What did you not feel was nice or luxurious about the interior of the RL? Most people say it is extremely nice and one of the nicest interiors out there. I would say it has the nicest interior of all the cars you have listed and you may have to spend alot more or deal with a unreliable brand to get something that has the luxurious feel you are looking for. I think if you did not feel the RL interior was very nice or luxurious you are not going to feel the new GS interior is as or more luxurious. A new Mercedes interior may feel a little more luxurious or a Jaguar may feel a little more luxurious with the nice wood and supple connolly leather but both cars are not rated well and may end up giving you alot of problems. The RL and GS have sort of techy high quality interiors with alot of high end high tech features and not the traditional older Euro interiors with alot of nice wood, chrome, and very supple connolly leather.

 

gs350 all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

What is superb about the RL's interior ( and I have reviewed the car and test-driven it ) is not so much the so-called modern hi-tech look ( it has plenty of attractive wood paneling as well ) , but simply the way it is built and and the absolutely superb quality of the materials used....as good or better than anything I have ever seen from Lexus. The doors close with precision and feel like bank vaults, and the interior hardware has NONE of that cheap-plastic feel so common in most of today's cars. Probably the closest I have seen to the new RL's interior in quality is the new Lexus GS...but the GS doors don't have that bank-vault feel.
I know a lot of people like the Acura TL.........the RL, quality-wise, makes the TL feel like a piece of tin.
I do agree, however, Acura probably should have used a V8 for the RL ( we hear a lot of comments on this ), but the 290 HP / 260 ft.-lb V6 has power and torque that almost equals a V8 as it is.

 

How nice an interior feels is SO subjective. While I thought the RL was indeed nice in some ways, I didn't get as much of that "bank vault" feeling closing the door as with some of the Lexus models. To each hisser own <shrugs>.

You might consider the ES 350 due out about April 21 as I understand it. It will have some '07 model bells and whistles well ahead of the fall introduction of some of the next '07s, and it has gotten some nice write-ups.

While often viewed as entry-level, it really isn't inferior to the IS, just different. Less sporty, but roomier inside. And a stacked '07 ES350 may not compare badly to the more expensive '06 GS models. But is is front wheel drive with no all wheel option.

 

Haha, I think he's mocking Buick because it's got 0 votes

 

Bingo.

The Lucerne, without doubt, is not a bad car. But there are too many cars I'd take over it for the money; apparently everyone on the boards feels the same way.

Too bad we can't get American autos on track.

M.

 

Those of you talking "bank vaults" and "tanks" should keep in mind that I drive a Lexus GX (I have to climb on a ladder to see the top) and before that I drove a 4WD Ford Explorer for 10 years (and Ford really built them back then). So when I hear words like that for these puny sedans, I have trouble relating So I guess it is me, not you, but it is a different direction that I am coming from!

Now the bad news - we finally went to the Lexus dealer, and my husband does not fit in the IS or the GS! If he goes in the back - his head hits the glass.

I wasn't too thrilled with the GS, but would maybe give it a chance. He could hardly get in the car.

I got in the IS, and I do admit I easily could have fallen in love with it. I figured I could see it coming - I know this was not the practical choice, but it felt oh so exciting - I figured I would take it for a ride, and if I loved the ride I'd fall in love with the car, and then depend on hubby to tell me that you only live once so why not? I had the scenario playing out in my mind - and then hubby got in the passenger seat and his head touched the ceiling of the car!

I honestly never figured on a problem like this! Both hubby and I have been thinner, but neither of us has gotten any taller. He is 6 feet tall, which is pretty normal by American standards - and a lot of that is leg. One of the salesmen did admit that sometimes Lexus forgets that American men can be bigger in the torso area. Bummer!

I really, really wanted to drive the IS, but I figured under the circumstances that would not be a good idea. We wound up leaving without one test drive.

On the one positive note, I actually liked the ES, and it seemed roomy. However, I would want the new one, especially with the Gen5 nav and other new features. Hopefully it will be at least as roomy. We told the salesman to give us a call in late April when it comes in. Meanwhile we can look around at other cars - not sure which ones, though.

 

Hands Down the GS350.