
New 5LS and new JDM Toyota Crown have dynamic front mid-engines which have totally swallowed the extra wheelbase, resulting in actually shorter cabin length!

I have a feeling my 4GS is narrower inside than my old 3GS, but the 4GS doors are so thick for greater safety.
New 5LS is narrow, but on the bright side, its doors are very thick.

CUV/SUV tall wagens are often wider than their sedan counterparts eg Corolla vs RAV4, Civic vs CR-V, Camry vs Highlander, Accord vs Pilot etc.
However, with the tall wagens, they are just "flaring" the wheelarches.
.

EZZ

The Tesla does have decent rear leg room but since you sit low, the knees point up for adults. However, the middle seat has no hump so my friends actually just stretch their legs in the middle if only 2 sit back there so it works out. The view from the back is nice as the roof is all glass

peteharvey

This is yet another factor too.
Flat seats versus bucket seats.

My old 3GS has flat seats - especially good for 3 at the back.
While 4GS has bucket seat - which is good for lateral support, and less tossing around, but not good for 3 at the back.

Several years ago, myself and two friends test drove a Model S.
I don't know about now, but back then, the Model S has very flat seats with NO ceiling mounted grab handles.
Thus when the driver dumped the Model S left or right, two of us sitting at the back would be tossed around, and back then - there were NO ceiling mounted grab handles...

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I did a trip down to LA with a friend who has a 2017 Model S 75D and I was bewildered that there is no 'oh *****' handle

arentz07

And then my car has an oh-blank handle for the driver. And is a lot slower than a Model S. Maybe Lexus knows their customers a little too well.

Even considering seat-back shape, the ES still posts larger legroom numbers than the GS. Which means it would have more space even if the seats were differently shaped. It's a big boi. Not sure what a new GS would be, size-wise, considering even the LS trails the ES's legroom figure.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Even my '03 Explorer has those handles. I think its a serious omission from Tesla. I don't know if the new Model 3 has them.

I would assume a 5GS becomes a mini LS much like the 5-Series became a mini 7-Series. Time will tell if the GS can live. With the ES and LS being where they are, the next step is to see what the 4IS becomes

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

lexus is more subtle. if offers brown seats.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Noble Brown or Flaxen?