The Official "I'm Struggling with Lexus" Thread

[Gecko]

All done.

 

[mikeavelli]

I will never understand Genesis/Hyundai fanboys trashing Lexus when they tried to copy the playbook down to hiring employees. Really odd.

Lexus paved the way for them.

 

[maiaramdan]

Simply delusion !

 

[Jonas]

Now to something completly different. For years as a loyal Lexus customer, I have enjoyed this forum. Still do. Lately, though for a long period, no news of new models, inovations or else. Why is Lexus so secretive? Owned and loved every F car (except LFA) and other models. Give me some hope please! Tired of reading latest posts of Toyota or even other car makers... Would not like to change booth forum and to another brand.

 

[ssun30]

Isn't there a word that describes the behavior of people stop buying current generation product because of rumor of new products?

Whether this effect is true is controversial. The main counter-argument is that giving people 'hope' of exciting future products prevents them from 'jumping ship' and weakens the hype generated by competitor's new products. This is especially true in markets with little brand stickiness and short cadence such as Android smartphones.

When a company is so secretive, it usually means their buyer demographics are very loyal, which is true for Lexus. For example, the abundance of new mid-size crossovers launched in recent years has not led to decline of RX and thus Lexus is in no hurry to leak out info on a new generation.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

In tech, it's called "the Osborne effect", after a company in the early 80s that announced a much better version of their best-selling machine something like 18 months in advance and then went out of business before they could ship it because sales of the existing machines stopped.

 

[Jonas]

Gentlemen, maybe I was uclear in my earlier comment.

This is not theretical for me.

Firstly, my latest Lexus (RX 450h f-sport 2000) is a compromise in many ways. Wonderful car, but tecnicaly begining to get old and lacks in power and has mainly a front wheel drive.

Secondly, I usually get the latest IPhone - at least when it is an improvement and better than the alternatives. 😀

For me it is not a question of stop buying the current generation of Lexus. I have always bought the current and latest generation from them.

The fact for me is that the current generation could be better than it is compared with the alternatives from other brands. That makes me sad, as a true Lexus lover.

As I said in an earlier comment, I give Lexus this and next year, then I go look for other cars. After more than 15 years I am out.

Maybe Lexus raised my expectations to high, with a line of GS, RC F, GS F and my last LC 500 (bought them all). But, as my latest acquirement the RX is just beginning to fall behind the competitors.

 

[dbthompson]

My highest hopes are for a knock-your-socks-off new NX, hopefully in the next calendar year. I've been following the Sienna development for a while, and that had been pushed back multiple times, and they're finally starting to ship (I think on net, it's been about at least a 21 month delay). Covid has not helped this at all.

But I think a lot of this has to do with shifts in powertrain development. So many competitors have been going turbo4s, and while the NX adopted one, I don't feel like Toyota's heart is really in that direction. They've had an awesome V6 for a long time, and the best hybrid implementation too. But I still don't think they've found the right new luxury powertrain solution (post V6), particularly for SUVs. For me, the problem with the NA4cyl+hybrid has been the noise. It seems less noticeable on the ES/Camry, but when you get to the Venza/Sienna size, it just gets really loud on acceleration. Now the RAV4 Prime seems to address this, but battery availability is already a limit there, not to mention spreading adoption to a Lexus. But I think these basic powertrain concerns (and combined with Covid) have put development cycles on a very long delay.

So, if somehow, Toyota/Lexus could come up with a turbo4/hybrid implementation that meets their durability standards, I could see that as a possible ground-breaker. And so I'm hoping the forthcoming NX may just have that (and here, I fully agree that it would really help if a few cracks in Lexus's secretiveness would help!) ....

In the meantime, if you can put up with the noise on acceleration, and given that you've had a 2000 RX for a long while, I'd say check out the new Venza. It doesn't have real leather, but I don't think the Softex / NuLuxe is too bad (particularly when combined with ventilated seats).

 

[Jonas]

My hopes are high as well. Although a 4-cyl turbo is not enough for me. At least 6-cyl, why not with turbo and electric chargeable. Would surely be nice to know the direction of Lexus future powertrains for the years to follow. Just for the facts my latest Lexus is new for this year, in the US I think 2021. Why do Lexus not give it at least 100 - 150 more horsepowers, and why not turbo or chargeable or both, when TMC surely have the technology, why?

 

[Jonas]

And rear wheel drive?

 

[ssun30]

Because of cost. Technology isn't free, and integration of technology is very expensive. More cylinders, turbochargers, a plugin hybrid system, you can choose one but not all three. To get two you pay more. Three a lot more. The end result is now you have to pay V8 prices for an inline-4 turbo plugin hybrid in the case of AMG. Is that an acceptable purchase? You are NOT going to buy a six cylinder turbo with plugin for a reasonable price, just forget about it. In fact that exact setup is now mostly seen in $150k+ supercars.

 

[Levi]

Because of cost. Technology isn't free, and integration of technology is very expensive. More cylinders, turbochargers, a plugin hybrid system, you can choose one but not all three. To get two you pay more. Three a lot more. The end result is now you have to pay V8 prices for an inline-4 turbo plugin hybrid in the case of AMG. Is that an acceptable purchase? You are NOT going to buy a six cylinder turbo with plugin for a reasonable price, just forget about it. In fact that exact setup is now mostly seen in $150k+ supercars.

Agree. But then alot of tech is pointless in practice. Better get pushrod V8 or go full BEV.

 

[mediumhot]

Gentlemen, maybe I was uclear in my earlier comment.

This is not theretical for me.

Firstly, my latest Lexus (RX 450h f-sport 2000) is a compromise in many ways. Wonderful car, but tecnicaly begining to get old and lacks in power and has mainly a front wheel drive.

Secondly, I usually get the latest IPhone - at least when it is an improvement and better than the alternatives. 😀

For me it is not a question of stop buying the current generation of Lexus. I have always bought the current and latest generation from them.

The fact for me is that the current generation could be better than it is compared with the alternatives from other brands. That makes me sad, as a true Lexus lover.

As I said in an earlier comment, I give Lexus this and next year, then I go look for other cars. After more than 15 years I am out.

Maybe Lexus raised my expectations to high, with a line of GS, RC F, GS F and my last LC 500 (bought them all). But, as my latest acquirement the RX is just beginning to fall behind the competitors.

2016 GS with Luxury Package is better vehicle than any current 2021 Lexus CUV/SUV unfortunately, for Lexus that is. I agree with you 100%.

 

[mediumhot]

My hopes are high as well. Although a 4-cyl turbo is not enough for me. At least 6-cyl, why not with turbo and electric chargeable. Would surely be nice to know the direction of Lexus future powertrains for the years to follow. Just for the facts my latest Lexus is new for this year, in the US I think 2021. Why do Lexus not give it at least 100 - 150 more horsepowers, and why not turbo or chargeable or both, when TMC surely have the technology, why?

Toyota does have technology to develop such powertrain but Toyota products don't need such powertrain and that's about it. Lexus R&D people should be very grateful to get 3.5 Twin Turbo Hybrid setup from Toyota. The reason why this thing was developed in the first place is not Lexus but Toyota big trucks.

 

[Levi]

Toyota does have technology to develop such powertrain but Toyota products don't need such powertrain and that's about it. Lexus R&D people should be very grateful to get 3.5 Twin Turbo Hybrid setup from Toyota. The reason why this thing was developed in the first place is not Lexus but Toyota big trucks.

Toyota are not cheap cars, and are now semi premium like VW. At this point why bother with Lexus if they are not a big step above or those that are (LS, LC) don't sell?

 

[Sulu]

Toyota are not cheap cars, and are now semi premium like VW. At this point why bother with Lexus if they are not a big step above or those that are (LS, LC) don't sell?

You believe so? While I find current Toyota models here in North America to be better than their last generation, I believe that the model generations from 10 or 15 years ago to have higher quality interiors than current models.

For example, those older models (specifically the Camry and Corolla) had rear seat head restraints that were separate from the seatback, and could be adjusted or removed. The current model Camrys and Corollas have higher head restraints but they are integrated with the seatback and cannot be removed. I find this cheap. And this makes it difficult to install child seats because you have to place and tighten that top tether strap over the head restraint, damaging it.

Because of the improved but still cheaper interiors (compared to 10 to 15 years ago), I find that there is still a definite, very noticeable step up from Toyota to Lexus.

 

[maiaramdan]

From Toyota to Lexus space shall be filled with Mazda & FR Toyotas

 

[Sulu]

^^ Filled by Mazda? Mazda is not a Toyota-owned brand and sales of Mazda models will not help Toyota.

Filled by FR Toyotas? Are there RWD Toyotas available where you live? Certainly not in North America.

 

[nt01]

It would be nice to have toyota crown with the V6 hybrid in North America, or any other vehicle with multistage hybrid system other than the LS and LC.

 

[maiaramdan]

^^ Filled by Mazda? Mazda is not a Toyota-owned brand and sales of Mazda models will not help Toyota.

Filled by FR Toyotas? Are there RWD Toyotas available where you live? Certainly not in North America.

Definitely you are right
But hence Toyota keep increasing it's share in the 3 " SUBARU, MAZDA & SUZUKI" annually, it's a matter of time and regulations

Add this to the shift that Mazda managers told the world about it as positioning Mazda as a premium instead of mainstream
Add all this to the next generation FR Mazda 6
And the shifting of the CX9 as well, with the rumours of Toyota taking the Sky-Active X, and Mazda taking the TNGA-N for the next 6