there are no truly comparable trim/packages

I don’t think the first 2 paragraphs are bragging.

I’ll bet you 48,050€ that the Lexus will be more reliable.

All you’re getting standard over most of all of the competition is a panoramic roof. It doesn’t have things like heated seats, keyless entry/keyless go, adaptive drive modes, metallic paint, and power child locks while some of those features are standard on less expensive competitors.

I’ve only been in one once and it was fine but reviewers don’t seem to have any problems with with the drivetrain. http://www.motortrend.com/cars/lexus/nx200t/2015/the-big-test-2015-luxury-compact-crossovers/

At $70,000+ that’s maybe true, but not in the $35k-$50k price range. Most people buying cars in that range are not “affluent”. I’m sure many of those buyers are leasing and financing as well, so price is a major factor. Very wealthy people who are price-insensitive are not going to be a large enough market on this…

Absolutely.

The fit and finish on new Volvo interiors is pretty bad. Nowhere close to Mercedes, Lexus, or Audi level. The design is great but they still have some way to come in terms of build-quality. I’m not saying its unlivealbe like a Maserati or anything, but certainly not worth a premium cost over German or Japanese…

That’s...a lot. The way-more-reliable and same-sized Lexus NX AWD starts at only $36,500, a whopping $6,000 less! 

New Mercedes models have not all done away with them.

None of them are Lidar. Mostly camera based with forward-facing radar and beefed-up parking sensors I believe.

For some context, lets look at what some current companies are charging for semi-autonomous driver assistance technology. These are mostly luxury cars so prices are high.

I can remember one I think it was for the Malibu where the car is de-badged and one of the “real” people claims they think the car is “a mix between a Tesla and a BMW.”

So you have a friend with a dealership you just lets you drive around in $150k to $250k cars whenever you want costing them thousands in depreciation/maintenance? Okay...

The Merc 4.7 TTV8 doesn’t transmit any vibrations into the car even when you redline it. Except for the tach, theres no way to tell the engine is running under 5k rpm, and above that you can hear the exhaust slightly if the radio is off. The V12 is the same story. Except the V8 also makes more torque at low revs…

What? Have you actually driven these cars? The current Merc V12 actually feels quite gutless from idle compared to the 4.7 TTV8 which has no turbo lag and is making all 520+ lb-ft of torque from only 1600 rpm. The V8 is just a way more advanced motor and has more “thrust” at low revs while the aging Merc V12 has to…

I can understand having the extra power in a commuting car. My daily driver has a lot of HP and torque and its really nice to have the passing power or fill a gap in traffic instantly. I used to have a somewhat slow car a few years ago and it could be painful getting on on ramps and I couldn’t make certain lane…

The TLX V6 SH-AWD is an awesome car, especially with the advance pack. They’re a great deal if you get them 1 or 2 years old, especially CPO.

I helped a friend buy a TLX and the rear seats in that definitely fold down.

Makes me wonder at what age kids learn to lock/unlock car doors on their own. Maybe someone with kids can say.