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I would drive any of the three. But I don't vote for brands very much. I am interested in specific vehicles.
Lexus is superbly built, conservative and biased toward luxury, but they are trying to add more sport to several of their cars. I would happily drive an IS350 of IS-F.
Infiniti has always been sportier than Lexus. Perhaps just a bit less fit and finish. I think they have regressed in styling as the current models are all a bit exaggerated and overdone. We own a 2007 M35 and I think it is an excellent car.
Acura has misfired a bit over the last few years, though one constant has been overall quality and reliability. The MDX is a very good mid-size SUV. I think the TSX is a nice car, especially with the V6. And I'm anxious to see the new NSX in a year or two. I own a 1997 NSX and it is my favorite car ever.
Because the whole point of Lexus was to import their Japanese cars, which is why many of them are rwd. The IS 400 is a Toyota Altezza(and the reason for Altezza["euro"] tail lights everyone gets for their civic, mustang, c1500). That ugly Lexus coupe was a toyota soarer.
Because Nissan, especially the Z cars, skyline etc.
I want a NSX the only Honda car worth owning besides an S2K.
should you pay 2k more for a civic with chromed plastic and leather, because honda.
The price difference between Civic EX and Civic EX-L is about $1500.
I am not understanding your point.
If you are trying to compare between the Civic EX-L and the ILX, I am not sure if that is a fair comparison but I do understand where you are coming from but there are differences. For example, Civic is a 1.8L and the ILX is a 2.0L. Whether those differences justifies the price difference is debatable.
But I think you and I would agree that in general... there isn't a significant amount of differences between Honda to an Acura. I am going to go out on a limb and say probably this is the reason why Acura has not been a true contender in the japanese luxury market in the recent years as Acura has been dubbed "near luxury."
Acura can go on and say that xx% of the parts are different and blah blah blah but at the end of the day, if the design concept and performance technology behind it is relatively the same... what really distinguish them apart? I think for the value shoppers, they will turn toward the Honda. Is there a difference, yes but whether the differences are substantial enough is subjective and debatable.
However, take a look at the Honda Accord and the Acura TL FWD. I will probably take the loaded up Honda Accord any day. However, I have mentioned TL FWD specifically because the TL SH-AWD model is a different beast altogether. Just like Acura Legend, there is was no way in hell one would compare this car with an Accord at that time. It just seems like, nowadays, Honda is using Acura to fill in the gaps that the Honda line is missing instead of creating an identity of its own.
I think comparing a Honda Civic EX-L to an ILX is a great comparison that highlights where Acura fails. The car is for all intents and purposes and expensive Civic with a retuned suspension and a few baubles. It, like many Acuras, is a Honda with lipstick, while on the other end of the spectrum, every Lexus today is a unique car not found at all as a Toyota, with one exception - the ES, which is a Camry-based Lexus.
Don't get me wrong. Acura is great for those buyers that want a really nice Honda - most people who buy Acuras are in fact previous Honda owners that love the brand for its own reasons. Apart from brand loyalty however, Acura really doesn't attract people because it doesn't do enough to compete as a true luxury make.
I think comparing a Honda Civic EX-L to an ILX is a great comparison that highlights where Acura fails. The car is for all intents and purposes and expensive Civic with a retuned suspension and a few baubles. It, like many Acuras, is a Honda with lipstick, while on the other end of the spectrum, every Lexus today is a unique car not found at all as a Toyota, with one exception - the ES, which is a Camry-based Lexus.
Don't get me wrong. Acura is great for those buyers that want a really nice Honda - most people who buy Acuras are in fact previous Honda owners that love the brand for its own reasons. Apart from brand loyalty however, Acura really doesn't attract people because it doesn't do enough to compete as a true luxury make.
That's not true...
The RX, ES and CT all ride on a version of Toyota's MC platform that underpins everything from the Camry and Venza to the Corolla, Prius and RAV4. Now, only the ES rides on the exact same derivative platform of MC as the Camry. The RX and CT are technically "unique", but that's because of their powertrain, not the actual platform. Toyota names a new platform everytime they change the powertrain family. For instance, the RX and Highlander used to be on the same "GSU (2GR)" platform. The Highlander still uses that, but the RX is now on the "GGL (2GR-FE)" with the hybrid being "GYL (2GR-FXE)". Underneath they are still the same, but they now use different powertrain families "2GR-FE" or "2GR-FXE" vs. "2GR".
The Lexus GX and LX are also direct siblings to the Landcruiser and Sequoia and ride on the exact same platform.
In terms of similar cars...
ES = Camry
RX = Highlander
CT = Prius
GX and LX = Landcruiser
IS, GS and LS = No similar Toyota brand car in US and all ride on unique platforms.
All the Japanese brands have used their own upscale Japanese market cars and rebranded them into their luxury make to sell to US and then to other parts of the world. None of them are "better" or innocent of doing this although some people would like you to think otherwise. Lexus has gone the step further in that now the Lexus brand exists in Japan but every one of their cars can trace it's lineage back to a Toyota branded vehicle, except the LFA.
Nissan took a big step out there and moved Infiniti Hq to Hong Kong because they saw china as the largest and most influential market and hired a German to run it. But lately there's been some racial backlash from the Chinese over Japanese made goods so I wonder how that is going to play out for them.
Acura still has the distinction of being the first Japanese luxury brand but it is the only one of the three that does not currently make a car that I would own.
All the Japanese brands have used their own upscale Japanese market cars and rebranded them into their luxury make to sell to US and then to other parts of the world. None of them are "better" or innocent of doing this although some people would like you to think otherwise. Lexus has gone the step further in that now the Lexus brand exists in Japan but every one of their cars can trace it's lineage back to a Toyota branded vehicle, except the LFA.
Nissan took a big step out there and moved Infiniti Hq to Hong Kong because they saw china as the largest and most influential market and hired a German to run it. But lately there's been some racial backlash from the Chinese over Japanese made goods so I wonder how that is going to play out for them.
Acura still has the distinction of being the first Japanese luxury brand but it is the only one of the three that does not currently make a car that I would own.
That's because Acura vehicles are quite a bit less expensive than Audi vehicles. Acura isn't a true "luxury brand" and sells at a discounted price to gain market share unlike Audi who produces a luxury product and charges accordingly.
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