Lexus has nothing to compete? How about long term reliability, which BMW does not have!

 

I don’t love the front end, but I love everything else about the Palisade. I love the proportions, it looks like an SUV instead of a wagon, it’s quite upright.

As for the RX, if you actually need to carry people, you can’t choose an RX-L. There is literally no room
for people the packaging is so poor. Plus I don't think you've even looked at or driven a Palisade. Styling aside, its a much more functional vehicle.

Plus, people are currently paying OVER sticker for the Palisade so clearly they’ve done something right.

You can’t stand on reliability. Most people lease or keep these for 4 years or so and that’s it. If I just wanted reliability I would buy a Toyota.

It’s a luxury car, and I want a luxury car not a Lexus version of a FWD Toyota. I don’t care how reliable it is.

What I want is a reliable car that’s actually a luxury car like I’ve always had from Lexus (save my interlude with the ES) but they don’t seem interested in making those right now.

 

Truthfully, I do not see the resemblance.

I personally see a lot of design similarities from the original Sequoia.

 

Nor do I

I can see that, and other "real" SUVs like the Tahoe, etc. To me the Palisade looks like a traditional SUV vs a Crossover.

 

I have always thought that, and I think that is part of its appeal. Where everyone else seems to be going to a more sleeker look, Hyundai will stand out for those looking for more function. The seating position in the front also feels less "cab forward" and less car like. However, the drawback will be that the new sleeker SUVs will likely be sharper in their driving feel.

 

Totally agree. Thats one of the things I liked about the X7 too, it feels very upright, which I also like about Range Rovers.

I wouldnt agree about the sleeper "crossover look" vehicles being sharper in driving feel, Palisade feels great to drive, Its a little underpowered.

 

I realize most people don't keep cars long term. I keep mine a minimum of 10 years and no one else can give the Lexus/Toyota version of reliability. I realize that Lexus doesn't offer the amenities that Mercedes,BMW,Audi... offer. I'll sacrifice extra amenities for reliability.

 

You're the customer they're banking on since reliability is all they have to offer. Thats not me, I'll give some up for that but I'm not going to buy a vehicle that is just dramatically outclassed by everything because of the promise of reliability. They don't make one vehicle right now that is not dramatically outclassed in virtually every way by its competition...not one.

The point is, Lexus can deliver proper luxury vehicles that are on the forefront of technology, quality and design that have the expected Toyota/Lexus reliability...they just don't seem to want to.

And I know plenty of people with somewhat older MBs, BMWs and Audis and their cars are plenty reliable.

 

Agreed. The speed Toyota/ Lexus updates or refreshes their vehicles is painfully slow. Lexus used be be revolutionary, but they now seem overly complacent. Oh well, plenty of other manufacturers to choose from. Weird, the direction this company is taking. It’s almost as if they don’t care.

 

Not the case with the newer MB's,BMW's and Audis. I consider Lexus/Toyota as being more conservative when it comes to tech and luxury. There's a certain number of people like myself who just don't want the hassle of premature failure of components of most other makes.

 

I agree with what you are saying. I would rather have things work than have issues later in the ownership experience. The hallmark of the Lexus brand is that things should last a long time, thus satisfaction should be high. BMW or Mercedes, I think the ownership experience is different as tech and performance should be a the forefront.

 

The newer MBs, Audi’s and BMWs are MORE reliable than they were in the past, not less. Reliability is improving all the data points to that.

I’ve been a Lexus customer for 22 years. I’ve bought 7 Lexus vehicles brand new. You don’t have to tell me what Lexus customers are, I am a longtime and valuable Lexus customer. Being “reliable” is not an excuse for no longer innovating or building cars that deliver on performance and quality and technology. Lexus historically has delivered those things with reliability.

In any event, if you’re satisfied with where they are great. People buy Acura’s too and they’re too low end to appeal to me. I just want Lexus to be more than that, and they need to be if they want to keep me as a customer.

This company as it is right now is no longer a peer to Mercedes, BMW or Audi as it had been in the past. I think that’s sad, if that doesn’t bother you then that’s fine.

 

They never used to be. The early nav was better than anyone's. The mark lev audio was better than anything in cars costing twice as much. The thoughtful touches of auto recirculation. Even the engine and transmission tech was amazing and state of the art. The gauges and headlights were amazing.

Now, besides reliability, what does lexus do better?

Understand, and no one does so it's not just a certain number of people. But ALL brands have become hugely more reliable, due to 'incentives' to compete with market-leading toyota/lexus.

 

And i see that as a liability for lexus, it's not a great business model that relies on customers only getting a new vehicle every at least 10 years.
i bet most mb/bmw's are leased, so every 3 years, their customers come back looking for something else, plus the dealer has a large supply of 'lightly used' premium vehicles to sell.

 

I guess we must agree to disagree. I guess I'm the exception to the rule keeping a vehicle long term. I agree, people I know that drive MB's,BMW... don't keep them long term and lease. I could care less what Lexus business model is as long as they provide a reliable product that I want. In my opinion, planned obsolescence and profitability is what matters most in manufacturing. I would say the appliance industry is a perfect example of planned obsolescence. Why did I throw my 8 yr. old Whirlpool fridge to the curb when my other Whirlpool fridge made in the 90's is still going strong?!