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Originally Posted by cawimmer430  Do you get the feeling that the Lexus LS got a 99/100 score simply because it offers so many features that a normal luxury consumer would never need yet feels its "cool"? |
Well you have to understand CR. They like for cars to be as simple as possible, and because the LS is loaded with more or less the same features found in a S-Class, A8 or 7-Series, and is easier to use...they love it. Combine that with a stellar reliability record and they're over joyed with the LS460. They readily admit that the S-Class handles better and is a more enjoyable drive, but its controls are complicated and of course (according to them) it isn't reliable enough. In short, they like driving the Benz more, but for the average Joe Consumer the LS makes more sense, in their opinion.
What Consumer Reports doesn't have a clue about is style, or the type of engineering that seperates a Benz (or any German car) for a Japanese one. They also forget that people shopping in the S/LS/A8/XJ/7 market segment are on average, not just some average joe who can't program a DVR.
With Consumer Reports is almost always about the objective, not the subjective. I say almost because the previous generation M3 is on their used car list, the list of cars that they say are ok to buy. The recommend the current 911 so they do understand some things other than reliability which is why I was pulling for the S-Class to make their list.
Could it be they're a little less critical of sporty/sports cars in their views because of their more focused mission on driving? Could be, but I'm not sure.
Until Consumer Reports publishes their whole data bank with the number of respondents for each car, what type of specific problems encountered, and other particulars I don't care anymore. Just saying that the S-Class' reliability is "below par" doesn't tell me squat really.
Any automotive source that says a car has a lousy ride, poor fit and finish, is too cramped etc. etc. and then turns around and "recommends" it because it is reliable is just plain dumb as all getout. Such a decision to buy such a car would be one of the bigger brain-dead decisions a "consumer" could make. But buying a car that is much better in those same areas that is a slightly less reliable, is a no-no. Why recommend a car like the Saab 9-3 when you think nothing of it? That is just plain dumb.
M