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The plastic material (especially for the control knobs, switches, buttons, console, etc.) used in most Toyota cars has never been appealing to me. They only serve the purpose but not quite as sophisticated as those used in Honda cars. Even the Prelude's interior does not keep up with the futuristic styling, it is very elegant and ergonomic. The switches, knobs, etc. are made of fine plastics and the operation is super precise.
Before I bought the lude I test drove some Celicas. A couple of them had the carbon fiber-look console package installed. Those were direct stick-on trim kit that you attach directly over the existing panels. I was surprised to find that when I opened the center storage cover/door (a triangle shape door on top of the center console), it would not stay open due to the added weight of the carbon fiber ornament. What kind of design was that? On the contrary, the similar kit used for Prelude is a replacement part for the panel. It maintains the original integrity and fits perfectly.
Those may be pretty minor things to most people but I consider them as a thoughtful design effort. By the way, what the heck is the antenna??? Even the Civic uses print-on-glass antenna now!
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