I can see what you mean...I think saying "wood" may have been a bit of an overstatement in some of my other posts. In most of their cars I am referring to wood but in cars like the IS and GS (maybe even RX) aluminum or carbon fiber accents would be a welcome addition. My general problem is how Lexus seems to be slowly removing all of the accents and accent areas from their cars, except for maybe the LS. They did a great job designing doors and dashes by integrating accent pieces, textures, and colors for so long and now...it's just becoming a sea of plastic.

 

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-interior.html

FYI.....as most here probably will not agree

 

thx for pointing that out, i've heard about this so called shift but did not realize it included interiors as well. so if my GS rattles in the future, i can at least be happy that the rattles are for a good cause.

 

The 'blah' interior in the ES350 is exactly why, when looking to get a CPO car, I opted for the ES330 instead. The interior quality is much better. I know, having sat in both. I never did get around to actually test-driving an ES350, but I have heard it also runs less smooth than the ES330. Sorry to say, but that's inexcusable. A new model should never take two steps back from the outgoing model.

Not everyone here will agree, but (besides the LS) the ES and RX are the most important Lexus models IMO. Sales numbers speak to this.

I'm different from most people on this board in that I don't give two craps about the performance of my car. I spend 3/4th of my commute in traffic and endless stoplights. Both ways. All I want is something comfortable and quiet. This is also why, when researching a new car, I didn’t even bother looking at a 3-series, A4, or G35. Call me “simple-minded” for my choice if you like, but the ES just suited what I wanted more. The ES, compared to the Nissan Sentra I used to own, is like a little slice of heaven. I believe quite a few non-enthusiast drivers, who crave a little luxury, might think the same way.

I work at a place where most of the people (besides the CEO) drive absolute junk cars—like 90s era Ford and Chevy sedans. Just about every one of them drools over my ES and assumes it cost way more than it really did. This is the perception of your average Joe, when he sees a Lexus or thinks of one.

Where am I leading with this?

Well, the sad part is if one of my co-workers were to ask my advice on getting a new car (assuming they wanted to go for luxury), I wouldn’t recommend they get an ES350. I’d tell them they’re better off getting an ES330. Or better yet—a Hyundai Genesis.

Sad is the day when a Hyundai is better than one of the most important Lexus models, inside and out. The 2012 redesign better bump the ES up to its former quality, and beyond.

 

im not buying another lexus until the interior improves. i loved the is300 for its alcantara seats and high tech looking gauges. my 06 is350 was a rattlebox. and the aluminum trim was a flat out joke. even the IS-F misses with its lacquered "aluminized" carbon fiber. i thought L finesse looked great when it came out. then all the other car manufacturers updated their style and made L finesse look slab sided and dull.

im not holding my breath, sorry to say. the LFA looks outdated already compared to the spaceship like GTR. and the new essence concept has firmly put me on the nissan boat.

 

HS250 = hybrid?
Less wood = save a tree?

Lexus is going green.

 

You have some valid points for sure, but as somebody who has never gotten excited over wood in an interior, I can't really see eye to eye with you. To me I see wood as a style of the past. When I was shopping for my Audi A4 and 335i, having aluminum trim w/ gray or black interior was actually more important to me than the exterior color, though they were definitely a few colors I wouldn't accept)

Wood is expensive and heavy (unless it's laminate, which is 'cheap' and sort of 'fake' so what's the point?), so if Lexus can reduce the amount of wood in an interior, add it tastefully to a few points, and use the money they saved to make the plastics nicer, or to add some alloy trim instead of silver painted plastic... I'd be happy.

As far as the rest of the aspect of their interior cheaping... I dunno. Are they really? Seems like I've heard that constantly from all brands and boards on the internet in the last 10 years... sometimes they've been right and sometimes looking back what we have today is definitely nicer than what we had before. Maybe the plastic is a tad bit harder to the touch down next to your feet, but why does that matter again? Why are you stroking plastic down there? If they put softer plastic down there that, again, adds cost, weight (one all car enthusiasts admit needs to be fixed... put new car designs on a diet!), and even can add durability issues since the cheaper stuff tends to be more resistant to damage.

If they can remove some wood and cheapen some out of reach plastic and save 100 pounds and 2,000 dollars, or better yet reinvest that 2000 dollars in things like added high tech low weight sound deadeners, chassis strengthening, etc... which further enhance the driving experience and reduce weight, then it was engineering money well spent to me.

Then again looking at Lexus vehicle weights they definitely haven't been decreasing.

 

The cost cutting & conservatism from Lexus needs to stop.

Does Lexus use vat-dyed or spray-on dyed leather in their vehicles? I am sure our resident experts with the insight will chime in with an answer

For those that do do not know what I am talking about, there are two types of leather as mentioned above.

 

first off, excellent post.

that ES comparison right there says it all to me. that first pic is, to me at least, really elegant, tasteful, upscale. the second pic, is, well, not so much.

 

I agree with everyone else. When I bought my '99 GS, I thought I would be a customer for life, but the new offerings leave a little to be disired. Not to mention, the quality is just NOT there anymore.

 

Much like Koma said, I think my overall problem is the general lack of accent pieces in all of Lexus' new interiors, it just so happens to mostly be wood. This also raises another point that cars like the IS, GS, and probably RX should be offered with aluminum trim or carbon fiber instead of just wood. People of my generation, like I referenced before, have different expectations and interests and wood usually means "old" to most of them. I am a tad more traditional and do prefer the wood, but I just wish they had done a better job at working and integrating more accents into their interiors like they did for so long.

Also, I can see your point about losing some of the wood and upgrading plastics or using true aluminum as opposed to painted plastic but neither has happened. Plastics are a bit firmer, shinier and less plush, there is less wood, and a lot of silver-painted surfaces that are supposed to look aluminum. So...essentially..."where's the beef?"

I think my main problem is that the newer interiors, in most cases, are NOT a step forward and they aren't nicer than they were before in terms of quality. Strictly from a quality standpoint the ES, RX, LS, and LX have all received interiors that are a cut below their predecessors. I think the GS interior is actually one of the best executed in the lineup- everything feels very high quality and well assembled, much like the last GS. IS interior is an improvement as well, but there is too much painted plastic on the center console and dashboard, IMO. The GX and SC have yet to be redesigned but if history is any indication...I won't set my hopes very high.

It would be great if they could do those things but I think they also need to be sure to remain strictly Lexus and do things the way they have for a long time. Reducing things like wood trim to improve driving dynamics seems almost sacreligious in a way . But like you said...we haven't seen any weight reductions and while the engines have gotten larger, I think you might have a hard time arguing that the new Lexus cars with electronic power steering and throttle control, are actually better driving than the models they replaced. I know the 2IS doesn't drive anything like the 1IS did, but it made so many improvements in other places that it was passable. I have raved on and on about how AWFUL the electronic power steering is in the GS, and I would rather drive my car without a second thought.

 

BMW offers both and if you are daring enough one can do individual option

Reason I believe just at least from my experience; just from an engineering/ manufacturing stand point is that the newer Lexus' have more plastic for automated machines to be able to install them, and plastic injection molding is a heck of a lot cheaper to install and make.

 

I don't know which variety they use but I have no qualms with it. I have sat in numerous older and newer BMWs, Mercs, Audis, and Lexus and Lexus leather, by a long shot, wears the best with the fewest cracks and wear marks.

I actually prefer the thicker hide and more coarse grain that the Germans use as opposed to the thin but incredibly soft stuff that Lexus uses.

 

I think the LS is available with semi Aniline (lighty coated...

vs the rest of the Lexus line up has coated leather.

The SC430 ecru is sprayed on

 

Strange... I prefer the feel of Lexus leather by a long shot but I've found it to wear somewhat poorly compared to most German leather. A lot of that probably stems from the fact that Lexus leather is soft and German leather is hard... but it might also come from the whole vat dyed vs surface painted thing, too.