CG88

I've been looking at the ES300h Hybrid option and noticed that every dealership I've searched at, not matter how fully loaded "Ultra Luxury" equipped the ES300h is, they all lack a Panoramic Sunroof and only come with a standard moonroof. Anyone know why the hybrids lack this option? Currently drive a Volvo SUV with a full pano sunroof and the 3 year old happens to love this feature.

rebel7254

I would guess it's because of weight considerations, to reduce the load on the 2.5 4 cyl engine. That theory was checking out as I was looking over the trims through the Lexus configurator on the website, as the panorama glass isn't available on the ES 250's either. However, it seems the option is also missing on the ES 350 F Sport, so I can't say with a high degree of confidence that the weight is the reason. Weight could still be it though...since the F Sport is marketed as the "sporty" trim, perhaps they want to make sure the F Sport with every option stays faster than the other trims with all options.

bc6152

Wish I could give you mine. I don't use either sun (moon) roof whether regular or pano. It's been open once when I picked up the car... Hard to find a car w/o a sun roof these days...

E46CT

I like the regular sunroof. As mentioned the glass roof will weigh a lot and also removes structural members from the roof so makes the car a bit weaker as well as heavier. It will also add weight up top making the car a bit more top heavy. All around not a good option unless you REALLY want it and will really use it. Also a consideration is if you buy the car, know that should anything go wrong with that assembly after the warranty is up, you are looking at an extremely expensive repair.

I would only get this option if i was leasing and not a hybrid and it already came packaged w/ the car, or discounted.

TechNut

I believe it was the 6th generation ES subforum where I read this, but the Pano roof adds something like 200 pounds to the weight of the car. So yes, my "guess" would also be weight as to the reason those aren't available in the hybrids. I wonder if that is the case in countries outside of North America where they may not be trying to reach specific CAFE goals?

mikemu30

I read somewhere pano roofs are less prone to leaks as compared with traditional sunroofs. I actually do prefer the pano but as discussed, it wasn't an option with the FSport I wanted.

lesz

I've read, from multiple sources, that a pano roof adds between 150 and 200 pounds to the weight of a vehicle (and I may have been the person who posted that information on the Generation 6 ES forum some time ago). So, I suspect that is the reason why the pano roof has not been available on the ES 300h. I also suspect that the added weight is the reason why the fuel efficiency of my 2017 UL ES with a pano roof is consistently about 1 mpg lower than was the fuel efficiency of the 2013 ES without a pano roof that I previously owned.

I have pano roofs on both of my current vehicles, and, even though I never use them, the one thing that I do like about the pano roofs is that, with the pano roof and with the entire front ends of both vehicles covered with paint protection film, there are very few exposed horizontal sheet metal surfaces on those vehicles, and that means that there are few areas on the vehicles where bird droppings, tree sap, and other environmental contaminents can sit on painted sheet metal and etch/damage the finish of the car.

E46CT

And not only 200 lbs, but 200 lbs up top. The very worst place to have weight. Cruising around it's fine but you might notice response and feel diminished.

I don't know about a pano roof being less prone to leaking. i think you've got that backwards (to the person who said that)

A sunroof is a small hole while a pano roof is a much larger hole with more seal and more intricate seals. someone in this forum is having issues w/ his pano roof leaking.