I don't think that that is necessarily the greatest analogy as the amount of tech in cars has changed so much. You can add a preamp to a bass but you equally can go your whole life playing passive basses and never really miss out.
The difference I look for between great instruments and 'meh' instruments is similar to acoustic instruments, in how the thing resonates, sounds, and feels. Generally if I go and buy something from someone really top end, I dunno, Fodera, Overwater, Sadowsky NYC etc I expect it to sound 'right' passive/unplugged and to have a fairly even response across the board.
As I go down the price points I expect the chances of getting something that does that well to go down. (Unless it's a Yamaha, in which case it will probably be a lot better than other instruments at the price point.)
Fender CS prices, I expect it to bye pretty good as an instrument, regaurdlesss if they are recreating a '50's instrument, a C18th violin or a modern instrument.