^That last pic is my car, but 22 years later, the interior still looks mint . . .



BTW, as much as people fawn over "older" Lexus build quality, I can still find fault in my 22 year old car with a mere 80k miles on it. Headlights leaked and let moisture in, I solved this problem with black electrical tape where the lens meets the housing. The cupholder lid is VERY flimsy. The black plastic around the gear shift, ash tray, radio, etc is prone to scratching/wear. The center dash vent has a crack in it, just like EVERY SC ever made. The driver's side door panel does have a rattle in it. You literally have to slam the doors on this car to get them to shut properly(IMO that's not really a design fault, more a testament to how air tight the seals are on that door, plus the fact that the door is 5 foot long and weighs 600lbs)

 

that would be the FDA over here. and if all that were banned food prices would skyrocket. in 'merica we still have the right to eat junk food.

good post. your car interior looks great, but like you say, nothing's perfect especially over the course of a long time - your car is an amazing 22 years old after all. one thing i alway found funny about the SC interior is the park brake that sticks up like well...

 

What would it take for Toyota to use similar materials to what they used 10 and 20 years ago? It would take money $$, something that we in North America (at least) are not willing to pay. We rather see manufacturers drop prices (or at least keep prices steady) than to pay for the true cost of making cars ever better from generation to generation.

 

no, they literally are not allowed to use the same materials, due to epa regulations.

 

It is beyond ridiculous to act like a current LS isn't better built than the ones pictured. They are way more luxurious, way better built and utterly amazing compared to the pictures above. Having had a SC 400 it wasn't without flaw as Aron9000 stated. Things broke and some bits were not great. There also were a lot less amenities and features. Regulations have changed and guess what INNOVATORS find a way to INNOVATE and KEEP IT MOVING. Some of you "debbie downers" just post over and over how bad things are over and over. It creates a vast smoggy haze over the forum.

Seriously some of this madness needs to stop.

 

25 years later and much of the turn signal and cruise control stalks are virtually the same! A testament to how good they are even for today's standards.

In fact, when I checked out the competition, I remember the Audi's controls (Q5 + A4 All-road) were not as solid feeling. In particular, the MMI controls made (and felt like) a clicky springy sound (for lack of better words) whereas the Lexus buttons whether HVAC, RTI, etc, are typically buttery firm and smooth (with no cheap clicky sound). In hindsight, I should have taken a small video clip but I believe most of you know what I'm talking about.

Apart from the cheap looking, poorly cut/poor fitting weather stripping on the Q5 and GLK and the subjective feel of the controls, the interior fit and finish were up there with Lexus, better than the MKC (but to be expected for $ cheaper). I have yet to check out the X3 in detail but i believe BMW is also notorious for their cheap black weather stripping on lower-end models.

 

Haha so true, I love it! Easy operation

 

Lexfather, yes the madness HAS to stop.

The current 13-14 LS460 is a Lexus masterpiece. It has the BEST interior fitted into a Lexus product since the inception of Lexus.

The Lexus LS intrerior is not for BMW 7 Series, A8 or S class fans, it was designed for Lexus FANS and those who love Lexus products.

All of the Lexus interiors are an improvement over the ones from years before.

 

Most of the complaints of newer GM interiors (in the hands of actual customers) center around Cadillac's CUE system and finger-slide dash-controls.....not interiors or interior features in vehicles from the other divisions.

These are not my words......but are quoted directly from Consumer Reports.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/lexus/is.htm

 

First gen LS400, SC400 and GS300 weren't great at all when it came to build quality or materials. Its once they had 2nd gen GS and 2nd/3rd gen LS when the built quality really elevated. They did mess up badly with the 3gs, which was clearly a huge step down from 2gs, but everything else just keeps getting better.

 

I'm speechless.

Those first gen LS' and SCs had leather that was hard and felt like industrial grade, wood that discolored and cracked, gauges and lcd screens that faded out and malfunctioned, plastics that deformed from heat and cold.

These cars were good in their times, but they are junk by todays standards.

 

i guess pictures look better than reality... while I dont have experience with Lexus vehicles of that age, I did hate all Toyota's from 90's when it came to interior design and materials.

 

Don't get me wrong, they weren't bad at all, and in many ways they were better than Mercs of that time - but they just aren't up to todays standards.

 

I mean...if I compare the interior of my Dad's 98 LS400 and that of my 2013 GS...bearing in mind that the GS, while costing more today than that LS did in 1998, is actually a class below...I gotta say the interior of the new GS is overall superior.

Yes the materials in the 98 LS were excellent, and in a few places superior I think. The carpeting was a little nicer maybe, it had pillow soft leather inside the door pulls for instance, the headliner was a little nicer and more detailed. Had that nice gathered leather in the door inserts where the GS has stitched nuluxe. BUT...the GS has incredible 18 way power seats, driver and passenger memory, far higher end and more unique wood trim, stitched nuluxe on the dash vs just padded vinyl (very nice padded vinyl, but padded vinyl), real metal accents, ventilated seats, talk about the technology differences alone...the GS has semi-aniline leather which wasn't available on the 98 LS.

When you compare a 2014 LS to that 98 LS, you have real leather on the dash and door panels in areas where the GS has stitched nuluxe and the 98 LS just had padded vinyl. Even more impressive wood trim, real metal accents, alcantara headliners, etc etc.

While those 90s Lexus interiors were very nice, they're plain and drab by today's standards. I think you have a point that quality has slipped when you look at say the ES, RX, etc compared with their counterparts from 1998 (and I think that has to do with the fact that adjusted for inflation their prices have actually gone DOWN), but when you look at the GS, LS, LX, etc etc I think thats a much harder case to make.

 

This is well said

The Lexus's that were superseded by today's modern Lexus's were at the top of their competitive sets yes. But times change and a modern Lexus's like the GS, LS, LX is better than ever. LX450 more luxurious than a LX570? Not really