Topic: Test Drive: 2017 Lexus RX 350

[PJungnitsch]

Lexus or not, the RX drops in value pretty hard in the first few years (unlike the NX, interestingly). Would a lightly used RX from the previous gen be a good buy? About the same price as a new CRV/Forester.

[johngenx]

Pretty much everything in the market that's $60K+ drops hard.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

There's nothing at all wrong with the any of the RXs as far as quality or reliability. It's just that they're now uglier than a mud fence.

[84im]

I imagine the RX350 is very nice to drive.  Just don't look back at it when you walk away and when you walk up to it keep your head down. 

[Fobroader]

I imagine the RX350 is very nice to drive.  Just don't look back at it when you walk away and when you walk up to it keep your head down. 

Easy solution for that

[Sir Osis of Liver]

 

[PJungnitsch]

Heh, I'd prefer the edgier styling of the new gen myself, but the 2013-15 seems to be the sweet spot in terms of pricing.

Imagine fuel is a bit heavier than a CRV as this is based on a Highlander platform, and 3/4 visibility about the same. Only the Forester now seems to really have the open greenhouse.

[dirtyjeffer]

Only the Forester now seems to really have the open greenhouse.

yea, that's a shame...i really like the boxier shapes myself...i suppose some of the large ones are decent too (Tahoe, etc).

[99 Silver]

I can chime in on this car because we bought a 2017 in December.

My wife really pushed to get more input into this purchase than in the past.  I was the one who picked the cars previously and she convinced me that it was her turn as I got my way with the Boxster.

She drives it a lot more than I do except for our annual drives to Florida with an 80 pound dog in the back.  Ours is one level below the F sport.

Here is my take on the car:

Pros:
Build quality
Comfortable quiet ride
Very good display for GPS
Excellent voice recognition system
Great sound system
Decent interior and cargo space

Cons:
Mediocre handling (but what do you expect)
That wacky mouse thing
Poor fuel economy
The 8 speed transmission sucks.  I have to drive it in sport mode to tolerate it.  It will up shift too fast and will bog down.

All in all it is excellent for our long distance drives.  I expected better fuel economy with a direct injection engine and 8 speeds.  I guess the laws of physics still prevail as it is heavy and you are pushing a lot of air at higher speeds.

My neighbour is a VP at Toyota and will take me on a private tour.

[rrocket]

The 8 speed transmission sucks.  I have to drive it in sport mode to tolerate it.  It will up shift too fast and will bog down.

It's not the transmission, it's the tuning.  All Lexus feel laggy and shift REALLY early into the next gear.

An Apexi Throttle controller fixes this, and your jaw will drop at the difference.  I have yet to hear any Lexus owner give it anything other than "10 out of 10" if you ask them how they like it.  The best part?  10 minute install...and looks factory.

[Ex-airbalancer]

What is BSM ?

[Serniter]

Blind spot monitoring.

[PlanB]

 The best part?  10 minute install...and looks factory.

On a domestic economy car sure....on a premium import luxury brand......meh

[rrocket]

 The best part?  10 minute install...and looks factory.

On a domestic economy car sure....on a premium import luxury brand......meh

You wouldn't be able to tell unless you were looking. Fits in the OEM button cut out.

Took me a minute to find one in a car that had it (I had to look at every button location to see where it was, since it didn't jump out at you).

[99 Silver]

The 8 speed transmission sucks.  I have to drive it in sport mode to tolerate it.  It will up shift too fast and will bog down.

It's not the transmission, it's the tuning.  All Lexus feel laggy and shift REALLY early into the next gear.

An Apexi Throttle controller fixes this, and your jaw will drop at the difference.  I have yet to hear any Lexus owner give it anything other than "10 out of 10" if you ask them how they like it.  The best part?  10 minute install...and looks factory.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it is easier to just turn the dial to select sport when I drive.  Problem solved.

[rrocket]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it is easier to just turn the dial to select sport when I drive.  Problem solved.

It improves that drastically too.