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Mystery shoppers love Infiniti, hate Tesla

Infiniti, followed by Lexus tied with Mercedes-Benz took the top two spots for best sales experience according to mystery shoppers from the latest Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index, while EV manufacturer Tesla recorded the lowest overall score. Not surprisingly, premium brands dominated the top ranks. Including the three already mentioned, luxury brands occupied seven of the top ten spots and included Audi, BMW, Porsche, and the only American brand to crack the upper echelon, Cadillac. Toyota, Volkswagen, and Nissan rounded out the first ten positions. The news for domestic automakers isn't good. Aside from Caddy, the only other star-spangled automaker to score above the industry average is Chrysler. The rest of FCA, most of GM, and all of Ford fell below the line. But Pied Piper's mystery shoppers handed Tesla the biggest walloping – the company is ten full points below the next lowest brand, Volvo, and its score of 86 is 17 below the average of 103. It's baffling, considering the company's touted direct-sales model. "Tesla leaves me scratching my head," Fred O'Hagan, Pied Piper's president and CEO, told Wards Auto. "They own all of their stores, so you would think each one would be doing the same thing. But they're not. Tesla is consistent in its inconsistencies." O'Hagan added that there's a "huge variation" in Tesla's store-to-store effectiveness, and that in some cases, shoppers found showroom workers that acted more like "museum curators," Wards Auto reports. It might be popular to call Tesla the Apple of the car world, but based on Pied Piper's work, the brand has a long way to go to emulate the uniform shopping experience of an Apple Store. The news might be bad for Tesla, but even for the brands that scored below average, there's cause for celebration. Only Tesla and Mini lost points in this year's rankings, and only Mercedes and Lincoln held steady. Every other brand, including Infiniti, which topped the index for the first time, gained at least one point. The biggest improvements belong to Porsche, Land Rover, and Mitsubishi, which all jumped five points. Pied Piper's annual Prospect Satisfaction Index uses mystery shoppers – over 6,100 this year – from across the country to assess dealers and generate rankings from over 50 individual factors. News Source: Pied Piper via WardsAuto Green Audi BMW Cadillac Chrysler Infiniti Lexus Mercedes-Benz Nissan Tesla Toyota Car Buying Car Dealers study

2019 Infiniti QX50 vs. compact luxury SUV rivals: How they compare

With apologies to the EX35, or whatever it was eventually renamed, Infiniti has been without a proper, competitive entry in the compact luxury SUV segment. You know, the segment that's growing faster in sales and entries than any other? To say the 2019 Infiniti QX50 is long awaited would therefore be an understatement. At first glance and drive, the new QX50 would indeed seem to be wildly more competitive than its predecessor, which come to think of it, was eventually called the QX50 as well. This one is based on an all-new front-wheel-drive platform, and although it lacks the inherent verve of the old, rear-drive- and 370Z-based one, the resulting increase in cabin space should be a welcome tradeoff. In fact, as you'll see below, the QX50 has gone from one of the smallest compact SUVs to the most spacious. How does it stack up in every other way? Say, against the segment's four best-selling entries last year: the 2018 Lexus NX 300, 2018 Acura RDX, 2018 Audi Q5 and 2018 BMW X3. On paper at least, really well as it turns out. Let's go to the spreadsheet! Discover and compare other luxury crossovers with our Car Finder and Compare tools. Comparing engines, drivetrains and transmissions With the exception of the Acura, all of the contenders come with 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines. As you can see, the Infiniti is the heavyweight amongst the four-bangers, boasting the most horsepower and torque. The Acura V6 nips it by 11 hp, but the QX50 is still the overall torque champ. Plus, as we documented in the QX50 first drive, the Infiniti's new VC-Turbo engine is also the most technologically advanced. The Lexus is the wimp of the group and is also the second-heaviest, which isn't exactly the ideal scenario. The Infiniti is the only one in the group to feature a continuously variable transmission. That's not going to generate much applause around here. The BMW tops the gear count with eight, while the Audi is the only entry with a dual-clutch automated manual. The Acura and Lexus have only six gears, but they're good transmissions and it's not like their fuel economy is off the pace. The Audi and BMW come standard with all-wheel drive, while the others offer a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Comparing cargo and interior space The new front-wheel-drive platform is paying dividends inside for the 2019 QX50, as it now boasts the most maximum cargo space at 65.1 cubic feet.

Lexus' new V-LCRO advances seat tech by going back in time

Automakers love teaming up with aftermarket suppliers. Stuff like Foxx Racing shocks, BBS wheels, and Brembo brakes are all there to gussy up performance vehicles. But one of the best branded performance options you can get are a meaty set of seats. Not only do they look great, but the two purposes they serve are legitimate – hearty bolsters keep you pinned in place around high-G turns and they allow you to soak up a lot more of the chassis' sensations. Lexus already had a solid set of (unbranded) thrones in the RC F and GS F, but a piece of old tech is about to make them even better. The company is introducing a new Variable Load Coupling Rear Orientation for its seats. Fancy name aside, this is far from a new technology. It's been around for 75 years, and you probably know it as Velcro Technology. Yes, Lexus is going to start selling Velcro lined seats to keep you in place at up to three Gs, whether they be fore, aft, or lateral forces. "The RC F and GS F are exhilarating, racing-inspired vehicles," said Brian Bolain, Lexus' GM for product and consumer marketing. "By partnering with Velcro Companies, our new V-LCRO technology enhances the driver's ability to maximize the cars' track-proven performance." If you're worried this is just a bunch of marketing jargon, though, take it from an actual driver. The V-LCRO system works. "The beauty of this technology is its simplicity," Lexus F Performance Racing driver Scott Pruett said. "With V-LCRO, Lexus has created an unprecedented connection between driver and vehicle, and the impact on the track has been phenomenal." According to Lexus spokesman Moe Lester, V-LCRO will be available on 2020 models, alongside the upcoming hoverboard package. In other news, tomorrow is April Fools' Day. Be prepared. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus Introduces Groundbreaking V-LCRO Technology Automaker reveals new interior option for RC F and GS F performance vehicles TORRANCE, Calif. (March 31, 2016)—When it comes to performance cars, few things are more important than the connection between driver and vehicle. For luxury automaker Lexus, the continuous pursuit to enhance this connection even includes venturing outside the automotive world for new solutions.