Updated ES configurator

[e-yes]

Hi,

Just noticed today that the new configurator for ES is available.

The good thing is that infotainment is now based on a touchscreen ! Even the basic 8" one 🙂 

However, the bad thing is that ES Base + Premium Pack now goes over 40k 😕 

F-Sport + Tech Pack gets most of the goodies (no real leather, no super comfy Takumi seat for driver, no seat ventilation though) and comes in under the 40k retail price.

Takumi as nice as it is, I still feel it too much money for the 218hp system output. For that much money I'd expect a bit more pokey engine. Hoping for the 250hp hybrid drivetrain from Highlander (can totally do without the AWD)

Cheers,

--E

[beyond the blue]

2 hours ago, e-yes said:

Hi,

Just noticed today that the new configurator for ES is available.

The good thing is that infotainment is now based on a touchscreen ! Even the basic 8" one 🙂 

However, the bad thing is that ES Base + Premium Pack now goes over 40k 😕 

F-Sport + Tech Pack gets most of the goodies (no real leather, no super comfy Takumi seat for driver, no seat ventilation though) and comes in under the 40k retail price.

Takumi as nice as it is, I still feel it too much money for the 218hp system output. For that much money I'd expect a bit more pokey engine. Hoping for the 250hp hybrid drivetrain from Highlander (can totally do without the AWD)

Cheers,

--E

Thanks for that. That's the first time I've actually seen a picture of what I ordered. I can't think of any item other than a new car that I have ordered without seeing one.

[jumbojake]

is that on Lexus UK? ... I just tried and premium edition is £36500 ? ... and I looking in the wrong place?

when the first launched the ES, the premium pack included the posh seats, with extra leg support .... is that now only available on the takumi ?

[Mike246]

The touchscreen will be an improvement although it will be a stretch for any driver with short arms. Using the touchpad is a bit of a pain - less so if you are left-handed or driving a left-hand drive ES.

Still on-topic are there any views on the lesser models having plastic seats as opposed to the traditional Lexus leather?

[e-yes]

1 hour ago, jumbojake said:

is that on Lexus UK? ... I just tried and premium edition is £36500 ? ... and I looking in the wrong place?

when the first launched the ES, the premium pack included the posh seats, with extra leg support .... is that now only available on the takumi ?

Hi John,

This is a bit subtle but there are two separate variants.

- Premium Edition

- Base ES + Premium Pack (this is the one which I bought January this year and was under 40k with metallic paint hence I don't have to pay £325 surcharge on top of VED). This new Premium Pack however even with non-metallic paint is going over 40k !

HTH

--E

 

[e-yes]

1 hour ago, beyond the blue said:

Thanks for that. That's the first time I've actually seen a picture of what I ordered. I can't think of any item other than a new car that I have ordered without seeing one.

Hi Neil,

Most manufacturers have this configurator. The best configurators are BMW, Mini, Jaguar/Land Rover, Lexus. Best is subjective but I think they are the best as they are able to show you what the final product which look like in near true likeness.

Most others are here and there.

Cheers,

--E

[DanD]

Looks like there are new colours too... Sunlight Green, Sonic Platinum, Sonic Grey (with black wheels for the F-Sport).

[STE041]

Most of the colours don’t quite go with the black F Sport wheels, I prefer the gun metal grey wheels

[Mincey]

41 minutes ago, STE041 said:

Most of the colours don’t quite go with the black F Sport wheels, I prefer the gun metal grey wheels

Oh I think Azure Blue does 😁

[STE041]

5 hours ago, Mincey said:

Oh I think Azure Blue does 😁

Black wheels in the UK back in 2016 were reserved for the entry level sport models - I don’t think they’re a good look - I much prefer the gun metal grey

[Mincey]

Why did I think the wheels on my yet to be collected ES were black? Clearly my current wife is correct and I am suffering from early-onset Dementia.

 

[DanD]

On 10/9/2021 at 10:15 PM, STE041 said:

Black wheels in the UK back in 2016 were reserved for the entry level sport models - I don’t think they’re a good look - I much prefer the gun metal grey

I agree, although I think they look good with white.

[SH20]

Might be a mute point but Lexus have been manipulating the spec on the ES to give customers the impression things have improved.  I bought a 2019 ES with Premium pack and the pack cost a mere £3500 on top of the £35,350 entry base price.  Worked for me because it was under  40K  so that absurd massive tax increase for  road tax for 5 years was eliminated.   Back in 2019 the premium pack was really worth having and from memory  the full leather interior, 18 inch wheels, heated and cooled seats, wood leather heated steering wheel, rear screen blind, mobile charging, triple headlamp with auto adaptive high beam, folding mirrors, blind spot monitor, privacy glass, rain sensing wipers   made the spec really special.   

Seems to me though that the lack of leather  alone in the latest ES premium edition  and a number of other items might make a person think at £36,555  the new Premium edition is  a good price compared to the £35,350 base price + £3,500 for the Premium Pack back in 2019.    In other words you are not getting anything like the spec in 2021 even if the name Premium Edition is supposed to imply a Premium Edition is just like it was in 2019.   

The only options for a Premium Edition that I can see are metallic paint, a protection pack and  illuminated scuff plates plus a total of 3 accessories.    Today if Lexus fitted all the Premium Pack extras they fitted in 2019 then the current Lexus ES Premium Edition would not be so attractive price wise. Likely I think to be closer to £40K.     

[beyond the blue]

1 hour ago, SH20 said:

Might be a mute point but Lexus have been manipulating the spec on the ES to give customers the impression things have improved.  I bought a 2019 ES with Premium pack and the pack cost a mere £3500 on top of the £35,350 entry base price.  Worked for me because it was under  40K  so that absurd massive tax increase for  road tax for 5 years was eliminated.   Back in 2019 the premium pack was really worth having and from memory  the full leather interior, 18 inch wheels, heated and cooled seats, wood leather heated steering wheel, rear screen blind, mobile charging, triple headlamp with auto adaptive high beam, folding mirrors, blind spot monitor, privacy glass, rain sensing wipers   made the spec really special.   

Seems to me though that the lack of leather  alone in the latest ES premium edition  and a number of other items might make a person think at £36,555  the new Premium edition is  a good price compared to the £35,350 base price + £3,500 for the Premium Pack back in 2019.    In other words you are not getting anything like the spec in 2021 even if the name Premium Edition is supposed to imply a Premium Edition is just like it was in 2019.   

The only options for a Premium Edition that I can see are metallic paint, a protection pack and  illuminated scuff plates plus a total of 3 accessories.    Today if Lexus fitted all the Premium Pack extras they fitted in 2019 then the current Lexus ES Premium Edition would not be so attractive price wise. Likely I think to be closer to £40K.     

Mmm, funny you should mention the illuminated scuff plates. I tried to order those on my 'on order ES Premium Edition' and was told that they are not a 'build option' on the Premium Edition (even though they show on the 'build my car' for £299) but can be fit by the dealer for £403 after delivery.

[e-yes]

10 hours ago, SH20 said:

Might be a mute point but Lexus have been manipulating the spec on the ES to give customers the impression things have improved.  I bought a 2019 ES with Premium pack and the pack cost a mere £3500 on top of the £35,350 entry base price.  Worked for me because it was under  40K  so that absurd massive tax increase for  road tax for 5 years was eliminated.   Back in 2019 the premium pack was really worth having and from memory  the full leather interior, 18 inch wheels, heated and cooled seats, wood leather heated steering wheel, rear screen blind, mobile charging, triple headlamp with auto adaptive high beam, folding mirrors, blind spot monitor, privacy glass, rain sensing wipers   made the spec really special.   

Seems to me though that the lack of leather  alone in the latest ES premium edition  and a number of other items might make a person think at £36,555  the new Premium edition is  a good price compared to the £35,350 base price + £3,500 for the Premium Pack back in 2019.    In other words you are not getting anything like the spec in 2021 even if the name Premium Edition is supposed to imply a Premium Edition is just like it was in 2019.   

The only options for a Premium Edition that I can see are metallic paint, a protection pack and  illuminated scuff plates plus a total of 3 accessories.    Today if Lexus fitted all the Premium Pack extras they fitted in 2019 then the current Lexus ES Premium Edition would not be so attractive price wise. Likely I think to be closer to £40K.     

I think what Lexus are doing with the ES (as probably they may have been doing with other models around the world), get people on board and then slowly increase the price but not enough to boil the frog.

Having used BMW and VAG group cars and then also Mazda and Lexus now... there is no way I am going anywhere near the German brands unless Lexus go bonkers with their pricing. And with the ES, I feel I may not even change the car for quite some time now.

I guess as a repeat customer in a few years' time, the dealership may be able to offer some kind of deal which takes into account or works around the tax (whatever it will be in a few years' time, and why is 40k a limit for a car to be luxurious why not 25k or why not 60k to attract that additional random amount of extra money)

One thing is for sure that anyone I know personally who had bought a Lexus product a few years ago, will not get into any other brand now. I am in the same boat.

The Toyota group in general is going in a very interesting direction... introduction of Turbo V6, Turbo I4, Turbo V6 + Hybrid (iForce MAX), Full Electric !!!

Not to mention bringing Mazda into the Toyota group and all the niceness that may rub into some of the Toyota products.

Will be nice to see how it turns out and I hope UK gets to see some of those products as well.

--E

[e-yes]

9 hours ago, beyond the blue said:

Mmm, funny you should mention the illuminated scuff plates. I tried to order those on my 'on order ES Premium Edition' and was told that they are not a 'build option' on the Premium Edition (even though they show on the 'build my car' for £299) but can be fit by the dealer for £403 after delivery.

Are you sure it was a factory order and not a ready to ship ES sitting in Aichi prefecture ready to be loaded on to a carrier which by luck exactly matched up the spec you were interested in ? If it is already built then you cannot change the spec but cosmetic additions can be done at the dealership.

Just asking as for me a big factor into buying my ES was that it was available in a month, because it was already built and ready to be shipped where as all other manufacturers were saying three/four months.

I had to wait for the rubber floor mats for about an extra month after the car was delivered !

--E

[SH20]

Standardisation is also in play on the ES.  No matter what interior you choose and no matter model you choose the fascia is only ever going to be black.   Again when it was first introduced in 2019 in the UK depending on your car model choice and if you chose certain leather finishes the fascia would be a different colour. EG  an ES with tan leather would get a mixture of browns in the door cards and the main fascia,  I think the very light ivory coloured leather got the same treatment.    Anything else the fascia was black like most of the door card trim.  Such is the cost control that manufacturers have to apply these days. 

I had semi analine leather in a Lexus LS460 a few years ago and it was sublime in it's quality which is now only a standard fit in the Takumi.  In 2019 although you got leather in a Premium Pack it wasn't semi analine  but the quality is still evident.  This Tahara trim Lexus produce now certainly looks leather like and has the feel to the touch and probably last longer because of it's synthetic nature  but there is nothing like Lexus leather when it comes to quality.    Our eco warriors will be pleased though but as long as we eat meat there will always be leather but sometimes large companies change their policies on resources simply to meet the minority of consumers who challenge them on whatever they feel they need to complain about on any given day.    

[beyond the blue]

3 hours ago, e-yes said:

Are you sure it was a factory order and not a ready to ship ES sitting in Aichi prefecture ready to be loaded on to a carrier which by luck exactly matched up the spec you were interested in ? If it is already built then you cannot change the spec but cosmetic additions can be done at the dealership.

Just asking as for me a big factor into buying my ES was that it was available in a month, because it was already built and ready to be shipped where as all other manufacturers were saying three/four months.

I had to wait for the rubber floor mats for about an extra month after the car was delivered !

--E

Yes new build. I ordered it at the beginning of September with a provisional delivery time of around Christmas. 2022 model.