LexusPia

We were visiting a friend who has a new 2002 ES300. We went in his car to do some shopping. After he parked his car, one couple came up to him and complimented him on his beautiful "Camry". When we were getting into the car ready to leave, a lady who just parked her car asked him whether his car was the new "Camry". When my friend told her it was a Lexus ES. She said: "how come it looks so much like a Camry?". We went to a restaurent for lunch and he used valet parking. The parking attendent also complimented him on his beautiful "Camry" and he apologized profusely when my friend pointed out to him that it was a Lexus ES300 and not a Camry. He said he had never seen the new ES until now but plenty of Camry and when he saw the front end particularly the headlights, he just assumed it was a Camry. These 3 encounters basically ruined my friend's lunch.

My question to all of you out there is this: have you experienced the same that people are mistaking the new ES as a Camry? This is the first time I have actually seen this first hand but have heard previously from others including some dealer people complaining about the newly redesigned ES looking too much like the Camry. Your thoughts?

fallabel

well, i mean, they resemble each other. tell your friend to get a body kit for it. I have a '95, and nobody messes that body style up w/ a camry.

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

I think it was a mistake to not make the ES much more distinct from the Camry like they have done in the past. In my opinion, that's a disadvantage for the ES, in the past it's been significantly more stylish than the Camry IMO, and you wouldn't confuse the two; so people buy the ES not only for it's features but because they like the appearance and style better than the Camry.

GunnerMac

I have never mistaken the new ES for a Camry, but I have mistaken the new Camry for an ES several times. Sometimes when I see another Lex on the road, I try to get closer to it to get a better look...on more than one occasion I have found that the ES I was sorta chasing was actually a Camry. IMO, the both cars look nice

kreativ

This is the first year all the car rags AREN'T complaining that the ES is too much like the Camry. But they're mainly focusing on the interior, which is more in line with the LS.

To me, it's easy to tell apart the two and the side profile looks quite different.
But I can see how the similarity of the lights by itself would throw people off. Heck, these cars would be mistaken for Celicas if that car wasn't a 2-door coupe.

XenonES3

It is kinda unusual that 3 people mistook the ES for a Camry. Considering they were either parked adjacent/ or standing in front of as in case of valet prolly, didn't they see the distinct "L" emblems on hood/trunk/wheels?

I guess the sheet metal between the two cars looks kinda similiar as both are big and visually sit high off the ground with high trunk and roof lines.

At least with the older ES's :I've had many friends sometimes joke around about my ES where they ask, "Soup up your toyota yet?" or "Get the rims for your Camry yet?" but they all know it's a Lexus.

LexFather

People can be so full of it. They KNEW it was a Lex, they were trying to down your purchase. Tell them to drive an ES then a Camry, then make the same comment

I got that a few times in the ES 300. Haters.

Toog4me

I think this is the only year that the ES and the Camry really look a like. I can always tell the difference. For one, there is the L logo. And for two, it always looks like the ES is lower to the ground, or the nose goes down more. Or maybe it's just because they look a like, but not so alike.

1994es300

I can always tell the difference between the two cars. I personally have never mixed them up. When the new Es300 came out this year I thought that Lexus had finally made an ES that looks alot different than the camry, but when I saw the totally redesigned Camry I could definately see the similar styling changes made to the 2002 models. I definately think it is time for Toyota to make sure that the camry and Es series do not look similar and make it worthwhile for those who are buying a luxury car to not have to go through the embarassment of their car being mistaken for a much cheaper Camry..

WILB3

You'd think one would look at the car more closely(the badges,etc.)before making comments. I've mistaken a new Camry for an ES300 before, but before they've pulled too far away- I recognized the difference.

LexusPia

I really don't think those people we encountered were "Lexus haters" nor did they seem like car enthusiasts like all of us here on this board because the first couple were in the 60s and well mannered. The second lady was in her 40s driving an older style Camry and again she seemed nice and genuine. After my friend pointed the Lexus emblems out to them in the front and the back and the plush interior, did they realize it was a Lexus. However, they both complimented the beautiful interior. They were very impressed. In fact the lady mentioned afterwards: "you won't find an interior like that in a Camry". Not trying to be on their side but if you look at the new ES at an angle from the front or from the side, I believe it would be hard to tell the difference for regular folks.

I agree that the older ES seems to have a more distinct and unique styling as compared to the Camry.

Lex Diamonds

I think that is foul how everyone thinks that the new ES resembles the Camry - Those same comments that people made stopped me from considering trading my wheelz in for the new one.

jobindj

Mine has never been called a Camry....

Nabeel

Who cares if some older people get the ES confused w/ the Camry? 1SICKLEX said it the best a couple months ago...

LexFather

EXACTLY!

I saw a black/black 2002 ES 300 with chrome 18s (the first with rims) the other day, it was HOTT!!! You'd be a fool to mistake the 2. Just look at the difference in the paint. Huge difference.

Man if they think those 2 look alike, I wonder what they think about the Maxima/I and Accord/TL?