Habu

You're right, John. They do look very odd and my wife's first impression was that they look like the mirror housing has been smashed off leaving just the arm but I'm tempted just because they are so techy. However, I don't think they will sell very well at all for the reasons mentioned above as well as the cost. I will see what offers are about from September when the 2021 model details will be officially released although the centres do have the details now. If you ask them nicely they will run through the changes, of which there are several.

All valid points but I like the tech. I buy cars based on the tech. The last time I was in a Typhoon fast jet (ok, it was the ball sim at the Typhoon Training Facility at RAF Coningsby) I spent more time flying based on the mk1 eyeball and simulated images from the various sensors around the jet. I can’t see the digital mirrors on the ES being even a small seller but I’m tempted if the price is right as I enjoy tech and my brain is wired to assimilate visual data from multiple sources and that appeals to the geek in me.

They do look better in the flesh but they’re not for everyone. I like them, you don’t. You don’t need to buy them but the tech will eventually trickle down to other models in the range.

Folded view.

Standard mirror vs digital mirror.

Been to my local-ish Lexus Centre today to look at their Takumi with digital mirrors. They’re very much a marmite choice especially when you factor in the £1600 cost but I love them. The two monitors are extremely robustly mounted and don’t move at all but I found their viewing angle perfect for me. They are super sharp too. The system is far more than a ‘camera on a stick’ and, like the standard mirrors, auto fold, are heated and are photochromic. The monitors feature quite a number of options and, in auto, has the viewing angle change depending on the type of driving and whether you’re indicating, etc. The viewing angles, too, are far greater than the standard door mirror plus you have a sort-of night view with them so you can see more things in the dark than you would through the standard mirrors. We also talked about the changes for the 2021 ES which will be available to order from September 2020. There are some switchgear changes plus some extra standard tech to the F Sport model but I think the USB ports are still under the lid!😡 Right, onto some pics.

At this rate I will have bought a new ES before AC and AA comes out on the '19 models. Just out of interest I'm off to my local centre this weekend to have a look at their Takumi with digital mirrors. They do look s****y particularly with the different viewing angles and auto zooming options. I'll get some snaps.

It makes perfect sense to me on my phone but I can’t see a benefit integrated into the car as my phone is always with me. However, it’ll never happen with Lexus. However, Lexus UK has finally acknowledged CarPlay is available from this October. We’ve known this fact for a while now but at least it’s now official.

All car sat navs have lat / long coordinates so I’m not too bothered about WTW in my car. I do have it on my iPhone though. By the time Lexus get around to it it’ll be some new innovative tech in the new MY85 Lexus Flying Car.

Dealer didn’t say, only that the current CT was being dropped from September. I really don’t know what Lexus’ plans are but the model range is becoming very limited. Going forward, for the time begin anyway it’ll presumably just be UX, NX, ES, RX, LC and LS. I don’t know what the plans are for selling the RC-F here if the standard RC is being dropped.

Yes, Lexus UK was already a niche market, now it’s going to be even more so. Is the UX going to be the cheapest car they will sell? For many people the UX is too small (boot especially) and too expensive. The smallest saloon will now be the ES but be prepared to wait for it - 6 months or more. The cheapest coupe will be the RCF, assuming it will still be sold.

I was at my local centre today and I was told that the CT, IS and RC are getting dropped from the lineup this September. I’m maybe not surprised by the CT but the others?!? Shame we’ll not be getting the new MY21 IS as it looks very good.

That’s one of my few pet hates with Lexus. They have all that screen real estate and yet the screen is not fully utilised to show artist and track or radio station, etc. and you have to scroll across to see all the data. There’s enough blank space to show all the data even if it’s on 2 lines. I have mentioned this a couple of times to Lexus hoping a software update could change it but I’m still waiting.

Each their own, of course, but I’m not sure why people really need the hardcopy when the electronic version (which is updated periodically) is available on your smartphone, tablet and PC/Mac. The lengthy document is, to me, infinitely easier to read on a tablet than a book plus you’re got the ability to word search and zoom in/out on the electronic version. SH20, you may have a point about FOMO but as I started off with...each their own. If you need the hardcopy then fair enough.

The lack of manuals will be a case of cost saving as printed documents aren’t cheap (1-2 manuals x tens of thousands of vehicles); plus more and more people rely on digital information. Case of some people want a physical daily newspaper whilst I read The Times and Telegraph online.

I don’t believe I had that manual when I collected my ES but I prefer the electronic versions anyway. On my iPad the electronic version is about the same physical size as the printed version plus the electronic version is updated frequently whereas the printed version, obviously, is not. I also like the electronic version for its word searching and ability to zoom into some small text or drawing.

Yes, I would have preferred psi but I’m pleased that it has auto location, i.e. each tyre pressure is displayed rather than a light on the dash suggesting one or more tyres are under inflated. I like it shows the pressures just by turning on the ignition although you do have to wait a few seconds.

As far as I know the ES is only in bar. Mine is and I accept it’s 2.4 all round. It doesn’t bother me. My wife’s Mazda CX-30 has 4 different pressure scales to pick.

Courtesy of Phil over on the NX forum. There’s a 2020 free map update plus updates to the Audio and Navigation software.

Chipex paint is very good. chipex.co.uk

All sorted now. A new engine start has rebooted the system has returned the navdb to 2020 v1. Well done, Phil, on both the Audio and navdb. :)

Cheers Phil. Must be the L2 then. Just been out to update so now have Audio 1046 and Nav 1540. The navdb_version has now changed from 2020 v1 to P0NB00_2_NDSLIB. I've no idea what that is and why it changed. Habu

Looking again at the DCU for the ES on the Tech site there are 2 versions for the ES (only 1 for the NX). One for L2 multimedia and L1.5 multimedia. I'll take a wild guess that my 2019 ES is L1.5. Anyone know for sure? I've downloaded both for now. Cheers Habu

Version 1010 for the ES large screen hasn’t changed since I picked the car up in September 2019. You’d think there would be common software across models?

Thanks for the heads up. Nav is now 1540 and currently downloading the map update. Strange that the audio for my ES is still 1010. This is the current version. Regards Peter