It's really splitting hairs and I like my Accord for what it is. There is an old saying that Honda builds engines, Toyota builds cars.

I'm with SW on this. I have test driven the previous generation RL with the super handling AWD and there was nothing special about it. The car was loosy goosy and was nothing at all what I expected it to be. The reason why I test drove the car was mainly because I was so impressed with my Accord that I thought the Honda flagship would be that much better in build quality but to my amazement it was worse in many ways. The interior did not match up to a luxury car standard and it didn't drive like one either. If anything I felt the older model TL before they went full retard in design rode better.
At one point in time Honda was developing a V8 for a flagship luxury car but they scraped it possibly because they realized it would not be a wise investment to expand the brand when they are starting from a disadvantage of being a smaller sized company with limited resources. I think expanding into small trucks first is probably a wiser move to grow the company but it will never be a competitor to Toyota in the luxury car market.
Lexus is the only luxury Japanese brand that has made it as far as being respected amongst it's peers in the business. We know this because the word Lexus is the only Japanese brand that has been used in pop culture in a positive way, sadly Acura has been sighted as " I can't find any fault with it but it's still an Acura".

Lexus has done it once more with the LFA project by breaking into the supercar club which is by far the hardest club to be accepted in which has cemented the brand as far as public perception. This is where Nissan wanted to be and is by far better than Acura as a luxury brand but fell short.

 

It had nothing to do with the Sedona. The van was parked on the street behind a pile of leaves. Someone must have thrown a cigarette or something into the pile and it caught fire, which caught the front bumper of the can on fire.

I certainly have no allegiance to Hyundai/Kia and would be interested to hear your thoughts. I simply chose what was in our opinion the best minivan for the money. Overall I've been impressed with the newer offerings from Hyundai and Kia, but this is obviously the first one I've ever had. So far I'm really impressed.

As for "trading the Sedona on a Honda/Acura" the Odyssey is the van I wanted, but it lacked radar cruise and PCS as well as some other tech, and the biggest issue was lack of adjustability in the second row which forced us to have to sit the front seats up with rear facing car seats installed. A no go as that was a main reason for trading our Jeep on a van.

Plus, the Odyssey is downright crappy inside compared to the Sedona. Terrible plastics and materials which matters to me.

You can post all the reviews you want superdenso, I read magazines for enjoyment but when I'm going to buy a car, I get out and drive them all exhaustively and think for myself. In the end for us it was very clear what can we wanted. That's what we bought. If you would like me to post links to comparisons where the Sedona won I can do that but that's not of any value to anybody.

Plus, that MT review is from 2003. Do you even read stuff before you post it? Hilarious lol.

 

Sure do, 12 years of poor ranking. At least they're consistent.

 

Devh you are right about one thing> "Acura builds outstanding engines." Are we really discussing " pop culture". Next it will be "infrared oil analysis".

Other than pricing ($375K) and materials the car can't perform like a supercar. GTR at $90K spanked the LFA in 4 out of 5 tests. Let's not discuss Lamborghini, Ferrari or McClaren, z06 or Ford GT. Pricing does not make a supercar. The LFA costs more than the Lamborghini; can't believe you mentioned that thing. Acura will turn a NSX loose for 33% of the money. Ferrari owners can thank Acura because the NSX proved supercars can be reliable. In the supercar market the numbers matter. Some don't care if the LS 0-60 is actually 6.0sec (with delayed downshifts). In the supercar world that action is not fancied and actually is unacceptable in the luxury market. NSX will upset the supercar world a second time. LFA did nothing for the market and could not run with the GTR (link below). Yota is teaming with BMW to build their Supra...this is getting insane!

http://twinrev.com/cars/Nissan-GT-R-vs-Lexus-LFA

 

If you dislike Lexus so much, why are you posting on a Lexus forum?

Anyways, picked up the Sedona tonight from the body shop, the guys first response "man, that is the nicest minivan I've ever seen". Go figure.

 

Good question: Lexus is more reliable than BMW and Mercedes.

Stop it with the Sedona already. You like what you bought and that is what matters. Please, enjoy your ride, glad you're happy with the bodywork. Bodywork can be a tricky service. This is a place for sharing opinions, information and ideas. You and your buddies (Devh, Crowe, & RoadyToadie) see things one way and I see things the other. It's nice to have met you fellas. If I don't agree with you doesn't mean I dislike you.

 

You're the one who brought up the Sedona and continue to bring up the Sedona lol. I could not possibly care less what you or anybody else thinks about what vehicles I choose to purchase.

If I cared, I wouldn't have a Lexus either.

You seem to think I am somehow angry of frustrated and that's not the case at all. I think this has been quite amusing.

 

One of the most interesting statistics in my opinion is Owner's satisfaction "Would you buy your car again?"

Lexus LS 81%
Acura RLX in last place in this category with 59%


Luxury midsized/large cars
Make & model Definitely buy again

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan (diesel)* 88%
Audi A7 84
Audi A8 84
Audi A6 84
Cadillac CTS (V6) 83
Lexus LS 81
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan (V8) 81
Mercedes-Benz S-Class 81
BMW 5 Series (V8) 81
Hyundai Equus 80
Lincoln MKZ (V6) 80
Porsche Panamera 80
Lexus ES (V6) 79
Mercedes-Benz CLS 78
Jaguar XJ 77
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan (V6) 75
Jaguar XF 74
Lexus GS (V6) 74
Volvo S80 73
Lincoln MKZ (4-cyl. EcoBoost) 71
BMW 5 Series (6-cyl.) 70
Infiniti Q70 68
BMW 5 Series (4-cyl.) 68
BMW 7 Series 66
Lincoln MKS 66
Cadillac XTS 66
Acura RLX 59

 

The RLX leaves a lot to be desired, but the RLX Sport Hybrid is a different car...an exceptional car.
"RLX Sport Hybrid indeed stuck with tenacity, demonstrating a neutral character that gives way to rear-biased, effortless torque as you power out of a corner"
http://www.edmunds.com/acura/rlx/2014/road-test2.html

This is the media write-up on LS handling: "...unimpressive acceleration and handling compared with its European competitors"
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com...ucks/lexus_ls/


...Gonna head over to the Acura forum for bit

 

Without the model year, the numbers have limited usefulness IMO, especially if one is looking at used cars, which I, for one, am more likely to buy. That's where reliability surveys, such as Consumer Reports and JD Powers, come into play. I'd like to see the "would you have bought this car again if you could go back in time" kind of parameter, too.

 

Its not a different car, its the same car with a different powertrain. Nothing I disliked about the car had anything to do with its powertrain. Its just a fairly drab, not overly luxurious, not overly refined, FWD sedan. Like I said, like a big Accord. I wouldn't even choose one over the ES probably, let alone the LS.

I found it the exact opposite of "exceptional" I would describe it as "aggressively average".

If you cared about acceleration or handling I'm not sure why you'd buy an LS. Its like complaining about the way a Lincoln Town Car handles.

 

SW: the RLX HYBRID is AWD and has been programmed to push the rear wheels very hard. You may need another test drive...and this time give it the gas. Do not drive the fwd, drive the AWD hybrid. The two are absolutely different. The gs450h is rwd and not even close.

Can't believe you compared the LS to a Lincoln lol. Do you think Lexus could sell it if they stated, "the Ls460-handles corners like an 89' Town Car!" Or, "the LS-not as good as a 1992 Honda Accord on a curved road!" When you sell your car will you say, "it's the most reliable poorly handling car that runs through control arms but lacks commanding control on curves."

Idk about you but my LS runs! There is no hesitation or engine rattling. My LS accelerates very well/it's no Lincoln

 

Check out the new Lexus commercial where the LS appears to struggle on the curves. Maybe the next redesign addresses the cornering by at least 25%. A friend has a 1999 s420, and that thing corners like a Sports car but dampens the road like a Cadillac. Unbelievable! When I got out of the car I was impressed, and couldn't figure out how Mercedes could do such a thing. Sold American($)...soon after I bought a Benz.

 

You aren't hearing me. I don't care about strong acceleration, and the front power bias was not the only issue I had with the RLX. It doesn't ride especially well, its not very refined, the interior isn't very nice, its not especially quiet inside, it feels like a big Honda Accord. None of that has anything to do with whether its a FWD gas car or an AWD hybrid car. So if the Hybrid takes care of one issue, I still have multiple issues. I don't particularly care about handling.

Its a vehicle I wouldn't pay more than $40,000 for...let alone $65,000. Sorry, IMHO its just not a very nice car. I drove it three times, I don't need to drive it again.

I think you don't quite understand the Lexus LS. If you care about handling or covering ability...you should not buy this car. Its a car made to ride very well, be very refined, and be very quiet. You keep bringing up handling, when thats probably the car's weakest attribute, its competent, but its a 4,600lb softly sprung luxury sedan...it doesn't handle very well.

If you want a flagship car that handles well, theres the F Sport but even it isn't much different, or there are other options such as the 7 Series and A8 that handle better, but at the expense somewhat of the glasslike serene ride.

LOL, its your bias that makes you think it looked that way. I don't think it looked like it struggled at all...its a commercial, it was edited and produced specifically to make it look like it didn't struggle. Theres a whole thread about that commercial in the Car Chat forum and nobody has made such a comment.

The new platform I'm sure will be much stiffer as the 4GS is and the 3IS which will help. But, if they improve cornering by 25% and it reduces ride and comfort...I will not be a buyer.

Bottom line, I think you're just in the wrong car for your needs.

 

It's Roadfrog, Super Dense.

Are you purposely trying to be a di*k? You keep saying that you just like to offer differing opinions and engage in friendly debate, but your M.O. seems to contradict that.