The grill. Plus that idiotic haptic controller made me choose the LC over the LX.
2021 Lexus LX
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The grill. Plus that idiotic haptic controller made me choose the LC over the LX.
Lexus is finally moving away from their ridiculous touchpad controller. But I don’t know whether the 2021 LX still has it. It is a deal breaker to me.
Definitely still do. This is not a generational refresh. It’s an update in plastic moulding.
I have stayed away from all of Lexus' current offerings for the awful styling and the awful user interface. I suspect we will have to wait till the next generation of platforms to see whether they continue to beat their models with the IMPOSSIBRU! ugly stick or not, or revert to the wisdom of a better user interface. If they move all the functionality to a Tesla style screen (an ergonomic disaster given the environment), I will have to look elsewhere once my crop of older generation vehicles needs replacement. The good news is that the 2018 LC200 should last for a good while yet. It even has R-134a refrigerant and not the pricey R-1234YF (YF is envirotechnojargon for "You're eFfed!"
)
Sadly, a lot of manufacturers are following Tesla’s lead and are eliminating physical buttons and moving to touch screen for most everything. These include Audi and Porsche. The next generation Mercedes S-class has just debuted and Mercedes is joining the bandwagon as well.
I have my personal preferences.
In my experience, having a wide breadth of cars including a Tesla, none of the control schemes are deal breakers. Even the Lexus mouse which I find mature and well developed. I've been able to adapt and use them all effectively. No problem switching daily between some of these newer paradigms vs an older all manual car.
In my experience, having a wide breadth of cars including a Tesla, none of the control schemes are deal breakers. Even the Lexus mouse which I find mature and well developed. I've been able to adapt and use them all effectively. No problem switching daily between some of these newer paradigms vs an older all manual car.
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When Lexus put the predator grill on the RX, I confidently predicted it would be a disaster for the brand. After all, the RX is the franchise vehicle for Lexus. It is as important to Lexus as the Highlander and RAV4 are to Toyota. Furthermore, RX buyers are conservative types, not into showy displays, and the predator grill is demonstrably hideous.
After Lexus put the predator grill on the RX, sales increased. Which just goes to show my great skill as an automotive analyst.
After Lexus put the predator grill on the RX, sales increased. Which just goes to show my great skill as an automotive analyst.
Crush 4
SILVER Star
They probably do tons and tons of focus groups and that’s how they come up with some of these designs I suspect.
I like technology as much as the next guy, but any user interface that requires the eyes to be taken off the road to change a setting is problematic in a vehicle, in my view. I am also for the environment, except when your hybrid or electric vehicle refuses to operate because the AC system that is also used to cool the battery has a leak, and the AC cannot be recharged until the leak is fixed. Oh, the refrigerant is $100 per pound. And I thought that Toyota disabling the ABS/VSC/Trac because of a malfunctioning brake light pedal switch or a lazy O2 sensor was bonkers.
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bloc
SILVER Star
To be fair a switch to tell the Antilock Brake System when the brakes are applied seems like a reasonable design decision, including an error code & light if it doesn’t work correctly.
Even if it’s just a backup switch in case the main fails.
As for the refrigerant needed for the batteries.. are we talking about toyota or Tesla here?
Well, a CEL even due a lazy O2 sensor will do it. And there are pressure switches in the brake servo assembly that can provide the needed information. Toyota is not on the crazy AC bandwagon yet, but you can guess where all of this going.
bloc
SILVER Star
For such a critical system some redundancy seems reasonable, which is why I mentioned it being a backup.
Haven’t heard of o2 sensor codes causing that, but then I haven’t been looking closely either.
Edit: besides, being a safety system it’s very possible it isn’t even a toyota decision to disable under those circumstances, it could be a regulation.
The haptic feedback built into the Lexus mouse system is where it excels as it allows some things to be done by feel.
Then again, driving a Tesla requires so much less mental load that taking a quick glance is no big deal. Not to mention Autopilot or Full Self Driving. We're all pros at this type of interface a la smartphones.
I don't worry about the AC system integration and whatever imagined liability that brings. Robust and validated engineering can solve that. You seem versed in internal combustion motors. The sheer number of parts and moving things that have to work for a gas motor to operate is enormously complex by comparison. Many more things to fail. Including that pesky radiator stress riser built into the 200-series. It would be a synonymous failure, one that is not necessarily a cheap fix either.
Fair enough. The future sure will be interesting, if nothing else. Looking forward to the 300 series, to see what shape it takes.
Honestly, reading all the mainstream car review sites you'd think Toyota was pulling the LC from the US market next model year. When the 300 series LC comes out, I wonder if it will be available in the US? Also, from what I've read on the mainstream sites, the V8 is history.
I am left handed. The LX system is virtually impossible for me to use. Its idiotic. Its not like a computer mouse, which I can use with my right hand. The LX system requires delicate touch, as if I am writing with a pencil with my right hand. I cannot do that.
My kids are both left handed so I get it. I bought them left handed scissors.
I prob won't offer to buy them right hand drive Lexi. They won't like driving my manual cars either.
Sorry, Toyota does not design their vehicles around a mutation like that......
Funny enough, their own home market would force a preference for said mutation.
