what is the appeal of a gray interior?
05-13-12, 10:07 AM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
and black you can see everything from the salt off your french fries.
05-13-12, 12:31 PM
#33
When I bought my first IS I looked at the tan interior (an awful yellowish concoction with matching carpets that marked quickly), the grey leather with black carpets that I quite liked but again was worried that the grey would mark, and the black interior. I went with silver exterior and all black interior which was fine but showed all the dust and, on reflection, didn't show off the interior to its best.
With my next IS I got the grey leather and black carpets and the two tone effect gave the interior a much needed lift. The grey leather didn't mark as much as I feared and when I sold it 4 years later was still looking good.
With my next IS I got the grey leather and black carpets and the two tone effect gave the interior a much needed lift. The grey leather didn't mark as much as I feared and when I sold it 4 years later was still looking good.
05-13-12, 12:51 PM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
I hate tan interiors. Something about it just feels odd and out of place. Tan leather seats can look nice(the 92 LS for example) but I don't care for a tan dash or door panels. I prefer gray or charcoal. My last car had a black and grey two tone cloth interior, and I liked it just fine(well, except for it being beat to hell, but what can you expect at 200k?) .
I would switch out my tan interior for a gray interior in heartbeat if I could.
EDIT: Also, I generally dislike red interiors, but our 92 F350 pulls it off just fine.
I would switch out my tan interior for a gray interior in heartbeat if I could.
EDIT: Also, I generally dislike red interiors, but our 92 F350 pulls it off just fine.
05-13-12, 06:38 PM
#36
My 06 IS has the Gray interior.
I picked that version because:
The tan interior has a tan carpet and not car should have these because they get stained and look lousy
Black is too hot in the summer and has no contrast amongst the design elements
I had red in my S2000 and liked that, but it is a sporty oriented look that does not mingle well with the Lexus woodwork.
I picked that version because:
The tan interior has a tan carpet and not car should have these because they get stained and look lousy
Black is too hot in the summer and has no contrast amongst the design elements
I had red in my S2000 and liked that, but it is a sporty oriented look that does not mingle well with the Lexus woodwork.
05-14-12, 04:52 AM
#38
Moderator
I must be in the minority, but that's fine too. Had tan interior on my RX300, gray in my present 7 year-old RX400h which I love and still looks perfect, and have ordered parchment on my 2013 RX450h. I've had ecru (off white) as well as black leather interiors as well. I've never had a problem with keeping gray or parchment clean. Ecru on the other hand looks great, but is a devil to keep clean especially in a vert like the SC430 I had. Black is what everyone has, looks fine, but is just plain hot in comparison to the lighter toned gray and parchment -- and in my present situation with a creme colored golden retriever and my rather **** cleanliness ways, could never have a black interior where she rides. 
Last edited by BertL; 05-14-12 at 07:05 AM. Reason: Spelling!
05-14-12, 06:10 AM
#39
Lexus Test Driver
If you don't like a gray intererior, get the color you like...
05-14-12, 07:34 AM
#40
Lexus Champion
I don’t like the grey fabric interiors offered on the Gen5 and Gen6 Camry nor the Gen9 and Gen10 Corolla (the models I am most familiar with) because I think that particular shade looks very faded and OLD; I do like the tan fabric interior because I think it really brightens up the interior.
Granted, Toyota does not give us much choice: grey, tan or black. I will not get a black interior because it gets too hot in the summer sun (even up here in the Great White North). So my only choice seems to be the tan interior. Luckily I like the colour (yet the tan fabric interior on the current RAV4 looks terrible IMO).
But it seems that the grey interior is very popular because so many exterior colours on the Camry and Corolla come with it. With interior colour choice dictated by trim line (black is only offered on the Sports trims – S, SE, XRS) or exterior colour (very few offer the tan interior), I have very little choice when it comes to exterior colours.
I will not completely reject the grey interior, however. With the new interior materials on the Gen7 Camry, the grey may become more appealing to me.
05-14-12, 08:38 AM
#41
I have to stick up for myself here.
Currently own at 2004 LS Mercury Metallic with the Ash Leather & I couldnt be happier with the choice. Im 25 too and most propbably would think at my age, get something a lil more sporty
(Black interior) and while all the other choices are nice in their own way, I feel that the Ash leather in my car has never looked dirty, stays clean verses the GS that has Ivory and you could see the crackes and dye in jeans and black you can see everything from the salt off your french fries.
When driving with all the windows down when its sunny, thr Ash just seem very cool like refreshing to me, it doesnt shine a glare back in my eyes & well just feels nice and calming.
Currently own at 2004 LS Mercury Metallic with the Ash Leather & I couldnt be happier with the choice. Im 25 too and most propbably would think at my age, get something a lil more sporty
(Black interior) and while all the other choices are nice in their own way, I feel that the Ash leather in my car has never looked dirty, stays clean verses the GS that has Ivory and you could see the crackes and dye in jeans and black you can see everything from the salt off your french fries.
When driving with all the windows down when its sunny, thr Ash just seem very cool like refreshing to me, it doesnt shine a glare back in my eyes & well just feels nice and calming.
05-14-12, 08:39 AM
#42
Lexus Test Driver
I've owned a few grey interiors. Very sterile looking. But I think it depends on the monotony of the grey surfaces. Some manufacturers do well with it by having contrasting black dashes, carpets, upper door panels, arm rests, etc.
05-14-12, 10:01 AM
#43
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Grey can look terrible too. I prefer grey, but current stuck with tan. Luckily, the previous owner took excellent care of the interior... no stains.
05-14-12, 10:32 AM
#44
Out of Warranty
From a designer's standpoint, light colors make the interior feel more roomy. A black interior, in addition to being an oven in the summertime (in hot climates), appears claustrophobic to many people. I've had interiors ranging from pure white (beautiful, but a detailer's nightmare) to totally black, and trust me, getting into a black seat in high summer in board shorts can leave a lasting impression. I understand the desire to look cool with blackonblackonblack, but it works only if you're an Emo kid or Batman. At some point you have to stop following the herd and break out with an actual style of your own. You have to pair interior and exterior colors and trim to certain basics. Here are a few, strictly of my own.
For the most part, black and white are not colors - for most designers they represent a lack of imagination. An arctic white car that doesn't have a hint of yellow or cream tint looks like a kitchen appliance. About the only salvation for "refrigerator white" is a bright red or blue interior with metallic accents that can really set it off. Black is what you choose when you have no choice or no color vision.
Think about it. Dress your car as you might dress yourself. Be aware of contrasting and complementary colors. A navy blue blazer looks well with grey or khaki slacks, not so much with black or brown trousers. Most manufacturers won't let you go too far astray, but then there are a few . . . like Nissan's infamous "saddle" tan that was developed by their French designers who never saw a saddle. That orange appears only on basketballs, not riding tack, and it never paired well with ANY exterior color.
Light tan interiors (particularly with maple wood trim) look rich and roomy, while being somewhat kinder to the behinder. They will pair well with any warm color, particularly pearl white, and can look nice with some blues and dark reds. They will not pair with cool colors like grey or some blues. Try to stay in the same color family - warm vs. cool colors.
A pearl grey interior can be classy, particularly paired with a dark blue exterior, but any shade of blue will do. You have to be aware that grey can be either "warm" (tending toward tan) or "cool" (tending toward blueish) before selecting a particular color. Generally, a warm exterior needs a warm interior color, but these rules can occasionally be broken - if you are careful.
You are kind of stuck with a black interior if you insist on a grey (silver, metallic, or "tungsten") exterior. Here a grey interior looks like a try for a monochromatic look that missed. Not the best choice, because you look like 95% of the other cars on the road. IMHO these cars usually look like they are in primer.
For the most part, black and white are not colors - for most designers they represent a lack of imagination. An arctic white car that doesn't have a hint of yellow or cream tint looks like a kitchen appliance. About the only salvation for "refrigerator white" is a bright red or blue interior with metallic accents that can really set it off. Black is what you choose when you have no choice or no color vision.
Think about it. Dress your car as you might dress yourself. Be aware of contrasting and complementary colors. A navy blue blazer looks well with grey or khaki slacks, not so much with black or brown trousers. Most manufacturers won't let you go too far astray, but then there are a few . . . like Nissan's infamous "saddle" tan that was developed by their French designers who never saw a saddle. That orange appears only on basketballs, not riding tack, and it never paired well with ANY exterior color.
Light tan interiors (particularly with maple wood trim) look rich and roomy, while being somewhat kinder to the behinder. They will pair well with any warm color, particularly pearl white, and can look nice with some blues and dark reds. They will not pair with cool colors like grey or some blues. Try to stay in the same color family - warm vs. cool colors.
A pearl grey interior can be classy, particularly paired with a dark blue exterior, but any shade of blue will do. You have to be aware that grey can be either "warm" (tending toward tan) or "cool" (tending toward blueish) before selecting a particular color. Generally, a warm exterior needs a warm interior color, but these rules can occasionally be broken - if you are careful.
You are kind of stuck with a black interior if you insist on a grey (silver, metallic, or "tungsten") exterior. Here a grey interior looks like a try for a monochromatic look that missed. Not the best choice, because you look like 95% of the other cars on the road. IMHO these cars usually look like they are in primer.
05-14-12, 10:52 AM
#45
Lexus Fanatic
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-14-12 at 10:58 AM.