I know exactly what you mean @kezo When I was in the BMW showroom today, I was sat in an X5 40d M Sport for quite a while looking at stuff, and then immediately hopped in to the new X3 M50 next to it. Aside from the fact that the X3 felt half the size (I know it isn’t, but it felt like it), the interior fit and finish was not what I’m used to with BMWs and is well behind the much older design X5 next to it. This is one reason why I’m considering the outgoing X5 in its final year, as the Neue Classe design doesn’t appeal to me and I fear that the next generation X5 will also take a step backwards in quality of materials. TBH, you can even see this deterioration in the current facelifted X5. The M Sport Pro models (and M60i) have black front grill slats, black lower bumper sections front and rear and black side vent plates, all of which look great but when you examine them they are cheap plastic.
I think that with the onslaught of cheap Chinese brands, European manufacturers are starting to reduce build quality to compete with them, on the basis that if consumers are looking for cheapness then that’s not compatible with quality.
As, like me, you are used to BMWs, if you are considering Lexus try to get a prolonged test drive. Last year a friend moved from a long standing run of Mercedes SUVs to a Lexus SUV. I didn’t like to mention to him (as I had only driven 3 Lexus cars and it was some years ago) that I found them to be soulless cars to drive, as he was very upbeat about the buying experience and the hybrid technology. When I saw him recently I asked how he was getting on with the Lexus and he said that he had got rid of it and gone back to Mercedes, as he found it to be a very boring soulless car 😂