StreetLexus

I drive a 99 ES300 and I think the older body style looks better than the new. I will admit that the interior in the new cars is awesome, but the older body looks better.

Anyone else?

BAWLEX94

personally, and this is truthfully not because i drive one.......i think the oldest body style es 300 looked the best of any.....the 92-96 style.....in 97, the exterior styling looked way to similar to the camry styling, where as the 92-96 seemed more different

BigRich

With a kit I'd prefer 92-96. But just plain stock I like the 2002's..

Nabeel

Yeah, I'm probably a little biased b/c I have one, but I think the '92-96 ES was the best looking. I remember when it came out in late '91 and it looked like nothing else on the road, with its projector beam headlamps and low, elegant roofline. I think it is still the sportiest looking ES. The design has aged well also, it still looks fresh even today. You can't say that about many 10 year old designs.

bizarreRide

Definitely biased, but definitely a much bigger fan of body style of 97-01 over 2002...I really hate the headlights on the 02, how they creep up the hood. I think the new style is overall too bubbley, too Taurus-like.

I will agree it is more differentiated from the Camry, but I think the 02 Camry looks better...

Later,
bR

squarehat

I definitely like the front end of the 92-96 the best. Like Nabeel said, the sweeping lines and the projector beam headlamps and aggressive looking air dam give the car an excellent mix of style and sportiness, and a 92-96 looks suitably different then the Camry of the same vintage. I like the tail of the 97-01, with it's creases, although curves where the trunklid meets the rear quarters on the older style look nice, too. The giant taillights are perhaps one of the few things that make the car look dated, with most manufacturers nowdays putting smaller taillights to each side of the trunk opening, rather than all the way across the back except where the license plate goes. Not that they're ugly. Just that nobody's going to mistake it for an '02 Maxima. I like the look of the 00-01 ES's tail, with clear inserts with amber bulbs.
The interior of the 02' blows the doors off most the earlier models (especially with NAV and Levinson sound, power sunshade), although I do like many of the earlier Coach Editions.

meZoom!

my most favorite ES is the 00-01 platinum edition in that dark greyish color. i guess that's cuz most of the 00-01's still running on the road are clean and still have much of their clear coat paint still lustrous. that aside, sometimes i really do say "damn, i can't believe this car is 7 years old" when i look at my 95 es. especially after i wash and wax it. as someone else mentioned, the body design really does age well. i dunno what it is. of course i'm certainly biased but i notice that i don't get bored with the curves. my dad has a 00 GS and i am kinda bored with it's look already. don't get me wrong cuz his car kicks *** too but not in the same way as an ES does. the 02 ES looks too similar to a camry and looks heavy. the interior is really nice but the funny thing is you can really feel and notice that it's the same interior as the 92-96ES, just upgraded to the year 2002. i dig the pull out doorhandles on the 02 but i like the ones i have too.

iNdoMeX

im also a little biased but i think the 97+ es up to the newest design looks the sharpest of em all

TheBigGuyRy

Ok , just got back from a long vacation and thought i'd shout on up in this thread

I am NOT biased, I think the last model before the latest model change (2001ish?) was the best... I would give anything to own one of those, it's got the best of both worlds. Classic ES styling and new features/better looking cause it's friggin new.

Aside from that I would say the 92 - 96... but my car (92) would look tons better without those rediculous looking yellow fog lights and the faded colors in the tail lights...

Faraaz23

I personally like the 00 and 01 style. I like the refreshed lamps with clears and the 16" wheels, as well as the wood steering wheel. My fav color combo in it is that dark grey/charcoal color with the black interior. Although, I must admit... the 02's interior will blow away any ES by far. But i don't think it looks sporty at all, then again i'm 19 years old, so some of u who'r older than me might like the new look better.

j2tha0e

okay....i think my dream ES would be of 92-96 body style with the headlights.
the 2001 rear lights.
2000 platinum rims.
the in-glass radio antenna.
the 97+ fog lights.
inside i'd like pure 2002 style.
i want the 95-96 speedometer setup. (with can i get white needles with that?)
the 95-96 climate control setup.
the 2002 ML sounds.
the 2001 wood/leather steering wheel.
the wood trim on the 2002 AND the wood trim on the 2001. (you guys know what i mean ya?)
i think that's it.
ooh...looks sweet in my head.
oh....2002 engine, tranny and all the other good stuff you can't see.
the thing that urks me the most about the 2002 model is they got door frames.

Nabeel

I didn't know the '95-'96 were any different than the '92-'94. Also, what's different about the climate control setup compared with the earlier models, except for the outside temp button, which was introduced in '94?

I'd love to see someone photoshop the ES described in j2tha0e's above post.

BAWLEX94

i got the same question as NABEEL.....im pretty sure there is no difference in the speedometer set up in the 95-96 and the 94, and there is no difference in the climate control set up in 95-96 and the 94 model

LexusMommy

Ew ew ew. I personally am not a fan of the 92-96 at all. I worked at a Lexus dealer for a while and was SO relieved when the 97-01's came out. As far as '02 and up...back to the EW EW EW!

j2tha0e

isn't the 92-94 speedometer hecka dark when it's off. like you can't see through it at all? i don't know. i've never seen the inside of a 92-94.