New Lexus RX, surprisingly impressive

Leonard Hofstadter

Was taken for a drive in one of these recently, what a car is all I can say.

I was expecting to hate it because I think SUV's are vulgar brash things and I dislike Toyotas quite a lot. Plus the car has got a very lukewarm reception in the press because of the interior and the styling, and I'm told it's not the best drive.

Sure it doesn't have the all important expensive German badge but if you ignore that it is a really impressive car.

The interior construction is beyond reproach.

It doesn't look the best but trust me it uses quality materials. Makes you wonder how sister company Toyota manages to make such a "liathroidi" of it when it comes to making a decently made interior.

Yes it is a bit dull on the outside but I like that, who wants to be seen in a big and brash SUV now?

Maybe it doesn't drive well and drives like a Toyota(i.e. very uninvolvingly) but you shouldn't be buying an SUV if you're after that kind of thing.

The hybrid system would appear to be seamless, unless you were really trying to notice you couldn't possibly tell the difference between when it's on electric or using petrol. It is a bit weird not hearing an engine at idle though.

It rides as well as any big car(note I said car and not SUV) is quiet, so it's all standard Lexus fare. I think the mouse type thing for the satnav etc is class but I always liked gadgets:D!

The killer blow to the opposition is the tax.

156 euro a year for a 3.3 petrol SUV:eek::eek:! Imagine if they put the same thing into a GS, they'd surely get it into the 104 tax band.

I've gone in a Range Rover and that really wouldn't rate beside the Lexus, the only thing a Rangie has over this car is that it's a Range Rover. And it is 55,000, something of a bargain for a car that size and with all that gadgetry including the hybrid stuff.

If this car had a German badge the media would be fawning over it.

Atlantic Dawn

The $65,000 question is how does it compare to the Range Rover offroad

Leonard Hofstadter

It's probably useless offroad(they don't even have 4WD) but if you want something good at offroading buy a Defender;).

Matt Simis

What are you talking about re the German SUVs? The reviews I read of the Q7 and Touareg weren't gushing over then.

Aside from cheap tax what exactly would you be selling the Lexus on?

Edit:
Wait a sec, no 4wd or AWD? Lol.. Right..

RedorDead

The one that sells in Ireland is FWD though. Bit pointless in a big SUV.

Leonard Hofstadter

While I agree that SUVs themselves are rather pointless, let's face it there is no real point in having 4WD in them when as even the car makers themselves admit the owners never take them off road. Why have all that extra weight and CO2 for no real purpose?

VolvoMan

An absolutey hideous car is all I can say.

Fishtits

VolvoMan wrote: »

An absolutey hideous car is all I can say.

+1

Lexus. Comfort, quietness and ease of use refined to a T.

Soulless, uninspiring, bland...

Edit, not so sure on the comfort thing, my buddy has a LS whatever and its passenger seat feels like a stool, nice leather etc but hard & f*ck all side support.

unkel

VolvoMan wrote: »

An absolutey hideous car is all I can say.

+1


That's the most pointless one of the most pointless lot to boot. Thank heavens that the silly D4 tractor fad has gone, although I did spot an 10KExxx RR or RR sport recently.

Eric Cartman

captainspeed wrote: »

It's probably useless offroad(they don't even have 4WD) but if you want something good at offroading buy a Defender;).

very true, my ma is looking at one and test drove it, the back looks horrible and it drives like a fwd car (partially because it is) , the seats are too low in it and the standard model doesnt even have satnav in dash , lovely seats and nice build quality though, acceleration is grand for a heavy crossover with a 3.3 litre engine, fuel economy looks good on paper but effectivley its a full spec quashqai with a lexus badge and nicer seats

EPM

Ugly as sin, no particularly economical and 2 wheel drive? Why exactly would anyone bother?

:rolleyes:

Zubeneschamali

captainspeed wrote: »

Maybe it doesn't drive well and drives like a Toyota(i.e. very uninvolvingly) but you shouldn't be buying an SUV if you're after that kind of thing.

So when you say "what a car!", you actually mean "Not a car, but OK for an SUV that's badly styled inside and out and that drives even worse than the German opposition".

Fair enough.