Triple Beams vs. Standard Headlights
Pit Crew
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 143
Likes: 60
From: NC
I disagree. They may be more advanced but to my naked eye the new design of the triple beam headlights looks cheaper. I actually also think that the interior looks a a little bit cheaper with all the piano black plastic on the door panel and center stack and removal of the aluminum looking strip under the infotainment screen. This combined with the infotainment screen that looks out of place when they brought it forward a few inches now looks like it's competing for real estate space with the drive mode selector stalk. I walked away thinking mid cycle refresh was supposed to improve upon the design but not in this case. Just my opinion. YMMV.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,547
Likes: 1,368
From: IL
In any MMC, there's going to be some change just for the sake of change. The people who buy the new one want to think there's something distinguishing so nobody mistakes them for the owner of a 3-year-old car, so you get arbitrary and frankly rather insignificant tinkering like this, and like the pattern of the grille bars. Either way, it's no big deal to me.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,619
Likes: 3,422
From: NJ
In any MMC, there's going to be some change just for the sake of change. The people who buy the new one want to think there's something distinguishing so nobody mistakes them for the owner of a 3-year-old car, so you get arbitrary and frankly rather insignificant tinkering like this, and like the pattern of the grille bars. Either way, it's no big deal to me.
Driver
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 87
Likes: 19
From: VA
In any MMC, there's going to be some change just for the sake of change. The people who buy the new one want to think there's something distinguishing so nobody mistakes them for the owner of a 3-year-old car, so you get arbitrary and frankly rather insignificant tinkering like this, and like the pattern of the grille bars. Either way, it's no big deal to me.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 568
From: CA
In any MMC, there's going to be some change just for the sake of change. The people who buy the new one want to think there's something distinguishing so nobody mistakes them for the owner of a 3-year-old car, so you get arbitrary and frankly rather insignificant tinkering like this, and like the pattern of the grille bars. Either way, it's no big deal to me.
Manufacturers know people will get the MMC because majority of people want the newest shiniest model. I personally believe this was mostly started and reinforced by smartphones + marketing, BUT it's always been true, now it's magnified. That being said, many of the differences I started to notice pre and post MMC, are pretty minimal, but it's the details that really matter. For example, I think the MMC has a very sleek and minimalistic design in comparison to pre-MMC. Others have stated that pre-MMC, materials seemed of higher quality and the aesthetics looked/felt more luxurious. I personally have always been very detail oriented, but some of the changes between the years are so subtle, such as the trim piece under the Navi, was something I didn't notice at first. Overall, I would say pre-MMC, the ES had more of a luxurious and classy feel. MMC, I think with the layout changes, present a more minimalist and tech approach, which I do appreciate and personally prefer.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 665
Likes: 55
From: MA
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 823
Likes: 168
From: Massachusetts
Also, from what I’ve been reading on here, Lexus made the infotainment system a touchscreen and they also moved the screen closer to the driver. That’s a very good thing because they made the touchscreen more ergonomic for the driver.
Last edited by glamglam; Apr 20, 2022 at 07:45 AM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 9,537
Likes: 2,592
I feel like the screen being closer closes off some space and might make the cabin feel unnecessarily cramped or smaller. Open air is a good thing. The ES already has slightly less cabin room than both the Avalon and Accord (typical for more premium cars vs standard ones all things being equal) so even less room (perceived or otherwise) isn't too welcome.
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 823
Likes: 168
From: Massachusetts
I feel like the screen being closer closes off some space and might make the cabin feel unnecessarily cramped or smaller. Open air is a good thing. The ES already has slightly less cabin room than both the Avalon and Accord (typical for more premium cars vs standard ones all things being equal) so even less room (perceived or otherwise) isn't too welcome.
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 568
From: CA
I feel like the screen being closer closes off some space and might make the cabin feel unnecessarily cramped or smaller. Open air is a good thing. The ES already has slightly less cabin room than both the Avalon and Accord (typical for more premium cars vs standard ones all things being equal) so even less room (perceived or otherwise) isn't too welcome.
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
I can see the benefit obviously of being able to touch the screen as I've posted before, but the cabin wasn't designed for that to begin with. I'd be open to trying it out, that's just the perception I get.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
Check it out if you have the time, some of it is intuitive but overall it does feel like the addition of touchscreen was a little bit of an afterthought, although a welcomed one imo.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 901
Likes: 266
From: Delaware
The one thing I like about the Avalon Limited they come with sequential turn signals. I was hoping Lexus would brought it to ES mid cycle refresh. Lexus also keeps the crappy back up camera. It looks worse for those paid for the large screen and when throw in reverse they get this to see this:
Last edited by ionian; Apr 20, 2022 at 08:46 AM. Reason: ...
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 568
From: CA
The one thing I like about the Avalon Limited they come with sequential turn signals. I was hoping Lexus would brought it to ES mid cycle refresh. Lexus also keeps the crappy back up camera. It looks worse for those paid for the large screen and when throw in reverse they get this to see this:
https://youtu.be/dJ4eKrek1Qs?t=641
https://youtu.be/dJ4eKrek1Qs?t=641
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,547
Likes: 1,368
From: IL
I feel like the screen being closer closes off some space and might make the cabin feel unnecessarily cramped or smaller. Open air is a good thing. The ES already has slightly less cabin room than both the Avalon and Accord (typical for more premium cars vs standard ones all things being equal) so even less room (perceived or otherwise) isn't too welcome.
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
As for headlights, I'd like new cause new, but honestly the old ones look better. (triple beam)
The headlights, I agree with you. I don't know if any functional change drove the restyle on the triple beams, but I concur that the old trapezoids looked cooler than the new little rectangles. But again, nothing I'd call any kind of deal breaker. Just that little tinkering MMC stuff.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 9,537
Likes: 2,592
The one thing I like about the Avalon Limited they come with sequential turn signals. I was hoping Lexus would brought it to ES mid cycle refresh. Lexus also keeps the crappy back up camera. It looks worse for those paid for the large screen and when throw in reverse they get this to see this:
https://youtu.be/dJ4eKrek1Qs?t=641
https://youtu.be/dJ4eKrek1Qs?t=641
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 568
From: CA
same boat, something about this guy annoys me, so I don't watch his videos. He has this somewhat salesman pitch vibe and speech, so I find that annoying. I forget which car but he mentioned "you can fit a pizza in this map pocket", like who the hell would even consider that...