Their build quality is unsurpassed.
For example their grand pianos are always flawless.
Lots of concert pianists demand a Yamaha grand piano because they know the quality is always consistent.
I doubt if they care about any cool factor 
Just like BMW, yes, thinking man's motorbike.
I still have that Billy Sheehan 10th Anniversary Signature I bought from John Fertig/Barkless Dog, he found the neck too thick (sissy!). It's a great instrument and a real weapon. Have actually played it quite a bit lately. Dialed correctly, it sounds like you're playing a Fender and a Gibson bass at the same time.
In popular music, their acoustic pianos are certainly a benchmark (Sir Elton swears by them and he doesn't need the money from an endorsement). I've heard from classical pianists that their sound can be a bit harsh, but it is exactly that edge you need to get yourself heard if you play acoustic piano with electric instruments. I bought my first wife a Yamaha piano 30 years ago - no issues with the quality, very tuning-stable too, but that 'attack' in its sound never went away, unlike other pianos it never mellowed. Or maybe we have to wait another 70 years for that.
I checked, people who know their stuff seem to think so too.
https://socalpianos.com/why-pianos-sound-different-from-one-another/#:~:text=A%20specific%20brand%20makes%20each,sound%20characteristics%20of%20their%20pianos.
Finally, this thread wouldn't be complete without this piece of linguistic dadaism ...
