samir786

Sometimes I think on how articles like these go published without someone within the company giving a second look or questioning the article. Among the cars to make it were:

Audi A3
Lexus IS250
BMW 328i
Caddy CTS
and more cars that don't belong in this category.

Furthermore, I'm surprised that the TL didn't make it. I mean you can get a fully loaded TL w/Navi for the price of a 328i. I just don't understand.

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home...le-Luxury-Cars

02type-s

Interesting.

Mokos23

I think this was posted in the TL section a few weeks ago. Yeah, I think one of the reasons is that Honda/Acura don't post a lot of car ads in Forbes anyways and maybe that's why Forbes didn't put them on the list

godfather2

tsx and tl are considered "ENTRY LEVEL LUX". that might have something to do with it

amadeus303

iTrader: (2)

At first, I thought they were defining "luxury" as RWD/AWD... until I saw the Volvo on there (which, to my knowledge, if currently only offered in FWD). After going through the list, it's clear that they define "luxury" strictly by prestige/status perception and interior amenities. Otherwise, how else do you explain some of the cars on this list? The Volvo C30 is built on the Mazda3 platform --- and I'd rather have the Mazdaspeed3 if I wanted to get a hatchback pocket rocket. The MB C300 has always been a piece of crap, especially from a performance standpoint... and let's not even broach the subject of 1ST YR reliability w/ some of the other cars on this list (e.g., Land Rover).

I do agree w/ some of the cars on the list, though... I'd give my votes to the BMW 3-series (for its great stock handling and power), the A3 (potential reliablity issues aside for its amenities AND utility), and the G37 (for its *near* 3-series driving dynamics).

amadeus303

iTrader: (2)

That was my initial thought too... until I saw the Volvo hatchback on the list. I want to test drive one since I like compact hatches, but I'm under no delusion that it's a "lux" vehicle. On the literature for it, its squarely targeted at the sport compact market (a la MPS3, WRX, etc.).

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Forbes does it again with another shitty article...

They really need to look at more than the price tag and include average cost of ownership into the whole equation to make this an even remotely valid article.

Oh well. It's not like I read Forbes to learn about cars anyway.

CarbonGray Earl

oh well. The way I see it, our tsx has had ample time in the spotlight. Every car that it blew out of the water back in 03 has now move on to the next model. We'll see if the next TSX can do the same as ours did.

CGTSX07

I think that says it all right there

Alan Briggs

Another possible explanation is that this is all in the heads of writers on a commercial fashion assignment rather than part of any process of becoming a commited owner spending your real money.

A recent survey in Germany gave BMW and Mercedes cars fairly good ratings but not that great either. The same survey limited to BMW and Mercedes owners placed BMW in the middle of the pack and Mercedes close to the bottom. How well can you rate a car through dreaming about it after just looking at and driving it around a little?

One of the more thorough car rating systems is reflected by Intellichoice. It has rated the TL as one the most economical cars to own across all cars year after year. The recent Consumer Reports methodolgy rates the TL at the very top with the G35 and if you weight all the assessments included there globally you will conclude that the TL is actually rated way above any other car - they did not really include or seperate out the Type S which would rate it even higher in my view. At the same time Consumers Reports did not rate the TSX as highly as they did the TL and they go by car class - I wonder if they used the same subjective people that day.

I came across a very high rating for the TSX much to my chagrin when I recently tried to buy a used car in very good condition. I have never seen any car retain value like a late model TSX and they are generally available for sale so this is not the vagaries of a dynamic marketplace. The TSX can be a far more expensive proposition used than a new car when you include any reasonable adjustment that accounts for the economic value of cars remaining life. It is the only car that I have seen that does anything like this even if it does not make any sense. Acura/Honda now has the highest retained value pushing out BMW for the first time.

The best explanation I can dream up of differing views is this. Do you know anyone who considers a mistress in the same way that he carefully selects a lifelong companion? I hope that remark does not offend anyone. I am afraid I just came back from driving my original Legend Coupe LS which I prefer over the wifes new TL Type S and my daughters new TSX.

Johns

The Legend Coupe has been at the top of my list for years. The new Acuras are great, but they have lost some of the magic the the Legend had.

wrussi

the thing is the prestige surrounding the brand. acura as a luxury brand falls way below lexus and bmw not because of their cars just acura/honda hasnt done the effort to position themselves there.
plus
forbes is an entity for rich people
u'll never see an article in forbes saying that people should buy a casio watch because financially it makes more sence than buying a 2k rolex, when they both give the same time!
its a very biased company.
i guess acura doesnt "sponsor" them so it doesnt get its cars on the top 10. that easy.

that article is so biased and un-informed i cant believe yahoo posts something like that on their website

DemonPoofball

I'm actually kind of surprised the A3 made it. Though an absolute BLAST to drive, the interior in the base is, well, less than I would ever expect in a car anywhere near that price range (it was one of the other cars in our consideration list). You'd have to pony up for the S-line package to make it possible to sit in the car for any extended period of time as that package has the decent seats, which really starts to push it up over the "affordable" range. Base being $27ish sounds nice and all, but it's almost $29 just for any comfort (and that's not even w/ the audio, heated mirrors or bluetooth additions), which really is where "luxury" comes in.

It being Forbes really removes the legitimacy of the ratings though. They're not exactly a car magazine.

malnik

Forbes shouldn't even be considered as a credible source for cars. What do they know? I would look elsewhere if I'm really researching to buy an affordable luxury car.