mmarshall

Since this is primarily a Lexus forum even in Car Chat, I thought I'd post this video from one who was involved in the Toyota/Lexus sales/market-business for years. I thought it was quite good.....and he said many of the same things I would have said myself (and, in a number of cases, DID say) over the years. But I won't try and compare myself to this guy...he knows a lot more than I do about the details of how they are built. It is a rather long video (45+ minutes)...so budget some time for it if you want to watch it.

Motorola

I don't need to watch Kirk's video to know that the new Camry will have more technology and updated powertrains than the 6-year-old ES. This is nothing new with any old car.

What I can guarantee though is that the ES will still be a vastly superior vehicle in interior materials and insulation, and given the trajectory of Lexus's latest products like the NX and RX, I predict the next ES will have quite a bit of cost-cutting in the interior compared to the current model which was made when Lexus was at its peak in interior design with the original LC and LS500.

mmarshall

That's part of the problem.....the ES has been steadily cost-cutting its interiors with every redesign since the days of the superb 4Gen model.

Fizzboy7

I'm not going to go through the whole video, but I hope he mentioned the difference in dealer treatment. One can very much get spoiled when visiting a Lexus dealer for service. Toyota... from what my dad tells me, you go into that room and wait a few hours.

mmarshall

Yes, he did mention the general difference in dealer quality, although, of course, there are some substandard Lexus dealers and some Toyota dealers that are better than average.

SW17LS

This is not true. ES interiors have actually improved over the outgoing model in this generation. From 4-5-6ES I agree interiors were steadily cheapened but that has improved in the 7th gen. RX and NX interiors are also both improved compared to their predecessors.

mmarshall

Well, the video-narrator basically agrees with me. And, if you remember, I looked at, and test-drove a then-current-model ES when I was considering my Lacrosse...I was not impressed with it at all, whether in interior materials, ride quality (with the 45-series tires...the 55s were better), or the level of sound insulation. Nor am I very impressed with the current ES. All three were much better in the superb 4Gen model....athough to be fair, that 4Gen version did have some problems with the throttle-by-wire system and the engine/transmission ECU.

SW17LS

Then you’re both wrong lol. I still own the 4ES you rave about, I’ve owned it for 21 years. The materials in the 7ES are not as good as the materials in it are, but they are better than those in the 5 and 6ES

The 7ES is a better overall car than the 4ES I own. It’s better looking (my 4ES is quite frankly, ugly in many ways), bigger, better performance, more technology, better.

Stop living in the past.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I'd be shocked if a Buick had better material quality than a Lexus.

SW17LS

It didn’t. Terrible plastics and leather. Cheap plastic wood trim…

mmarshall

Some do, some don't. I've been quite pleased with the materials in my Encore GX, considering that it costs substantially less than the cheapest U.S.-market Lexus....the UX.

SW17LS

UX is considerably nicer inside than an Encore GX.

Some of the latest Buicks have very nice interiors that are arguably nicer than a Lexus, but the Lacrosse never was as nice inside as a Lexus ES.

mmarshall

I own one and have reviewed/test-driven the other, and I don't agree. Not only IMO does it not look as nice inside, but the UX I test-drove had awkward radio controls on the console, was a lot more cramped due to its small size, and was significantly more expensive. To its credit, though, it DID have a relatively quiet ride for its size and a reasonable amount of comfort....I was impressed with its road-manners.


I owned a 2018 Lacrosse, and I also beg to differ. I thought it looked substantially better inside than an equivalent-generation ES, although I will admit that it was not as nice inside as the excellent 4Gen ES.

SW17LS

I've driven all of the cars mentioned and I don't agree. Nothing especially nice about the Encore inside, but the UX is surprisingly nice for a really entry level Lexus.

"Looks" are subjective, I'm talking about material quality. The Lacrosse was still full of fake wood, etc. 2018 was also the last year for the 6 ES and the 7 ES was a big interior upgrade starting in 2019. The fake wood vs real wood alone would sell me the ES.

2019 ES:



2019 Lacrosse:

mmarshall

Fine. We can disagree. That's one of the reasons for discussions in forums like this. And, to be honest, one thing I never liked in the Lacrosse (and in other GM products where it is used) is that L-action electronic shifter on the console. It constantly snaps back to the middle position no matter what gear you are in....and the PARK-button on top if it is too easy to hit when the vehicle is actually moving. Totally sucks.