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I ordered a 2016 ES350 with the Flaxen interior and Matte Honey Bamboo Trim. The Lexus Web site and the 2016 ES specification sheet clearly shows the steering wheel in a light honey wood trim. However, when I got the car the wood trim on the steering wheel was a very dark brown and not the light honey color as pictured in the photo. Did Lexus make a production change? What have others gotten who have ordered the Matte Honey Bamboo trim?
I ordered a 2016 ES350 (Nightfall Mica, Flaxen with Matte Honey Bamboo) and also have darker wood than I expected. It was the first thing I noticed when I received the car. Moreover the the wood does not feel smooth to the touch. Meaning, even if I gently slide my fingers along the wheel, I hear a sound. However, if I do the same to the bamboo trim on the door, it is relatively nice to the touch.
I called Lexus customer service and they said it may be normal as I did order "matte". They advised that I visit a local dealer and ask them to check it out. The irony there is that I had to custom order this car because matte bamboo is not really found on dealer lots. I was hoping the color would be close to the brochure but it isn't. The picture I attached is from a really bright day. On overcast days the wood looks even darker.
Otherwise, the car is awesome and the I love the Nightfall/Flaxen combination.
I ordered a 2016 ES350 (Nightfall Mica, Flaxen with Matte Honey Bamboo) and also have darker wood than I expected. It was the first thing I noticed when I received the car. Moreover the the wood does not feel smooth to the touch. Meaning, even if I gently slide my fingers along the wheel, I hear a sound. However, if I do the same to the bamboo trim on the door, it is relatively nice to the touch.
I called Lexus customer service and they said it may be normal as I did order "matte". They advised that I visit a local dealer and ask them to check it out. The irony there is that I had to custom order this car because matte bamboo is not really found on dealer lots. I was hoping the color would be close to the brochure but it isn't. The picture I attached is from a really bright day. On overcast days the wood looks even darker.
Otherwise, the car is awesome and the I love the Nightfall/Flaxen combination.
The color shown in r350's photo is exactly the color I got too.
After looking at the first photo, I just noticed that my center console also does not have the bamboo trim as shown. It is a black plastic material (dust and fingerprint magnet).
After looking at the first photo, I just noticed that my center console also does not have the bamboo trim as shown. It is a black plastic material (dust and fingerprint magnet).
My steering wheel bamboo is light as I expected it to be. Re.the console trim you don't happen to have nuluxe rather than the luxury package with leather do you. I think only the luxury package includes the bamboo trim on the console. And speaking of bamboo, as the weather get hotter both my wife and I feel that the bamboo steering wheel is not as hot as the dark shiny steering wheels we have had in the past. Also my seating is parchment rather than flaxen but I don't believe that should have any bearing on the matte bamboo trim.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out for you.
My steering wheel bamboo is light as I expected it to be. Re.the console trim you don't happen to have nuluxe rather than the luxury package with leather do you. I think only the luxury package includes the bamboo trim on the console. And speaking of bamboo, as the weather get hotter both my wife and I feel that the bamboo steering wheel is not as hot as the dark shiny steering wheels we have had in the past. Also my seating is parchment rather than flaxen but I don't believe that should have any bearing on the matte bamboo trim.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out for you.
Dave Mac
Thanks. You are correct regarding the center console. I just checked the product guide and the center console trim comes with the LP rather than the Premium Package that I have. I do have NuLuxe with perforated seats.
I am hoping that with use the bamboo wheel will smooth out over time. I can live with the darker shade but the rough feeling will take some getting used to.
After looking at the first photo, I just noticed that my center console also does not have the bamboo trim as shown. It is a black plastic material (dust and fingerprint magnet).
Now that you point that out I too do not have the bamboo trim. Like you it is black plastic. I had not noticed that before.
My steering wheel bamboo is light as I expected it to be. Re.the console trim you don't happen to have nuluxe rather than the luxury package with leather do you. I think only the luxury package includes the bamboo trim on the console. And speaking of bamboo, as the weather get hotter both my wife and I feel that the bamboo steering wheel is not as hot as the dark shiny steering wheels we have had in the past. Also my seating is parchment rather than flaxen but I don't believe that should have any bearing on the matte bamboo trim.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out for you.
Dave Mac
When I configured the car using the Lexus Built It feature with the Flaxen Nuluxe and the Bamboo Trim you get the photo that I posted originally. It clearly shows the Flaxen Nuluxe seats, the honey colored Bamboo trim on the steering wheel and the Bamboo color on the console cup holder cover. Since I wound up with something entirely different I feel like I was mislead by Lexus. Their Web site gives you the impression the look of the car's interior as you configured it is what you will get. Obviously that is not the case. Another point is the Lexus 2016 ES brochure shows only one color for the Bamboo trim - not two different shades of brown. The one shade is for both the Flaxen Nuluxe and Flaxen Leather so they should not be any difference whether one orders the Premium package as I did or the Luxury or Ultra Luxury package.
This is why you have to see things like colors in person. Brochures are full of disclaimers about that...
That is fine as long as the dealership has a car in stock with those colors. Unfortunately, my dealership did not have any cars on the lot with the Bamboo Trim. The dealership told me that a car with the Bamboo trim was a rare bird. Apparently that trim package is not a big seller. Most of the cars the dealership had on the lot had the Birdseye Maple which I did not car for. That is why I had to rely on the Lexus Built It feature which unfortunately gives you totally inaccurate information.
05-17-16, 10:58 AM
Flaxen Interior with Matte Honey Bamboo Trim
