Quality?

[LEXIRX330]

What are your thoughts on the quality of the new Lexus models? I just had a new IS350 loaner and to be honest if that was my first experience with Lexus it would have been my last. This wasn't a ragged out old model it was new and had only 2000 miles on it. But the interior was so cheap feeling to me, the leather was so thin I thought I could rip it or tear it. The dash and clusters seem as if they are from a model that should cost thousands less. I am not picking on the IS either. I have felt the same way in the previous RX loaners the hybrid and the 350 both I have had too. But one of the most disappointing things was the drive of the IS350 to me. It sure did not make me feel as if I was driving a Lexus at all. The tone of the exhaust was muted by the engine which to me didn't sound good. The cluster when you start getting to high RPMs would have a orange light which is not quite what I am used to seeing at all. I have driven other models that change colors like that but actually look quite nice this looked like a cheap bulb that I would have popped in when I was in high school.

Now to be fair I don't have a clue what packages these loaners have but it just wasn't what I was expecting when I sat in a new Lexus. Ones I purchase have the top of the line trim so I know that would have something to do with it but man the dash, the materials everything. Maybe with the upgrades it will be better but even my previous 04rx330 was much more luxurious than either of the past few loaners I have had.

So how does everyone else feel?

[pj8708]

Sorry I missed this thread earlier. I think you bring up some really good points. (I think this topic is worth discussion, maybe move it to another forum for more traffic.) When I traded my 2005 ES for a 2010 ES I was very dissapointed that Lexus had removed so much of the beautiful wood trim that had been used in the 2005 cabin. In addition, they had molded the passenger side dash into a large rounded bulge of dark gray plastic. The carpet on the sides of the console didn't match the floor carpet. There was a inverted tear drop shape of wood on the upright console/instument panel, and a small accent piece of wood on the doors. The saving grace of the car was that it rode like a dream and was Lexus quiet.

My 2013 ES has even less "Luxury Triming". There is only a narrow strip of wood across the dash and another small partial strip on the doors. When I ordered the car I was told the only wood stain color available for my body/interior color choice, was "Espresso. That looks just as it sounds. A very, very dark coffee brown. When your in the car you can not tell the color of the wood or if it's even wood. Only when the sun shines directly on it can you tell it's wood.

But let me back up. With this new ES350, Lexus has really made up for all the ugly I thought the 2007 - 2012 had. The cabin in the Parchment color is beautiful. Mine is a black exterior with special order spoke wheels. If you look at other luxury brands you see the same style componets as the Lexus products. The metal trimed steering wheel, minimal wood, more multi spoked sport wheels, a lot of black leather interiors and so on.

The materials in the new ES have a solid, top quailty feel. It is by far my best ES yet.

[LEXIRX330]

Yea Paul I hear you on the ride. Friend of mine just got a new ES that had almost every package you can get and it is nice. My problem is that it just seems companies are trying to cut corners everywhere. To me it cheapens the brand and I was actually looking forward to sporting around the is350 for awhile. I took my son for a ride to the bank with me but the car just didn't give me that "feeling" of "wow" and I was disappointed. As I said I have no idea what packages this had or didn't have on it. I'm not knocking the IS either it is just like Mercedes and BMW they do it too. All I know is when it comes time to replace the GX in a couple years I hope they don't cheapen the new model.

[13IS250C]

This is the only Lexus I have ever owned or even driven for that matter, so I don't have anything to compare it to. I will say that I don't think the quality of the interior is any better or worse than the '08 G37 coupe I owned. I do like the padded vinyl on the door panels and even the side of the console. I don't have any rattles in my car. It seams very solid. I have a small bit of air noise in the crack of the roof right by my ear, and sometimes on a really rough road (plenty of those in Memphis) I get a little ticking sound between the roof and the window on the passenger side. Other than that, I have never seen a convertible with less roof noise. When the top is up, you would never know that it is a convertible, quite unlike my S2000.

And David, you can turn off that orange light. I keep it on my tach, but turned it off on my speedometer. For some reason, it would come on on the speedometer around 88 mph. Maybe it was going back to the future! ;)

[LEXIRX330]

It's strange I remember the first IS loaner I ever had and I loved it. I actually have asked for them quite a few times. I just felt this was a step back...but I'm not sure about packages and that could be it. That orange light looked cheesy though. Look at how Jaguar has theirs change.

[LEX-SV]

My opinion is concerns about Lexus quality are a non-issue, and JD and CR reporting seems to support that. I don't feel most people can accurately measure things like paint thickness, leather thickness, sheet metal thickness, etc., not that these are best criteria for judging quality.

I am not impressed with Lexus loaner cars, they are frequently dirty, body dinged, body scratched, beat, poorly treated and not good examples of Lexus product quality. (But that might justify a separate topic). I get better cared for Mercedes loaners at local Benz dealership.

[LEXIRX330]

I hear you. But as I said this was a new loaner I think 2000 miles maybe. The cars JD and CR report on obviously have premium packages. This one must have been a base model. It was jnot impressive at all. I am a Lexus fan but I wasn't a fan of that car.

[LEX-SV]

Yes, when I speak of JD and CR reporting, I'm referring to data about quality they collect from actual owners (not reviews). And Lexus consistently scores at top or near top for attributes related to quality. Generally premium car buyers are not buying strippos.

But I know what you are saying about gap in interior quality almost gone ( or greatly narrowed) between common premium cars and loaded top trim level other cars.

[LEXIRX330]

Yes, when I speak of JD and CR reporting, I'm referring to data about quality they collect from actual owners (not reviews). And Lexus consistently scores at top or near top for attributes related to quality. Generally premium car buyers are not buying strippos.

But I know what you are saying about gap in interior quality almost gone ( or greatly narrowed) between common premium cars and loaded top trim level other cars.

I knew what you meant! :)

[SW03ES]

I have found that sadly in the entry models (the IS, ES & RX) material quality inside has declined. For instance the new ES and IS now have hard plastic lower doors where they were always padded before, on the ES and RX that hard plastic creeps up to around where the door handles are, etc. Thats one of the big reasons why I upgraded to the GS this time. I've said this about Toyotas for some time, that Toyota nowadays makes the industry's crappiest interior...I hate to see that leaching into the Lexus lineup too...

I think when you look at the competition, the Lexus interiors on those lower end cars are still in it, but they aren't heads and shoulders above like they used to be.

For some reason the loaners do always seem worse I agree, I think its probably condition. I had an RX loaner last week with 3k on it and it was filthy...

[13IS250C]

Ouch! That kinda stings hearing my $50k IS called an entry model.

[LEX-SV]

Inflation impact for sure.