Function over form... am I getting old?

[gorcorps]

So, I'm planning my next vehicle purchase. It's still ~2years out (I'm leasing now) but I like to be prepared. I had pretty much convinced myself that I was going to get a Lexus RX, especially since they're supposed to be releasing a longer 3rd row model that will be as big as my Highlander is. I love the new RX design, and test drove one to get a feel for it. It's smooth, quiet, everything I was looking for. I was pretty sure I made my choice and only had to wait.

However, as I've gotten used to my Highlander I'm beginning to shift my opinion to just getting another highlander. There's just so many practical things the Highlander has that aren't there in the Lexus that I feel like I'd be taking a step back.

First thing is a very simple but important thing: cup holders. The cup holders in the Highlander are not that well designed, but they're MASSIVE. They hold a regular size nalgene or 32oz gatorade, and I would struggle to even find a truck with cup holders that big. The RX ones are piddly in comparison. Second is the shelf storage on the Highlander (see here). It turns previously unused space into storage and makes it a very convenient area to toss your phone, wallet, anything like that. The RX doesn't have anything that convenient. The third thing which has pretty much disappeared from crossovers in general is back door glass that opens separately from the whole liftgate. Now, the fact that the powered liftgate is so slow on the highlander makes this even more important, but even so being able to pop the glass open on the back door for a couple bags of groceries is great.

Anyway... my point is that as much as I love the feel and look of the Lexus, I think I have to make the practical choice and stick with the more useful Highlander. Does that mean I'm getting old? Or maybe because it's a Lexus... I'm not old enough?

 

[JulesMaximus]

You are most assuredly getting old.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Definitely getting old. That said, I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't value function over form.

 

[Crono]

Maybe you are getting fat, if big cupholders are a priority. I kid, I kid.
And no, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting a practical car at any age.

Also, the Lexus RX has an ugly front (the spindle grille, or what I like to call Lexus-mouth). I apologize to Lexus owners, but Toyota sucks at exterior styling when it comes to their upscale vehicles... or most of their cars, actually. You are mainly paying for the brand name when you get a Lexus. At least the Highlander looks like a decent, normal SUV, and it's immensely practical.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who *love* the Lexus design aesthetic, but I'm thinking it has to be an acquired taste, like the kidney grille of the BMW. Give it a couple decades and I'm sure the spindle grille will be just as distinctive to the Lexus brand that it would be unthinkable to remove it. But I'm just not a fan.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I've driven the new RX. It is a really nice ride. I liked it a lot.

 

[gorcorps]

Maybe you are getting fat, if big cupholders are a priority. I kid, I kid.
And no, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting a practical car at any age.

Also, the Lexus RX has an ugly front (the spindle grille, or what I like to call Lexus-mouth). I apologize to Lexus owners, but Toyota sucks at exterior styling when it comes to their upscale vehicles... or most of their cars, actually. You are mainly paying for the brand name when you get a Lexus. At least the Highlander looks like a decent, normal SUV, and it's immensely practical.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who *love* the Lexus design aesthetic, but I'm thinking it has to be an acquired taste, like the kidney grille of the BMW. Give it a couple decades and I'm sure the spindle grille will be just as distinctive to the Lexus brand that it would be unthinkable to remove it. But I'm just not a fan.

It's a very polarizing look, but I'm in the camp that likes it. All other luxury brands look pretty bland anymore, with some different exceptions. Lexus has looked quite boring for a while IMO

 

[gorcorps]

You are most assuredly getting old.

I'm turning 30 tomorrow

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If you like the highlander you can keep the highlander.....

 

[gorcorps]

If you like the highlander you can keep the highlander.....

The 2017 highlanders have enough extra safety systems included that I'd like to upgrade. Plus I'm even thinking of going the hybrid route

 

[evident]

We plan on replacing our 07 RX in a few years with the not yet announced 3rd row RX if it ever gets announced. But the 2017 refreshed Highlander is pretty awesome and you'd be dumb to overlook it. We still have no reason to replace our 07 until we have a kid or two and even then, it's a want vs need. It's a beast. We can fit pretty much anything in the back, and it helped us with all of our moves over the years. It's not the most interesting thing to drive, but my wife doesn't care and tbh i don't care either, I have my IS for my commute

 

[gorcorps]

We plan on replacing our 07 RX in a few years with the not yet announced 3rd row RX if it ever gets announced. But the 2017 refreshed Highlander is pretty awesome and you'd be dumb to overlook it. We still have no reason to replace our 07 until we have a kid or two and even then, it's a want vs need. It's a beast. We can fit pretty much anything in the back, and it helped us with all of our moves over the years. It's not the most interesting thing to drive, but my wife doesn't care and tbh i don't care either, I have my IS for my commute

Well... at the very least we know the 3rd row RX is coming, we just don't know if it'll be a mid '17 offering or a wait until '18 offering.

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/24/lexus-rx-three-row-confirmed/

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Maybe you are getting fat, if big cupholders are a priority. I kid, I kid.
And no, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting a practical car at any age.

Also, the Lexus RX has an ugly front (the spindle grille, or what I like to call Lexus-mouth). I apologize to Lexus owners, but Toyota sucks at exterior styling when it comes to their upscale vehicles... or most of their cars, actually. You are mainly paying for the brand name when you get a Lexus. At least the Highlander looks like a decent, normal SUV, and it's immensely practical.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who *love* the Lexus design aesthetic, but I'm thinking it has to be an acquired taste, like the kidney grille of the BMW. Give it a couple decades and I'm sure the spindle grille will be just as distinctive to the Lexus brand that it would be unthinkable to remove it. But I'm just not a fan.

Being a Lexus owner, while you are paying for the brand name, you are paying for it because it means something. It's simply a better built car. Production lines are slower for Lexus. They run them about a 3rd of the speed that they run Toyota lines so that the cars are put together better and not as fast as can be done. It allows for more time to make sure everything is fitted correctly. It's small attention to detail that makes a big impact.
I will admit that lower end models, like the ES are not my cup of tea. I have one as a loaner while my car is getting scheduled maintenance done, good luck with some dealers giving you a loaner while your car is getting serviced. Most stick you on a clapped out "shuttle" and drop you off somewhere. The ES350 seems like they took an Avalon and upped it a bit more. I think the interior of this car looks like crap, but it's well built crap. It's comfortable and very quiet. Step up to the IS and you get better design as it seems to be geared towards the younger crowd, whereas the ES is more of an old fart car. The GS350 (which is what I have in F-Sport trim) is much MUCH nicer. I'll take this over anything the American's make. It's not going to beat a Cadillac V series car, but it's going to last a longer than one. Same as with the competing BMW's and Mercs. The Lexus has much more reliability than a 3 series or a 5 series that it competes against.

OP, why not just buy a CPO or used Highlander and keep it. It will run forever.

 

[gorcorps]

OP, why not just buy a CPO or used Highlander and keep it. It will run forever.

I plan on it, well at least if there's any available when I'm ready. I've leased my last couple vehicles because I live close to work, and I've been finnicky with my vehicle wants/needs. Now that I've pretty much landed on what I want long term, I'm ready to buy instead of lease next.

There's enough of an upgrade to the 2017 Highlanders that I want to get one of those. My current lease is up in August 2018. So if I wait until then there should be some used options out there. However, at least in my area, CPO vehicles when they're only a year old aren't that much cheaper than new. Interest rates on used cars are generally a little higher than new from what I've seen (and depending on current dealer incentives and such) so it's close to a wash in many cases.

 

[foghorn67]

Being a Lexus owner, while you are paying for the brand name, you are paying for it because it means something. It's simply a better built car. Production lines are slower for Lexus. They run them about a 3rd of the speed that they run Toyota lines so that the cars are put together better and not as fast as can be done. It allows for more time to make sure everything is fitted correctly. It's small attention to detail that makes a big impact.
I will admit that lower end models, like the ES are not my cup of tea. I have one as a loaner while my car is getting scheduled maintenance done, good luck with some dealers giving you a loaner while your car is getting serviced. Most stick you on a clapped out "shuttle" and drop you off somewhere. The ES350 seems like they took an Avalon and upped it a bit more. I think the interior of this car looks like crap, but it's well built crap. It's comfortable and very quiet. Step up to the IS and you get better design as it seems to be geared towards the younger crowd, whereas the ES is more of an old fart car. The GS350 (which is what I have in F-Sport trim) is much MUCH nicer. I'll take this over anything the American's make. It's not going to beat a Cadillac V series car, but it's going to last a longer than one. Same as with the competing BMW's and Mercs. The Lexus has much more reliability than a 3 series or a 5 series that it competes against.

OP, why not just buy a CPO or used Highlander and keep it. It will run forever.

Odd opinion on ES vs GS interior design. They both have the language and would look identical to anyone that has been in neither.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm turning 30 tomorrow

Happy Birthday Brandon!

And don't let it get you down... you're still 19 years younger than me.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Being a Lexus owner, while you are paying for the brand name, you are paying for it because it means something. It's simply a better built car. Production lines are slower for Lexus. They run them about a 3rd of the speed that they run Toyota lines so that the cars are put together better and not as fast as can be done. It allows for more time to make sure everything is fitted correctly. It's small attention to detail that makes a big impact.
I will admit that lower end models, like the ES are not my cup of tea. I have one as a loaner while my car is getting scheduled maintenance done, good luck with some dealers giving you a loaner while your car is getting serviced. Most stick you on a clapped out "shuttle" and drop you off somewhere. The ES350 seems like they took an Avalon and upped it a bit more. I think the interior of this car looks like crap, but it's well built crap. It's comfortable and very quiet. Step up to the IS and you get better design as it seems to be geared towards the younger crowd, whereas the ES is more of an old fart car. The GS350 (which is what I have in F-Sport trim) is much MUCH nicer. I'll take this over anything the American's make. It's not going to beat a Cadillac V series car, but it's going to last a longer than one. Same as with the competing BMW's and Mercs. The Lexus has much more reliability than a 3 series or a 5 series that it competes against.

OP, why not just buy a CPO or used Highlander and keep it. It will run forever.

The ES350 is built on the Toyota Avalon platform. And I would tend to agree with you on the crowd the ES is geared toward. It is an old fart car and that's one of the things I didn't like about it. It became a running joke between my wife and I to check out who was behind the wheel of every ES we would see on the road. It was almost always an elderly person.

Also, the IS and GS are both RWD while the ES is a FWD platform so they are completely different cars. I've driven the GS a couple times and was always impressed by how comfortable and quiet it is but it isn't exactly a driver's car either. We owned an IS for 8 years and I'd never buy another. Too small and those small front doors I was always hitting my head getting in and out of it.

Lexus here has always given us a loaner as long as we make a point of asking before we schedule a service. Mercedes is the same way. I've never had a problem getting a loaner while my car is in for service.

 

[Childs]

I'm thinking about getting rid of my Challenger and getting a Escape, CX-5, Forester, or maybe a Tacoma 4x2. I just want to be able to move stuff from place to place, and while the Challenger's trunk is great for stowing hookers, it doesnt do that well on big boxes. I must be much older than you, because I dont even really want anything nice, just need it to do what I want to do. In the end, they are just cars, and cars come and go.

 

[evident]

The ES350 is built on the Toyota Avalon platform. And I would tend to agree with you on the crowd the ES is geared toward. It is an old fart car and that's one of the things I didn't like about it. It became a running joke between my wife and I to check out who was behind the wheel of every ES we would see on the road. It was almost always an elderly person.

Also, the IS and GS are both RWD while the ES is a FWD platform so they are completely different cars. I've driven the GS a couple times and was always impressed by how comfortable and quiet it is but it isn't exactly a driver's car either. We owned an IS for 8 years and I'd never buy another. Too small and those small front doors I was always hitting my head getting in and out of it.

Lexus here has always given us a loaner as long as we make a point of asking before we schedule a service. Mercedes is the same way. I've never had a problem getting a loaner while my car is in for service.

3rd gen IS is much bigger than the one you had. Still snug though. I love that the seats fold down. If there was a 2nd gen IS-F for sale at the time near me i probably would have picked that up instead though