Comments on: LA Auto Show: New Lexus RX350 RX450h “Wildly Inoffensive”

By: Davekaybsc

Davekaybsc — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:50:09 +0000

Ugh, that interior is awful, and the plastics on the lower dash and console look Kia quality. What the heck was wrong with the touch screen anyway? Too easy to use? Too many people liked it?

By: MTeator

MTeator — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:57:11 +0000

my office mate’s Acura ownership experience isn’t even close (but not big 3 bad).

It’s is here. The Acura dealership here in Lexington shares the same lot & showroom with Pontiac!

By: blautens

blautens — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:49:15 +0000

Brian E :

I really can’t imagine why anyone would buy this over a MDX or even a CX-9 unless they had to have the Lexus badge.

Overall ownership experience. Our local Lexus dealers (and even one we hit on the road once) all treated us like we owned the place. I know personally Mazda doesn’t do that, and my office mate’s Acura ownership experience isn’t even close (but not big 3 bad).

That being said, I’m breathing a sigh of relief that nothing here looks compelling enough to make the wife trade hers in for this one.

BlueBrat :

I agree – I’m 6′5″, and the distance from seat bottom to ceiling in versions with sunroofs (good luck finding one without) is pathetic. There’s actually MORE head room in the mid-sized sedans from the same companies. Ironic. Ditto for what I like to call the “knee box” – too narrow. Why do all these vehicles have wasteful, wide, center consoles?

By: rob

rob — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:32:22 +0000

With the RX’s new found fugliness, why would one spend the extra 10g over the moderately fugly Toyota Venza?

By: KixStart

KixStart — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:31:00 +0000

“Electric drive?” As in no conventional drivetrain?

By: lewissalem

lewissalem — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:33:01 +0000

That interior dashboard looks like a Camry…. on acid.

By: Robert Farago

Robert Farago — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:27:49 +0000

MTeator :

My bad. I should have caught that. Text amended. You guys can go back to breathing normally now. Sorry.

By: MTeator

MTeator — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:21:44 +0000

375hp is a typo, it’s 275.

By: Penaloza

Penaloza — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:13:12 +0000

I was impressed by the hp/liter figure as well. The new Z needs 3.7 liters to make 337 hp. Sadly, I think this is just a typo. The 09 RX350 has a 3.5 liter V6 that makes 270hp. I don’t think it has actually jumped ~100hp for a refresh.

By: psarhjinian

psarhjinian — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:54:32 +0000

Three hundred and seventy-five horses from an unblown commodity six. Jeezus, is that accurate?

That begs three questions:
* Weren’t there rumours of this engine being stuffed in the Corolla? Try, for a second, to imagine what that car with a 375hp and a ~2900 curb weight would be like. (yes, I know, it’ll never happen)
* Why doesn’t the IS350 have this engine yesterday?
* Visualize this engine in the Camry or Sienna. Wouldn’t that just be madness incarnate?

By: BlueBrat

BlueBrat — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:46:27 +0000

For starters, there’s more room in the Lexus than in the Honda/Acura versions, and more head-room in the Pilot’s cabin because of the boxy design. As it stands, my hair presses against the roof as I’m 6′2″. Both of these CUV’s are claustrophobic for me, mostly in width, and I’m 170lbs, so I’m not huge.

The Nissan Morano/FX35 on the other hand, is perfect, as is the Hyndai SanteFe (which my mother owns).

Getting back to these RX350’s CUV’s, I like them. They are boring, but they’re very nice to drive & ride in, esp. over the MDX. It just has a nicer fit & finish, and the seats are very, very comfortable.

By: Robert Farago

Robert Farago — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:42:45 +0000

Brian E :

Porsche blog coming… Thanks for your patience, gentle reader.

By: Brian E

Brian E — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:27:59 +0000

That interior looks absolutely awful. Does it feel as putrid as it looks? I really can’t imagine why anyone would buy this over a MDX or even a CX-9 unless they had to have the Lexus badge.

By the way, can dear leader spare a moment from bailout bloggging to comment on the newly PDK’ed Cayman and Boxter?