Now with all the spec and details online, I can finally make a good comparison on the trim I care, EX-L. (I am one of those don't feel like spending $3500 on RES and NAV when I can get the same function after market for 90% less $$)
Gain:
- Bluetooth with steering wheel controls (nice to have but prefer earphone for privacy)
- removable center console (don't care much, I will remove it since I have to go to the second row frequently)
- trash bag ring (same as above)
- coolbox (really nice to have!)
- 2nd row wide mode (nice to have with children and elders)
- 2GB HDD (nice to have but I can fit more songs on 6 mp3 CDs)
- Subwoofer (Nice to have but won't have many chances to really hear it with children onboard)
- USB (really nice to have!)
- trip computer (this should be standard on 2010!)
- compass (same as above)
Improved:
- auto projector headlight (really nice to have!)
- backup camera on 8" LCD (really nice to have! way better than the small mirror display!)
- driver power lumbar support (don't care, set and forget it anyway)
- one motion 3rd row (nice to have but not use often)
- 17" wheels (really nice to have!)
- wider 2nd row center seat w/LATCH (really nice to have!)
- better dash layout (great improvement! now the vent is no longer blowing on to the shifter.)
Loss:
- upper glove box
- underfloor stowage
- built-in dash stowage with door
(Very bad! with the USB occupying space in the glove box, and loss these spaces, very limited storage with the center console removed!)
- 2nd row captains chairs armrests (really bad and ugly!)
- ability to move 2nd row captain's chair at center and have wide open 3rd row access (very bad! this works even better than the center aisle opening for me.)
- folding tray table (use it everyday!)
- 6 disc CD changer (see above on 2GB HDD)
- LATCH at center 3rd row (I think it's better to have this location than the two outboard ones, especially with open center aisle configuration)
Worse:
- black outside mirrors (what were they thinking?)
- black spoiler (same as above!)
- relocation of rear overhead vents and control (how can anyone seating in the middle cool down? I use the controls on the driver side to adjust for my toddler, can't do that anymore.)
Overall there are some very nice to have but not must have new features but they are taking away things very practical to me, such as storage spaces, driver side rear AC control, the ability to install a full captain's chair at the middle etc. I guess I will stay with 3rd gen for a while.
Gain:
- Bluetooth with steering wheel controls (nice to have but prefer earphone for privacy)
- removable center console (don't care much, I will remove it since I have to go to the second row frequently)
- trash bag ring (same as above)
- coolbox (really nice to have!)
- 2nd row wide mode (nice to have with children and elders)
- 2GB HDD (nice to have but I can fit more songs on 6 mp3 CDs)
- Subwoofer (Nice to have but won't have many chances to really hear it with children onboard)
- USB (really nice to have!)
- trip computer (this should be standard on 2010!)
- compass (same as above)
Improved:
- auto projector headlight (really nice to have!)
- backup camera on 8" LCD (really nice to have! way better than the small mirror display!)
- driver power lumbar support (don't care, set and forget it anyway)
- one motion 3rd row (nice to have but not use often)
- 17" wheels (really nice to have!)
- wider 2nd row center seat w/LATCH (really nice to have!)
- better dash layout (great improvement! now the vent is no longer blowing on to the shifter.)
Loss:
- upper glove box
- underfloor stowage
- built-in dash stowage with door
(Very bad! with the USB occupying space in the glove box, and loss these spaces, very limited storage with the center console removed!)
- 2nd row captains chairs armrests (really bad and ugly!)
- ability to move 2nd row captain's chair at center and have wide open 3rd row access (very bad! this works even better than the center aisle opening for me.)
- folding tray table (use it everyday!)
- 6 disc CD changer (see above on 2GB HDD)
- LATCH at center 3rd row (I think it's better to have this location than the two outboard ones, especially with open center aisle configuration)
Worse:
- black outside mirrors (what were they thinking?)
- black spoiler (same as above!)
- relocation of rear overhead vents and control (how can anyone seating in the middle cool down? I use the controls on the driver side to adjust for my toddler, can't do that anymore.)
Overall there are some very nice to have but not must have new features but they are taking away things very practical to me, such as storage spaces, driver side rear AC control, the ability to install a full captain's chair at the middle etc. I guess I will stay with 3rd gen for a while.