CAR & TOP GEAR Magazines don't like Lexus
02-15-17, 10:36 AM
#5
Former Sponsor
During my tenure at Hyundai-Kia, some of the nightmares that have not completely washed out of my brain after all the whiskey and shock therapy, was that ... it was just absolutely amazing how the Sonata ratings from JD Power shot up so quickly and so high, following a big (I don't know if I would call it a) party H-K had at the plant in Montgomery, hosting a bunch of JD Powers guys and showing them the latest Sonata and Santa Fe. And we heard through credible sources that a rather large donation was made from H-K to the JD Power organization.
Not that H-K is any different than other auto company out there in that respect, but it's not exactly surprising how those things work. Most of the types of personalities who would write for magazines or ratings type companies are big into the glitz, glamour and the spot light of what is going on in the industry. Toyota is not known to be all about the bling-bling, look at me, shine the spotlight over here, kind of thing. At their core, the top-level Toyota guys (the Japanese guys) are a superior breed of business men. Because their target is quite simple, provide a product that makes a customer happy ... so they will buy again. A lot of customers may not realize this, but what makes them happy is to "be able to take for granted that their car is going to do what they expect it to." Meaning, it's going to crank, every time. It's going to be robust. It's going to cost as little as possible. Most people don't sweat the fact that their car may not be the first one to the next red traffic light, or the fastest slaloming around shopping carts at the grocery store. They just want to be able to relax and count on it. Toyota is the winner in that department all day long.
Not that H-K is any different than other auto company out there in that respect, but it's not exactly surprising how those things work. Most of the types of personalities who would write for magazines or ratings type companies are big into the glitz, glamour and the spot light of what is going on in the industry. Toyota is not known to be all about the bling-bling, look at me, shine the spotlight over here, kind of thing. At their core, the top-level Toyota guys (the Japanese guys) are a superior breed of business men. Because their target is quite simple, provide a product that makes a customer happy ... so they will buy again. A lot of customers may not realize this, but what makes them happy is to "be able to take for granted that their car is going to do what they expect it to." Meaning, it's going to crank, every time. It's going to be robust. It's going to cost as little as possible. Most people don't sweat the fact that their car may not be the first one to the next red traffic light, or the fastest slaloming around shopping carts at the grocery store. They just want to be able to relax and count on it. Toyota is the winner in that department all day long.
Last edited by Oliver Enterprises; 02-15-17 at 10:42 AM.
02-16-17, 06:30 AM
#7
Intermediate
I'm sure all the companies pay some sort of donation to the magazines to get their "unbiased opinion". I would love to own an s class or a 7 series but I'm not willing to pay the heft bills for repairs or the hefty price to buy brand new. It seems like Chevy is always winning JD powers awards according to their commercials. I still probably will never own a Chevy though. I will admit when I rent the Tahoe, I like the features it has but I cant imagine myself having it as an everyday vehicle like my ls. I guess what I'm saying is that everyone is different and we all like different things.
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02-16-17, 08:04 AM
#8
During my tenure at Hyundai-Kia, some of the nightmares that have not completely washed out of my brain after all the whiskey and shock therapy, was that ... it was just absolutely amazing how the Sonata ratings from JD Power shot up so quickly and so high, following a big (I don't know if I would call it a) party H-K had at the plant in Montgomery, hosting a bunch of JD Powers guys and showing them the latest Sonata and Santa Fe. And we heard through credible sources that a rather large donation was made from H-K to the JD Power organization.
Not that H-K is any different than other auto company out there in that respect, but it's not exactly surprising how those things work. Most of the types of personalities who would write for magazines or ratings type companies are big into the glitz, glamour and the spot light of what is going on in the industry. Toyota is not known to be all about the bling-bling, look at me, shine the spotlight over here, kind of thing. At their core, the top-level Toyota guys (the Japanese guys) are a superior breed of business men. Because their target is quite simple, provide a product that makes a customer happy ... so they will buy again. A lot of customers may not realize this, but what makes them happy is to "be able to take for granted that their car is going to do what they expect it to." Meaning, it's going to crank, every time. It's going to be robust. It's going to cost as little as possible. Most people don't sweat the fact that their car may not be the first one to the next red traffic light, or the fastest slaloming around shopping carts at the grocery store. They just want to be able to relax and count on it. Toyota is the winner in that department all day long.
Not that H-K is any different than other auto company out there in that respect, but it's not exactly surprising how those things work. Most of the types of personalities who would write for magazines or ratings type companies are big into the glitz, glamour and the spot light of what is going on in the industry. Toyota is not known to be all about the bling-bling, look at me, shine the spotlight over here, kind of thing. At their core, the top-level Toyota guys (the Japanese guys) are a superior breed of business men. Because their target is quite simple, provide a product that makes a customer happy ... so they will buy again. A lot of customers may not realize this, but what makes them happy is to "be able to take for granted that their car is going to do what they expect it to." Meaning, it's going to crank, every time. It's going to be robust. It's going to cost as little as possible. Most people don't sweat the fact that their car may not be the first one to the next red traffic light, or the fastest slaloming around shopping carts at the grocery store. They just want to be able to relax and count on it. Toyota is the winner in that department all day long.
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