more importantly i am a bit confused why the 4gs doesn't have powered / auto trunk (at least that's what i was told for 4gs in the US).

 

The 1st gen IS trunk lid does open easily because of the spring mechanism, and the fact that the lid is lightweight and doesn't carry a back up camera, extra wiring and sound deadening. Once those springs lose their ability to lift the trunk it wont pop open anymore. Plus if you have added weight like the factory decklid spoiler, it wont pop open as easy than one without.

 

A different perspective here.. I like the trunk does not spring open in my 2nd gen IS rather than the 1st gen IS. The way I see it is it has more privacy and I can literally keep the lid open at various angles.

 

That's a nice improvement in trunk size. I wonder how much that impacted the decision to go more 3-box design over coupe design on the 4GS.

 

So I assume Lexus went more BMW way, they never open trunk, just release latch.

 

Lexus always had a power actuated trunk release cable for the GS. The 3rd Gen GS had a power trunk closer which I always though was useless. Whats so hard putting some force on the trunk to close it. You can let gravity do the same thing. Having a power trunk opener is nice, but if you really need a power opener for your trunk, buy an LS, LX or RX.

 

Lexus did a good job with the GS4 trunk

 

I think it is pretty obvious. They did a great job keeping the price down while adding a lot of premium content to the cabin. To do this they had to hold back somewhere. The power trunk is one example, the basic passenger seat in the F-Sport is another, the lack of luxuries in the F-Sport is a third. The absence of 4-zone climate is a fourth. None of these are biggies to value minded luxury consumers which is who this car is targeting to swing from other brands.

 

^^ but they didnt have to make it standard to keep the price down. they could have added it to the premium package and just added $200 to the price of the package

 

that's what i thought. don't have to make it standard, option is ok with me

 

Lexus, Infiniti and Acura always give some line like this. I feel like it's similar to the line Lexus used to use about why they never wanted to put HID's on the full-size SUVs.

BMW, Audi and Mercedes can all engineer pretty rigid chassis with solid 60/40 folding rear seats.

 

what's interesting is with 08-11 lx having no hid due to height issue, 2013 lx has hid

personally i am not really buying into the rigidity issue either. i don't know about recent years, but for the 2gs, if you pop the rear seats, you basically see a bit hole to the trunk and then there this this not-so-thick cross bars. i am not sure if that adds that much of rigidity to the car.

but personally i can imagine it being a cost issue. more parts, 40/60 seat back requirements, latches, etc...

 

^^ then make it an option like Mercedes does

 

it is rigidity issue for sure... i prefer it that way myself.

 

oh i am always down for that. a luxury car, make things options, give people choices

oh, do you have proof? like a comparison test with numbers between a lexus as is, and the one with those cross bar like the 2gs? i can only say about 2gs, i don't know if they went with something else in 3gs or 4gs. but i have been hearing that excuse since 2gs, i am eager to see proof on that