any idea why lexus didn't put in steering wheel audio controls till like the most current release year? i'm looking to buy a 2nd gen GS400 and that's one thing that really stood out to me.

 

just a wild guess, but I'm thinking because of the e-shift. I think the GS was built for performance, rather than convenience.

 

buy aftermarket vox controlled audio system.......

you don't need to take your hands of the steering wheel neither

that will amaze everyone !!!!! LOL

yezzzzzzzzz........

 

nah

lexus w/ e-shift is a classis and it doesn't need anything more..

lexus gs (2nd gen) is perfect in any way you look at it at least in my opinion by putin audio controls on steering wheel would be too much.. and wouldn't be um.. i dont know what word to pick.. probably "professional" "classy" .. it'd remind people of a pantiac or somethin.. eww

maybe i'm wrong but thats my point of view here

 

I think it's another thing Lexus is way behind in....It should have audio controls

 

I dont know about the US models but the Canadian ones have Audio controls next to the steering wheel GS 430 Anyway, No big deal!!

 

i think the 430's have the audio controls at list it looks so in the 2002 brochure
but honestly the controls aren't far enough from the seats for me to really ***** about not having them on the wheel.
i drive with 1 hand on the wheel most of the time anyway

 

Yes, the GS430 has redundant audio controls on the steering wheel. There are buttons for prev/next track/station/CD, volume up/down, return to preferred volume setting, etc. Of course, the GS430 doesn't have E-Shift.

I personally strongly prefer the redundant audio controls. The reasoning that they are either ugly or don't belong with E-Shift or on a performance car don't hold water when you look at everything from the Acura TL-S and Infiniti G35 up to the BMW M5 and MB E55, all of which have this feature. For some reason Lexus just didn't put that on the GS until 2001...

 

I've got a GS430 and don't use the steering wheel audio controls. Can't see it easily, so not used to it, maybe never will be. My wife's Riviera has a really convenient set of audio and temperature controls on the wheel that I always use. The radio controls are close enough on the Lexus that the wheel stuff isn't that much of a benefit IMHO.