Can any body join in?
IMHO Steve is right about chrome wheels and the popularity of aftermarket chrome. It is my experience that it truly is a regional thing. Here in Des Moines you still see plenty of chrome wheels, but fewer than a year or two ago. Mostly because manufacturers are pushing more non-chrome and coastal trends are getting here. Traveling to Florida, Virgina, California, you see very little chrome.
Regarding the chrome trim on new cars, I think you miss the point Rob that SW made. What a manufacturer designs for a cars appearance is designed to make it attractive to the buyer. It is based on their sense of taste not yours per Se. What you think of that appearance is your sense of taste. They are two separate things.
As for my 2010 ES, I like the chrome handles and the added trim piece along the bottom of the doors.