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Acura does not have any models that are in the ultra high price range like Lexus has
First off, false - Acura has the NSX, a six-figure car which can be (very loosely) described as a competitor to the LC. Second, that’s completely irrelevant. You are, once again, comparing incomparables and focusing on edge cases. Acura is a luxury arm of Honda. Lexus is a luxury arm of Toyota. That’s all. Full stop. They are direct competitors in segments both companies occupy, e.g., basically all mainstream ones. The only potential difference is that Acura’s model lineup is more limited than Lexus’s. But that doesn’t really address the question asked in the OP.
(I don’t know what value you think your lists of model lineups add, but all they really do is make the thread unreadable.)
Last edited by highlanderfil; 04-11-2021 at 12:08 PM..
Lexus: ES, starts at $40K. Corresponding Toyota: Camry, starts at $25K. (I don't love direct starting MSRP comparisons because they aren't done on an equipment-adjusted basis, but I'm also not inclined to spend hours digging into proprietary industry websites to go super granular on this).
Acura: TLX, starts at $37.5K. Corresponding Honda (kinda, because the TLX is now built on its own platform): Accord, starts at $25K.
Pretty close?
Let's try the compact crossovers.
Lexus: NX, starts at $37.6K. Corresponding Toyota: RAV4, starts at $26.2K.
Acura: RDX, starts at $38.4K. Corresponding Honda: CR-V, starts at $25.4K.
Finally, midsize crossovers.
Lexus: RX, starts at $45.2K. Corresponding Toyota: Highlander, starts at $35.1K.
Acura: MDX, starts at $46.9K. Corresponding Honda: Pilot, starts at $32.6K.
These are the meat and bones of the automotive industry. Pretty close on all counts.
So, yes, if an Acura is a "fancier Honda" (which is an extremely simplistic way of looking at it, but let's do that for the sake of this argument), Lexus is just as much a "fancier Toyota" with an average starting price markup from the "base car" of anywhere from 30% to 60%.
Last edited by highlanderfil; 04-11-2021 at 12:40 PM..
Acura is a luxury arm of Honda. Lexus is a luxury arm of Toyota. That’s all. Full stop.
I am not so dimwitted that I don't understand branding. But I know that Hyundai had a long debate over whether Genesis should be a line of high priced models at Hyundai, of if they should have their own network of dealers. As we know, they decided that there should be a seperate brand.
The OPs question is the Acura brand less differentiated from the Honda brand compared to Lexus and Toyota. One indicator of that is the price point. That is why I listed the MSRP for all the models for each brand.
For instance you mention
Lexus: NX, starts at $37.6K. Corresponding Toyota: RAV4, starts at $26.2K.
But a RAV4 Prime starts at $38,250 and it seems to be a better automobile than the Lexus NX. It certainly is much cheaper to operate.
The 235 hp 2021 FWD NX 300 posted a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds.
The 301 hp 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime achieves the 0 – 60 mph sprint in a mere 5.7 seconds.
But a RAV4 Prime starts at $38,250 and it seems to be a better automobile than the Lexus NX.
According to whom?
Quote:
It certainly is much cheaper to operate.
While this may be true, luxury buyers aren’t primarily interested in their vehicles being cheaper to operate.
Quote:
The 235 hp 2021 FWD NX 300 posted a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds.
The 301 hp 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime achieves the 0 – 60 mph sprint in a mere 5.7 seconds.
And what does this have to do with anything? Nobody buys these things to engage in speed contests. And the more powerful car will certainly NOT be cheaper to operate.
For what it’s worth, you can find this type of example applies to Honda and Acura, Nissan and Infiniti, Ford and Lincoln, even VW and Audi. There will always be a more expensive “regular” car than the entry level luxury car from the same corporate parent on the same platform. Problem is, virtually nobody actually buys those variants even if they might actually be better values (the typical sentiment being “I’m not going to pay $40K for a Camry!”), but that’s a discussion for a different thread on a different day.
I will give a few examples from my own experience.
Finally, I purchased a new 2008 Lexus ES350. Best car I've ever owned. At about 90,000 mile I replaced the water pump, it's only repair. It's unlikely that I will ever purchase anything but a Lexus again (absolutely never another Acura).
YMMV.
Just an update: About 3 weeks after I posted this I bought a new Lexus RX450h.
Loving it so far and appreciate the styling (with the exception of the front grill). The corresponding Toyota model, the Highlander looks frumpy by comparison.
The other vehicles I considered were SUVs by Mercedes and BMW.
Both were substantially more expensive and included fewer standard features. I only would have leased either of them but felt comfortable buying the Lexus based upon my previous experience with the brand.
My RX is a hybrid, has all-wheel drive, leather, wood, panoramic roof, cruise that includes steering, and much more. More expensive BMWs and Mercedes were stripped down by comparison.
BTW: I've noticed people here comparing the Lexus ES350 to the Toyota Camry. The actual counterpart to the ES350, size wise, is the Toyota Avalon.
BTW: I've noticed people here comparing the Lexus ES350 to the Toyota Camry. The actual counterpart to the ES350, size wise, is the Toyota Avalon.
Technically speaking, you’re not wrong. But the Avalon represents a much smaller % of Toyota’s sales vs the Camry than the ES does of Lexus sales. But all three share the same platform now.
Acura is more like a Honda with a different trim level. Lexus also have some models that are stepped up Toyotas but it's more rare. There is no RWD model Toyotas and Acura does not have any models that can compete with the 2 door couples and flat ship GS Lexus Models. Lexus has been differentiating it's model more separately than ever before. It used to be some models are assembled at Toyota factories in Japan but not anymore.
Technically speaking, you’re not wrong. But the Avalon represents a much smaller % of Toyota’s sales vs the Camry than the ES does of Lexus sales. But all three share the same platform now.
Isn't the Avalon/ES350 platform a longer wheelbase version of the Camry's platform? Or are they now the same size?
If I'm not mistaken, the crossover RX and Highlander also share that (modified) platform.
Acura is more like a Honda with a different trim level.
Not the now-defunct RLX and the NSX.
They don't have a Honda counterpart in the USA.
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