Will People Ever Suffer From Lexus Envy?

Lexus vehicles are visually too hideous to generate any kind of envy. The quality and dependability may be there, but it's obscured by the bizarre styling that seems to be getting worse with every iteration. The first thing Mr. Fukuichi should do before pondering the envy dilemma is to get his head out of his ass. (Lexus fanboys need not respond. This is just my opinion.)

I will counter that one. I think the changes they have made over the last decade have laid the ground work for Lexus to be a aspirational brand, not simply the least expensive luxury brand you can buy that is fairly close to a German car.

They are getting there, just not quite yet.

I agree with Dexter1, disagree with Agent009.

Having a Mercedes in your driveway usually generates more envy than a Lexus, even though Mercedes has done itself a disservice with the CLA (made Consumer Reports' "10 worst" list due to poor reliability), and practically shot itself in the foot with the nearly universally maligned A180. In spite of that, Mercedes typically means "I've arrived."

Over-all, Lexus simply does not generate that kind of status or envy, in spite of not being on a "10 worst" list, often making "best" lists, having a widespread reputation for "quality", and making very respectable vehicles.

If you want to make a car that inspires popular envy, you not only have to BE the part, you must also LOOK the part.

First - I have always put Lexus - and Infinti - and Volvo - in the second tier Luxury class with Buick and Lincoln. There was a time when Chrysler and Saab would have been in there too. Audi was in there - was moved upscale by VW -
but still cannot sell its larger cars. There is nothing aspirational about a Lexus - they are simply highly reliable Toyota products - as Buick is the reliable GM car. Buick MIGHT score with the new styling - but I suspect that they will water it down too much. Volvo is pricing its product in the top tier - but it is clearly not there. Thankfully you cannot actually see the Lexus front end styling from inside the car without mirrors - probably a good reason to outlaw mirrors on the road! However - a Lexus is a good safe bet - and that does not translate to "desirable" for the well to do. It does for the thousands of senior citizens that bought Lexus instead of Buick for a while. The ES is the "Buick Park avenue" of the current era. Nothing to brag about though.

Neither can a Lexus - they were simply adorned Toyotas for the older people (Yes I am one of them - but I would not own one =) - Today - they are more or less too ugly even for that.

I have a different take on this. When you see or talk about Mercedes and BMW, a few things come in mind. 1. It is expensive and 2. They are fast cars and 3. It has German engineering. This is a reputation that they have always have and there were no one to challenge them.

Now you have Lexus. Putting the looks aside,they were introduced as luxurious vehicles at a much cheaper price. This is the reputation they created. They have been trying to change the image for a while. It is a slow process and may take a generation to get there.

Now take a look at Tesla. The S Model is expensive and everyone looks at them. Is it a beautiful looking car? No. Are they luxurious... may be but to me the inside is cheap looking. But still when you are stopped next to it at the traffic light, you are looking at them.

NO!

"Ever" is a long time, so I make few predictions about the distant future.

But let's talk about envying Lexus *now*. My understanding is that the Lexus brand has an outstanding reputation for their "quality," which in Lexus's case means "few defects." It's arguably enviable to have this reputation, especially in light of the fact that although Lexus's defect numbers are very respectably low, they are NOT Number One!

Getting a Lexus might also be a status move in some circles, particularly amongst "ordinary" car drivers. If all your neighbors are driving lower-end Toyotas, Fords, Chevys, Chryslers, Hyndais, Kias, etc., and a Lexus appears in your driveway, you *MIGHT* be the envy of some of your neighbors.

But aside from that, I have to agree with Dexter1, that Lexus's polarizing (AKA heinously ugly, to some) styling language works against the brand with respect to making it a desirable vehicle, or envying those who have one. Speaking for myself alone, when I see a recent model Lexus, I assume the driver is a practical person who values a number of things about Lexus, and got the car in spite of its unattractive styling. (Yeah, I know I could be wrong, and that some people positively love the look.)

I have to agree with 009. They are moving in the right direction overall.

Styling may not be everyones cup of tea but they've been getting better with the front at least on the LC and LS. They've also begun to invest in nonprofitable areas with the RC/GSF and LC.

Two areas where they need major work. Firstly their shittastic infotainment; in a premium car everything should be at least adequate if not great. Secondly they need to put out products that are competitive at the high-end consistently (not once a decade), even if it comes at the expense of profits. For example they can't afford to simply cancel a generation of the LS just because of an earthquake. Delays are understandable but skipping it??? They can't do things like put out the RC with a Frankenstein platform. They can't simply keep reusing the ancient body on frame land cruiser platform for the GX/LX. Toyota isn't lacking in engineering expertise, when they decide to put in the resources they tend to do very well. It is very obvious when bean counters are running the show (RC) vs the engineers (LC).

The German cars have a heritage including racing victories, celebrity ownership , fashion shoots and snobbery built up over the years that is hard to crack. When you buy one of them you buy into its heritage. Lexus is a well made, reliable appliance. Porsche, Mercedes, BMW and Audi are class, panache, beauty, "you've arrived", quality, money, and more all wrapped into one. You7 never have to explain why you bought one...people get it.

Right on!

With millennials, driving a Lexus IS a sign of having made it as is driving a BMW or Mercedes. The problem for Lexus isn't BMW or Audi, but Mercedes. Mercedes simply does "gotta have it" cars not only better than their German rivals but anyone.

Lexus has yet to find that "gotta have it" car, though the LC is definitely lust-worthy.

My senses suffer from Lexus design -not Lexus envy whatsoever of it's ugly origami futurism design language but the same can be said of many brands these days. Lexus pre cow catcher grill design used to have nice looking cars with the LS, GS, ES and LX SUV.

Only Mazda, Ford and Porsche offer nice consistent brand wide designs. Everyone else seems to be chasing current fad style trends which will translate into quickly aged designs/short shelf life.

The designs are bizzarre sci-fi and are not appropriate for their target buyers.

If Lexus wants their cars to be perceived as luxury items, they need to look the part.

The target buyers are NOT current Mercedes, BMW, and Audi buyers. Their strategy is to hook millennials fresh out of Toyotas and grow with them.