These Features Still Scream 'Luxury' To Our Readers

The Story

For some reason, there weren.

Genesis Add Jalopnik on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover It wasn’t too long ago that an adjustable suspension was an exclusive luxury feature reserved only for high rollers. These days, you can get a Hyundai Elantra with an adaptive suspension if you check the right box. Yes, I’m talking about the high-performance Elantra N, which you could argue is cheating, but good luck explaining that to 1990s S-Class owner.

Over the last couple of decades, we’ve seen all sorts of features go mainstream, to the point that it feels like it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate luxury and mainstream vehicles. Heck, you can even get massage seats on a new Nissan Murano.

At the same time, Genesis just revealed the new GV90 Neolun, an extra luxurious version of its most luxurious SUV that features swiveling seats and coach doors. With that in mind, last Friday we asked you which features still scream “luxury” to you. For some reason, there weren’t a whole lot of votes for passenger screens and voice controls, but let’s take a look at some of the most popular responses.

Inside Creative House/Shutterstock With a $30,000 Civic having similar tech as a $60,000 Mercedes-Benz, tech is no longer the answer. So, the feature that screams luxury to me isn’t found in the car. It’s what is found around the car on Day 1 and with every service. Luxury now is the dealership experience. I want to be able to interact with a salesperson by e-mail and chat sessions and not dumped in the dealer pressure cooker or having my potential trade-in’s keys being held hostage. When I’m in the dealer, I want my time to be treated as important as theirs so let’s not waste any of it. I’d like the dealership building to look clean and modern with comfortable furniture, lighting to show off the cars even better, and something more than a K-cup coffee machine and stale packages of peanut butter crackers. I want the service department to be up front and honest, with fair pricing and no games with what’s needed. I want the sales staff to know their cars inside and out, the sales manager to be a human being and not a stereotype of every sleazy manager we think of. Luxury is being taken care of each step of the way before, during, and especially after the purchase. Right now, I could go to a H/K/G or Toyota dealer and buy a perfectly acceptable vehicle, but have the dealership experience force me to take a shower when done as their “unclean” reputation is very true. Or I can take the same money to a Lexus dealer and be treated as a customer they want to build a relationship with over the long run.

Reshetnikov_art/Shutterstock Not necessarily a feature – but hear me out: Luxury is a FEEL. It’s the quality of the materials, the tactile feeling beautifully designed switches and buttons have, the smoothness of how everything works together. You know, all the stuff Lexus and Mercedes used to do before they became obsessed with being “sporty” and “tech” with their screens. Screens are not luxury.

NorthSky Films/Shutterstock Quiet, and maybe powerful but quiet. Nice luxury should have a smooth ride, and be powerful enough to move out smartly, but not be a “sport model”. Loud exhaust should not be a feature of a real luxury car. Luxury or dollars doesn’t need to announce itself to the whole neighborhood. And also quiet on the inside, good sound insulation.

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock Those old-school LaZBoy-style plush seats that used to be in higher-end models back in the day. Something just feels right about them. Just comfort for cruising long miles. Do I still prefer my hugging sports car seats?. Yes. But if I’m going no-holds-barred luxury, I want to feel like I’m sitting on a cloud.

Why It Matters

So, the feature that screams luxury to me isn’t found in the car.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Industry watchers will be following the follow-through, not just the headline.