LOWFAST

I will hold true judgement until I try them out. On the surface it screams gimmick, in the same way as minivans with 30 cup holders. You can't fit 30 people in a freaking minivan so why do you need 30 cup holders! But the sales pitch works, my sister-in-law bought her Honda based on the number of cup holders and the in car vacuum. She is the antithesis of a car enthusiast.

mmarshall

Probably because Junior wants something else to drink every couple of miles LOL.

LOWFAST

Yep, and the reason their cars look like hell after a couple of years, but hey, it has an in-car vacuum that they never use. My kids know there is no eating or drinking in the cars, and they understand why after one look at our family members cars.

SW17LS

Do you have kids? LOL.

You can use 30 cupholders. Remember you have to carry multiple things, bottles, sippy cups, juice boxes, water bottles, etc. Cupholders make great places to put pacifiers where they are easily accessible, etc. When older kids are in the vehicle, they use cupholders that are immediately available, they won't stretch for a cupholder.

Its not about having 30 different beverages in the cupholders at one time, its about convenience of having plenty of cupholders and cubbies anywhere you might need one.

Oh, and our next van will absolutely have a vacuum. Your sister is using the criteria when selecting a minivan that fits her needs and what makes sense for that sort of vehicle. Our minivan criteria:

1. Adaptable seating
2. Number of cupholders
3. Vacuum

Note nowhere in there is anything to do with drive characteristics, performance or styling. If I cared about those things I wouldn't buy a minivan. Minivans are for transporting people, children and stuff with ease, thats why they have 30 cupholders and a vacuum over adaptable suspensions

mmarshall

Yes, the built-in-vacuum was one of the best minivan ideas since the no-remove 2nd and 3rd-row Stow-and-Go seats that just folded up and tucked right under the floor, but, as I understand it, space-consideration for the driveshaft and rear differential nixed that idea for AWD.

Another excellent idea was the Chrysler-designed, built-in child seats for the 2nd-row that met DOT/NHTSA requirements (at least at the time). You didn't have to fool with aftermarket seats....just take Junior, sit him or her right down on the seat, strap in, and Presto, you were ready to go. I don't know why Chrysler discontinued those seats (and why other automakers did not adopt them)....unless the government simply withdrew its safety-approval.

LOWFAST

Yep, two boys, 4 and 9. And both my wife and I are true car enthusiasts who are willing to sacrifice some comfort and or utility for driving fun whether that be on road, off road or track. Our boys do not come second but both, at at early age, understood and now embrace a love for all things cars. They are respectful of others property (very careful never to dig someone else door, keep their bikes away from parked cars, etc) as well as their own property. I can never understand people who let their children run rough shot and act like little monsters destroying everything. We have taken long road trips in both of our current cars, no complaints no issues, the kids have fun and so do we.

That being said, I do think the minivan is the ultimate for what it is built for, but it is definitely just not built for me.

But, back to the Continental. We will need a bigger car for my wife as based on genetics both of our boys will be 6'+ and not small teenagers. The ISF, as fun as it is, is not comfortable for people over 5' in the back seat for more than short rides.

mmarshall

Sounds like your kids have had good parenting....a rapidly disappearing thing nowadays. That's a feather in your cap...and your wife's.

I hope they have changed the IS-F's suspension over the years. I did a full-review on the original 2008 version, and the suspension was so rock-hard (comparable to that of a Mitsubishi Evo) that, at higher speeds, the rear wheels would actually leave the ground for a split-second over frost-heaves and sometimes skitter sideways a few inches. Even veteran reviewers in auto-enthusiast mags complained about it. I understand that, the next year, Lexus modified it slightly, but I didn't personally sample a revised version.


Have you driven a new Continental and checked one out for yourself? I did a full-review, and thought the body and interior were stunning. The doors and real metal/chrome door-grips feel like bank vaults. It's got a couple of what I would consider to be flaws, though. The N/A V6 has more engine noise, under acceleration, at low speeds, than one would expect in this class. The electric push-button interior door-releases, IMO, are an unnecessary gimmick...and the emergency manual back-ups are hard to reach. And the trunk floor is wide enough, but a little on the short side from floor to roof for carrying bulky items....especially for a car that size.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Cool idea never knew this. Like you mentioned, it was likely safety concerns that they ended it, but very innovative nonetheless.

LOWFAST

In 2010, which we own, the ISF got a little better ride quality, and then in either 11 or 12 it was updated again. It is firm but not terrible. Once we reach the end of the life of the stock shocks I plan to upgrade for better ride with equal or even improved handling. I would call it sporty, but not punishing, and I have owned some truly punishing cars in the past so i may be a bit more tollerant than you average driver.

As for the kids, thank you, both my wife's and my parents taught us to be respectful in all ways when we were kids, and we are doing our best (despite what society has degraded into) to teach the same.

I have not sampled the Continental yet, nor the newest Genesis line, I have wanted to go give both a thorough run through but work has had me just beat up for the past 6 months. Was thinking of taking my father along as he is very picky on ride quality so he would be a better gauge of luxury ride than I would. Funny, as good as I think the new LS will be, for some reason it just does not appeal to me, the same way I have never lusted over the S-Class or 7 Series. I don't always make sense in what I like and don't like, and I will fully admit that for a very logical person, my car selections seem to be very illogical.

SW17LS

I'm obviously a car enthusiast but my wife is not. If I had to drive the minivan every day I'm sure my outlook would be different, but IMHO the minivan is the single best automotive purchase I have ever made. The impact its had on our life (we have twins that just turned 2 FWIW) has been incredible. I can honestly say that much of the travel we've done has been made possible by the minivan and its ability to swallow the 4 of us and all of the insane amounts of stuff they need/my wife thinks they need. While the enthusiast in me may not love the minivan, the dad in me does. No way in the world it would be as easy for us to travel in a crossover or other sort of vehicle. No way it would be as easy for my wife to get out during the day alone with the kids in one either.

A day will come when we can go back to a more enthusiast friendly vehicle, but that day is a ways away. I would say perhaps when they are 6 or so. Lease is up on the Sedona in April 2018, one more 3 year minivan lease after that.

I would look at a CT6 before I looked at a Continental if you want it to be a little more dynamic/fun to drive. Continental doesn't excel there at all IMHO.

1BlinkGone

Being a huge fan of the 1971 MKIII from decades gone by (and not a fan of FWD platforms), I bagged on the new Continental concept car pretty hard when it came out FWD platform and all that, truth be told. Fast fwd to a few months ago, was sitting in the Ford/Lincoln showroom, & saw the rear quarter panel of something that caught my eye but was obscured by a partition. So I got up to see it....it was the Lincoln Continental reserve...w/the 3.0tt. Walked around it, a bit amused, but more shocked than anything. Looked like a typical Ford mis-mash under the hood with slightly more refinement, but the car overall was stunning. Opening the the door and sat in it...OH. MY. Grinned and shook my head, looking around. Just fabulous. Excellent rear seat room, too. EXCELLENT.

I got out of the car and went back and sat down in the waiting area...and got up again for another look. A closer look. Impressive. Much better in person looking in real life than in pics. Could do without the internal electric door buttons, but had no problem reaching the safety override latches.

I wasn't prepared for this impression. IMO it also features a somewhat better execution of the interior than the CT6 Platinum, overall. So anyway, I left the dealership...and that car bugged me, in a good way. For weeks. FWIW, I haven't had many impactful auto impressions like that over the years. Now fast-fwd to a two weeks ago I took a drive and went to another Ford/Lincoln dealership & drove a 3.7 FWD Select that the salesman could get out just to experience the new Continental. Paint was Velvet Burgundy w/Cappucino interior. They had no 3.0tt on the lot at that time. The pushbutton trans selector on the dash was fine. Features a non-fingerprint texture, and I sure like it better than the Jaguar/RR center console dial. It's actually pretty quick and easy to get used to...at least its not like the mechanical chrome dash buttons like on the 60's Chryslers. heehee

Anyway, the most non-pressure experience I ever had at a dealership. Overall, the car stunned me. Whisper quiet (aside from when you kicked into passing gear), it felt solid, quality build, and doggone it, no FWD TORQUE STEER when you punch it. The car tracked straight as an arrow. VERY NICE. Furthermore, the N/A 3.7 actually had much more pep than I expected. Handling was rock solid. Very nice ride...modern but modern luxury. I was very, very impressed. A week later, I drove a 3.0tt AWD Reserve (Blk Diamond Metallic w/blk interior) at the dealership where I first saw the new Continental. Very impressive...and quite quick.

I'll gladly and humbly eat crow pie over the new Continental. BTW, I was told the next iteration in about 2020/21 will be RWD based.

But ya know what? I could care less about the FWD-based platform...and am still shocked over that. In comparison to the CT6 Platinum I drove last year...well, FWD/transverse engine platform vs RWD/longitudinal platform aside...now this is difficult to quantify because it's been awhile since the CT6 drive (and i love the 3.0tt Cadillac engine- very special, IMO); but doggone it, the Continental shocked me in a few ways the Cadillac did not. It wowed in a very subtle but powerful way. I wasn't not looking for that, nor expecting it. Another thing, the B pillar in the Continental isn't blocking my line of sight like the CT6 does in the driver's seat. The Conti also has some niceties like soft-close doors, etc, and HUD coming in build 2 of the 2017 models.

I really like the CT6 and granted it's a new platform with many firsts, but the @$14,000+ delta between the Loaded Reserve AWD 3.0tt and the loaded CT6 Platinum 3.0tt AWD (and a few mechanical growing pains Cadillac is still experiencing) has me looking very carefully. They truly are two different cars. Not direct competitors. You gotta drive the 3.0TT AWD variant if you haven't. And I'm told by Ford performance peeps that both the engine and the trans get even better after about 1k miles on them. As in all things, your mileage may vary.

mmarshall

With wear, those electro-mechanical 60s-era Chrysler push-buttons could also pop off of their little channel-tracks and have to be re-inserted (I had to do that myself a few times on the 60-vintage Plymouth I first learned to drive on as a teenager ). That is not likely to happen with the new Lincoln-style buttons. They are also larger and easier to push than the old Chrysler buttons.

LOWFAST

Great review 1Blink. And respect that you were willing to admit that you liked it more than you had anticipated. How do you feel the two handle on the road when compared between the Continental and CT6, maybe in more spirited driving? (if there is such a thing when piloting a luxury barge.)

LexBob2

I agree 1Blink. Nice write up. I thought you were going end your post by saying you bought/leased one.

mmarshall

Nice write-up, 1Blink. I agree that it gives the CT6 a run for the money, especially inside. And, for most typical American driving conditions and speeds, I don't agree, as some are saying, that the CT6's RWD set-up is inherently superior. On the German Autobahn, though, it might be a different case.