vinnier6

My last 3 cars have all had voice command, all of which I have never used....

Bratmdo

Thank you so much for your kind words.

SW17LS

Tech and powertrains are two areas where Lexus IS really behind. Once you get used to it and stop comparing it to your Ford you'll like it better, but infotainment is two generations behind IMHO.

sick21

So your only gripe is that you don't have a digital clock? Ok then. My car was 59k and I have ML sound and blind spot. Never use voice command in any of my cars. One thing that sold me on the Gs F Sport is how much more you get in terms of tech compared to an Audi Merc or BMW for less money. I also liked than it had an adaptive suspension. Bet your fusion didn't have that

SW17LS

Yours is RWD though, in NJ his is certainly AWD, and AWD costs more.

I don't think he's complaining about lack of tech, its the interface and the implementation of the infotainment system. BMW, Merc, and Audi as you mentioned are all ahead in that department. Their interfaces are notably slicker and more modern.

Bratmdo

Don't get me wrong, I love the car. The Ford felt like I was driving "My Father's Buick." My son has a 2013 Infinity GS37X Sport, a very nice car with excellent tech features, but it's just not...a Lexus in drive and luxury feel. And I'm glad to have AWD again.

I only lament the lack of some of the Ford's features because I feel that for $25,000 more, blind spot monitoring and rear parking sensors should be included. Additionally, I liked to ability to choose a radio station without scrolling (which I was also able to do on my mother's '69 Chevy Nova!). Also, labeling the stations instead of just giving station numbers (With Sirius, it matters more because it simply says 14, 15, 16, etc.) should be standard.

Again, no offense to GS 350 owners; it's a great, head-turning car.

SW17LS

You can't compare standard equipment across cars in such disparate segments. Your GS has a LOT of standard equipment and nice features that couldn't be had on your Ford in any package or at any costs. It may interest you to know that your GS, and certainly the loaded Luxury trim GS I had has features that my LS doesn't have, despite it being $23,000 more than your GS. The cars are built for different demographics and have different priorities.

You will find no competitor in the GS' segment has standard blind spot monitoring or standard parking sensors.

Bratmdo

Okay, thank you for your perspective, Steve, et al.

dchar

Totally agree that Lexus needs to hurry up and release some new tech and powertrains. Just looking at the new safety tech, awesome interior, and biturbo V6 in the new Mercedes C400 makes me kinda jealous. Those improvements will definitely show up in the upcoming E-class refresh. Not to mention some new competition is stepping up their game; Jaguar's 2016 XF-S looks like an enticing choice in the segment.

The GS was awesome when first released and was way better than the competition at the time, but as the competition goes through major revisions, it makes the GS feel kinda old. The thing I hate most (besides the slow, restrictive Remote Touch interface) is the cheap silver painted plastic trim in the GS lining underneath the aluminum or wood trim, and worse yet, on the interior door handles. Something I touch everyday should be made with something nicer, or at least pretend to be something nicer. They just feel like pieces that belong in a Toyota, not a Lexus. After the car is parked in the hot sun, all the plastic is creaking and sounds bad.

Rant and complaining over...going back into my GS and taking it for a spin to be reminded of the smoothness and balance that won me over. Right now, I still think it's the best in the segment, but comes next year...idk...

damtachoa

I'm telling you the truth about Ford. My sister bought Ford Escape and drove it for 70K miles in her life. The big problem came right on. The car shut down during freeway driving almost cost her life. It shut down not only once, but many. So stay away from Ford.

SW17LS

Thats one experience...to infer that EVERY Ford is like that is silly. My family has owned many Fords, and while they aren't as reliable as a Toyota, they've been fine and certainly have never left us stranded. In fact...the only vehicle we've owned that has ever left us stranded is a Toyota. Does that mean all Toyotas will leave everyone stranded? Of course not.

I would buy a Ford without hesitation.

LI Lexus

We have had 2 Fords, a 13 Edge which was great and a 14 Explorer which was even better

ITDude

I often use the voice commands to go to often used radio stations instead of scrolling through my presets. You can go directly to an AM or FM station if you know the frequency with a command like "Tune to <frequency> FM". With Sirius, you can "Tune to <name>", "Tune to channel <number>", or "Play <genre> satellite station".


I also group my presets so similar station types are together and I can use the thumb switch on the steering wheel to scroll within the groupings.

1111GS

The new one also comes with rcta. It doesn't mention in the specs sheet like other ones but it comes with it. I doubted it but it's there. It's a really nice added feature. We sometimes complain Lexus but they are doing their parts just a bit slowly. 15 has some nice little new features over our 13. One should build a German competitor with similar options to see what comes out in total.

SW17LS

Yeah the RCTA I like a lot, have it on the LS too.

To echo what ITDude said, you can use the voice command "Tune to The Highway" for instance and that works well to recall the preset by name. Personally I leave the screen on the map and use the buttons on the steering wheel to move through the presets, so not seeing the station name doesn't bother me.