Had our 2014 RX for 3 weeks now. Yesterday I picked up a 2014 ES350 loaner car as my 2009 LS is at the dealer for repair. The electronics on the ES are about the same as the RX except:

1. The ES has tire pressure numbers and the RX seems not to. And

2. The ES has a handy hard button to turn off the "Dual" temperature control whereas it seems that you can only do this via fumbling thru the screen settings on the RX.

Am I missing something? Why would Lexus acknowledge these handy things but exclude them on the more expensive vehicle?

 

Cuz the ES was totally re-designed (new generation) in 2013, three years AFTER the RX went through the same process. My expectation would be that the next gen of the RX (in 2016?) would leapfrog the ES in a similar fashion. Also have to realize that there will always be product differentiation.

 

Very true about the redesign. One thing though, the 3RX came out in 2009 so it's even longer since it last happened. And the 450h has tire pressure readout.

 

Sometimes it's about real estate and making a dash compatible with different radios and things like AWD. It can limit what can go where easily. Predesigned wiring harnesses can make changes tougher until a more overall redesign. These things are planned out years in advance.

 

I have an RX450H loaner and the tire pressure monitor is nice except that every time I have looked at it the perssure is different and some times every tire is different. They range from 37 to 40. I can see where some people might be calling the dealer thinking there is something wrong with all of the variations due to temp changes in the road and sun on one side of the car.

 

My 2009 LS460 has the pressure monitor and yes, you have to ignore fluctuations during the day. I generally look at it in the morning just before pulling out of the garage. Other than that accurate reading, I ignore the readings while driving unless one tire becomes hugely low (which only happened one time when hit a pothole and blew a tire...and I knew even before looking that the pressure monitor what happened).

 

A button to end dual heat mode is not too much to ask. I HATE messing around on the screen to fix that.

 

1) RX450h does feature tire pressure readings
2) Very minor complaint. Just don't use the dual temp control. It is nowhere near as bad as fumbling through menus while driving to do something as simple as turning AC on or off.

 

sometimes they add/subtract features on vehicles just to keep it within a certain price point.

Some cars try to be more simplistic in fancy features because more often than not, something will go wrong..especially with anything dealing with electronics. Then it translates to customer satisfaction ratings when these things break.

 

Funny... The 4GS doesn't have a dual button either. I personally rather less buttons on the dash though.