Bigger is better?

Desmond · June 8, 2018

I was looking at the dimensions of the new UX and noticed that it is a good bit bigger than my CT, notably it is 7.5 cm wider. That may not sound very much, but to me it is a crucial figure as it means that I could just get the car into the garage with the mirrors pulled in but would have to enter and leave it via the tailgate! I am not house proud about cars by the way, mine have usually stood outside in the past, but the geography of this driveway means using the garage is favourite. But if I buy a UX ..... I can't.

This vehicle expansion creep is not restricted to Lexus of course but my point really here is that Lexus no longer has a truly compact car. Even my CT is not a small city car, amazingly its dimensions are almost identical to a 2007 Avensis that I had, and it was just pushing past the size I actually need but acceptably so, given that my driving is only partially urban. I traded down from an IS to a CT. Now a UX is too big and in fact wider than the current IS! A compact urban explorer? No ta. What I want is a small hatchback with Lexus quality to carry one or two people and the odd bit of household and holiday gubbins in the back. A really top of the range Yaris/Auris type of motor. But Lexus has gone for the yuppie money big flash wheels design again.

I suppose there is more money in Tonka Toy lookalike vehicles these days, can't perhaps blame Lexus when everyone else is doing it, but I am sure there is still a market for a luxury small hatchback. (Preferably one that will fit in my garage.)

rayaans · June 8, 2018

1 hour ago, Desmond said:

I was looking at the dimensions of the new UX and noticed that it is a good bit bigger than my CT, notably it is 7.5 cm wider. That may not sound very much, but to me it is a crucial figure as it means that I could just get the car into the garage with the mirrors pulled in but would have to enter and leave it via the tailgate! I am not house proud about cars by the way, mine have usually stood outside in the past, but the geography of this driveway means using the garage is favourite. But if I buy a UX ..... I can't.

This vehicle expansion creep is not restricted to Lexus of course but my point really here is that Lexus no longer has a truly compact car. Even my CT is not a small city car, amazingly its dimensions are almost identical to a 2007 Avensis that I had, and it was just pushing past the size I actually need but acceptably so, given that my driving is only partially urban. I traded down from an IS to a CT. Now a UX is too big and in fact wider than the current IS! A compact urban explorer? No ta. What I want is a small hatchback with Lexus quality to carry one or two people and the odd bit of household and holiday gubbins in the back. A really top of the range Yaris/Auris type of motor. But Lexus has gone for the yuppie money big flash wheels design again.

I suppose there is more money in Tonka Toy lookalike vehicles these days, can't perhaps blame Lexus when everyone else is doing it, but I am sure there is still a market for a luxury small hatchback. (Preferably one that will fit in my garage.)

The UX is only 3cm wider than an IS - thats 1.5cm on each side and I dont think you would notice it

The length is quite a lot shorter than an IS.

In the grand scheme of things, the UX is a pretty small car.

The main problem nowadays is that the vast majority of Garages are absolutely tiny. They wouldn't fit in a mid size saloon car which should atleast be the standard.

Desmond · June 8, 2018

I agree with you Rayaan but we are stuck with the garage walls we have! I also agree about the width of the IS & UX but actually, in a garage, centimetres mean the difference between getting in and out or even just the ability to open a door without damage. I assure you I definitely would notice it. Funnily enough most garages seem to be reasonable for length, it's width that's lacking. Rather like car park spaces.

You probably realise I only put this topic up to give a bit of discussion and there is nothing we can do about it. Fortunately I like my CT and just now there is no likelihood of a change but when the time comes I may be forced to desert Lexus to find what I need.

stormchaser · June 8, 2018

Totally agree. I don’t know what people see in all these so called SUV,s that everyone is making these days. 99% of them are ugly and a totally impractical vehicle especially on today’s tiny roads and parking spaces.
On the subject of garages I had to downsize to a CT. I originally wanted an IS but it won’t fit in my garage. It would’ve been too long and wide to get in. The CT just passes the garage opening with mirrors in the normal position. I had previously a Skoda Octavia which was the biggest I could get in there.
So I’m in the same predicament as yourself. Looking at the 2018 Toyota Auris certainly looks a decent car but does it have the Lexus luxury?

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rayaans · June 8, 2018

53 minutes ago, Desmond said:

I agree with you Rayaan but we are stuck with the garage walls we have! I also agree about the width of the IS & UX but actually, in a garage, centimetres mean the difference between getting in and out or even just the ability to open a door without damage. I assure you I definitely would notice it. Funnily enough most garages seem to be reasonable for length, it's width that's lacking. Rather like car park spaces.

You probably realise I only put this topic up to give a bit of discussion and there is nothing we can do about it. Fortunately I like my CT and just now there is no likelihood of a change but when the time comes I may be forced to desert Lexus to find what I need.

Yep unfortunately when houses were being made, they didnt exactly plan for the future!

You can actually get some padded material which sticks to the walls if damage is your main concern, providing you can get out in the tightest of spaces.

My RX pretty much takes over the whole space with very little either side - hence why I usually park quite far away!

Geedub · June 8, 2018

1 hour ago, rayaans said:

The main problem nowadays is that the vast majority of Garages are absolutely tiny. They wouldn't fit in a mid size saloon car which should atleast be the standard.

Very true. I've lived in this house for 30 years and in all that time I've never once had a car small enough to fit in the garage (well, not if I want to be able to get out via anywhere but the sunroof!)

So I gave up on that idea and bought an RX 😉

stormchaser · June 8, 2018

I think my garage would fit inside an RX haha.

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thar · June 9, 2018

Yep unfortunately when houses were being made, they didnt exactly plan for the future!
You can actually get some padded material which sticks to the walls if damage is your main concern, providing you can get out in the tightest of spaces.
My RX pretty much takes over the whole space with very little either side - hence why I usually park quite far away!

Lol! This reminds me of when I stored my winter car in the garage and swapped it for my summer convertible when the weather picked up. I had some foam pads that I placed where the car doors opened in my garage. This was pre Lexus CT days.

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rayaans · June 9, 2018

44 minutes ago, thar said:

Lol! This reminds me of when I stored my winter car in the garage and swapped it for my summer convertible when the weather picked up. I had some foam pads that I placed where the car doors opened in my garage. This was pre Lexus CT days.

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And now it's commercialised lol

Ala Larj · June 10, 2018

Our second car is a Honda Jazz which is brilliant for quick trips to the shop or the dump. It's amazing what can fit in it. Ten years old and has been totally reliable. The only problems with it are the interior quality and its numerous creaks and rattles. If Lexus were to make a luxury competitor of similar dimensions I'd be very interested.

Desmond · June 15, 2018

On 6/10/2018 at 6:26 PM, Ala Larj said:

Our second car is a Honda Jazz which is brilliant for quick trips to the shop or the dump. It's amazing what can fit in it. Ten years old and has been totally reliable. The only problems with it are the interior quality and its numerous creaks and rattles. If Lexus were to make a luxury competitor of similar dimensions I'd be very interested.

I did hear an unofficial rumour that the UX may not be the direct CT replacement after all and there could be another model to do that job. Has anyone else heard anything like that?

colin79666 · June 15, 2018

5 minutes ago, Desmond said:

I did hear an unofficial rumour that the UX may not be the direct CT replacement after all and there could be another model to do that job. Has anyone else heard anything like that?

It’s official that there will be a CT successor and not just the UX.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lexus/ct/103198/new-2020-lexus-ct-hatch-to-rival-tesla-model-3

June 15, 2018

They will need to up their game that new auris looks very nice.

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rayaans · June 16, 2018

20 hours ago, colin79666 said:

It’s official that there will be a CT successor and not just the UX.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lexus/ct/103198/new-2020-lexus-ct-hatch-to-rival-tesla-model-3

Thats article is riddled with inconsistencies. Whilst its very likely the CT may be electrified, It would almost certainly be using a conventional hybrid setup as well. And the photos are rubbish, they've just used a UX photo

20 hours ago, Desmond said:

I did hear an unofficial rumour that the UX may not be the direct CT replacement after all and there could be another model to do that job. Has anyone else heard anything like that?

Yes they're still contemplating whether to remove the CT from the lineup like the GS. However, the hatchback in Europe is extremely popular, so chances are, they may do to the Auris, what they did to the RAV4 and make a CT for Europe.

Desmond · June 18, 2018

On 6/16/2018 at 1:34 PM, rayaans said:

Yes they're still contemplating whether to remove the CT from the lineup like the GS. However, the hatchback in Europe is extremely popular, so chances are, they may do to the Auris, what they did to the RAV4 and make a CT for Europe.

That is what I heard. At the moment the UX is touted as the replacement but they are hedging their bets on a new CT to see what sales are like, what Auris sales are like too, and possibly do a CT in 2020.

olliesgrandad · July 19, 2018

I haven't been able to use my garage since I sold my BMW Z3. Fortunately my wife's Fiat 500 lives there now and the RX is under the carport.

sorcerer · July 19, 2018

What's wrong with you people?

Garages aren't for keeping cars in anyway, they are mainly used as storage sheds and workshops as far as I'm aware. Open the front doors of our garage and starting on the left you'll see a beer fridge, some garden tools and then shelving/racking and workbenches follow the walls in a U shape all the way back up to the front.

The car lives on the driveway, not in the garage

Ben01 · July 19, 2018

28 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

What's wrong with you people?

Garages aren't for keeping cars in anyway

Very true. I designed garage for our sooner-than-later former house as for two normal size cars (normal in '90 Europe, to be precise 😉) side by side, with proper door etc. Never ever in 17 years fits more than one car. Sometimes half a car. Sometimes only daughter's motobike. Often no any vehicle at all, and I have to put bikes on the wall hinges 🙃

Desmond · August 2, 2018

Just looking at the latest UX pics, the interior looks good and all the oily bits and electricals seem to be an improvement along with the ride and handling, according to reports. The exterior styling does look marginally better than the Toyota equivalent but I am still convinced that SUV really stands for Seriously Ugly Vehicle.

rayaans · August 9, 2018

On 7/19/2018 at 9:11 AM, Ben01 said:

Very true. I designed garage for our sooner-than-later former house as for two normal size cars (normal in '90 Europe, to be precise 😉) side by side, with proper door etc. Never ever in 17 years fits more than one car. Sometimes half a car. Sometimes only daughter's motobike. Often no any vehicle at all, and I have to put bikes on the wall hinges 🙃

And I designed mine 9 years ago and it fits my RX, the IS, all the kids bikes, 3 ladders, a lawnmower, 4 bags of coal, 4 bags of rocksalt and it's still not full.

See the difference......?

Ben01 · August 9, 2018

Sure, like 20 sq. meters?

rayaans · August 9, 2018

3 hours ago, Ben01 said:

Sure, like 20 sq. meters?

It's about 35.

But the point is, it's future proofed. So if I fancy an LS I can stick it inside. If I fancy a CT I can stick it inside. Nowadays they build houses and the opening can barely fit a hatchback from early 2000s. May as well just make it into another room than even bother

Ben01 · August 9, 2018

2 minutes ago, rayaans said:

It's about 35.

Nay, misunderstanding 😂 I try to joke about "the difference" means yours is simple 20sqm bigger than mine (about 35m2 too). More seriously, I DIY and tinkering too much, so my garage was not a garage, but heavy loaded workshop (included painting, engine and transmission jobs, etc), with empty space for one car plus good access around. Most of time.