New and not improved

I guess it's always hard to get used to something that's new.
CNN's new design is no exception, especially the top half of the page.
I miss the column stacked with the day's best stories in the middle of the page.
This new format, with six stories highlighted in boxes in the center of the page, only showcases a few stories. That leaves me to search for other content on my own.
While the day's most popular stories are to the immediate right of the boxed stories, the list is shorter than before. I remember at least 12 top stories stacked on the page, now there are six.
The Lexus ad in the top right of the page is annoying an could be confusing.
It is so close to news stories and the design is very similar to them. At first glance it is difficult to distinguish the ad from the stories.
The bottom half of the page is better. It is organized and helps viewers go straight to their topic of interest.
It is neat, clean and easy to navigate.
I also do like the new format with the CNN/Headline shows highlighted at the bottom of the page.
This feature easily guides viewers to the shows they are interested in with ease.
The new CNN is a little better, but some old features are missed.