You're giving it too much credit. As I said in 1991, and I stand by today, "It's a nice little car, but...…"
Lexus has just never reached the status of "Luxury Cars" in my mind. Nor has it is sales volume and in broad opinion. Price is not true a measure of luxury, but to a fool.
Lexus is a luxury car, and it’s sold that way, via price and advertising. Sticker-price-wise, it doesn’t look that expensive, but after adding options and taxes and fees, you’re driving out the door with a car that costs you over $50,000. There isn’t a Lexus model available that sells for $35,000 or less, which is the sweet spot for most people looking to purchase new; in fact, what I saw looking at local dealers, were prices that ranged between $39,000 and over $50,000, and that’s before options and taxes and fees. Not overly expensive, but out of range for most regular folks.