new is not always better, i think it looks like crap from the front however very elegant and LS like from the back.

 

I would tend to agree with the comments previously regarding the Massive grill. I hope it's the photo shot. Otherwise not bad looking ES

 

am i seeing it correctly ? are the red portion of the rear taillights beveled ?

 

Day 2 with the new ES. I like it more today than yesterday.
The grill doesn't look hideous to me.

 

I put zero faith in that tool.

When I bought my IS, the configurator said my combination of packages was unavailable in my area, yet there were several such configured ones on the lot of my dealer and the next closest dealer.

 

The "Build Your Lexus" tool is an indication of what vehicles are currently being built and shipped to dealers. But dealers may still have vehicles left in their inventories that were built at other times.

Since we are only at the very beginning of the the 2016 ES production cycle, dealers are not, at this point, going to have any 2016 ES vehicles in their inventories that were built earlier in the 2016 production cycle. When we get later into the 2016 production cycle, that is when dealers are going to be likely to have in their inventories a range of vehicles that were built at various times during the production cycle.

Thus, at the very beginning of the 2016 production cycle, the "Build Your Lexus" tool is likely to be a pretty good indicator of what vehicles are going to be available at dealers soon.

 

The example with my IS was right when the new IS first hit dealer lots, similar to this situation with the '16 ES. Despite the online tool stating those configurations were not available in my area, those were the exact configurations being sent that week and the next week.

So at least in my experience, the online configurator was far off from reality. YMMV.

 

Did you drink today? The front is, in a word, objectionable.

 

Agree completely.

 

Geez, I wonder if the designers read these forums and take note of the dissatisfaction with the grille design.
Maybe they'll modify it next year for their biggest market.

 

They've said it time and time again, they realize that some people may hate the design, but that they're betting others will love it.

I've been posting on Lexus forums for ~15 years. ]lPeople have been whining about the spindle grill for years, before that it was the L-finesse styling. People always hate change, and most model refreshes draw more hate than love. The proof will be in the sales. If sales take a dip, they may change course, I'm betting that won't happen though.

I've been a spindle grill fan, for me its getting a little much though as it gets even bolder. I like it on this ES actually, and I like it on the F Sport NX and the new RX, but I don't care for the implementation on the refreshed GS and I'm not sure about the new LX.

 

Its really rare to see a manufacturer make an unplanned change because of negative feedback - especially Lexus. I don't expect to see any such change until the next model change. I don't like it and have already started looking at other options - A GS was one until I saw pics of the new grill.

I just keep telling myself the other changes are nice and Lexus Customer service has always been great for me.

Dave Mac

 

The models with large mesh spindle grilles look much better without the front tag applied. This is not an option in many two tag states. You can get a $90 fine here in Maryland. All Lexus are shipped with a tag bracket and specific places to mount the bracket. Toyota manufacturing worries about the smallest of details and that is why they receive so many rewards for their factories. Since robots are employed for many repetitive tasks you might think that the process is autonomous. The programming of those robots is controlled by skilled craftsmen known as Takumis. They are famous for noticing any small aberration in the production and are ever vigilant. One such Master will purposely bring a chassis with defects into his section to see if it will be allowed to proceed. Not one defective chassis has made it past the checkpoints. Even a stray hair could cause a blemish in the stamping process or dust in the paint. Lexus goes to great lengths to keep these areas clean. As the old adage says, " You could eat off the floor." would be true.

 

I'd love to see Lexus replace their single stage obsidian with one with a hard clear. The lack of clear definitely makes a difference in the amount of gloss the paint has. And with a harder clear you'd have less marring to show up on the dark paint.

 

I believe this has already been done, and that modern obsidian cars have a clear coat.

I personally prefer the look of the single stage black. Its less "shiny", but its deeper and richer looking IMHO.