Woodrow

My wife and I took the IS for a day drive, yesterday. Make no mistake ..... I REALLY like my IS, but our 450h is in no danger of losing the "Best Road Trip Car Ever" title, as far as I'm concerned!

On the road, the RX gets better mileage, is easier to drive, it's quieter, and more comfortable. The only thing it lacks is some of the "fun" factor due to the acceleration (which I routinely enjoy a LOT). As a daily driver the RX has some catching up to do, but for road trips with my lovely wife ... no contest!

I just thought I would share my appreciation for this terrific car!

hypervish

Yep! The RX is certainly the "Best Road Trip Car Ever", even going back to it's debut here in the US in 1998.

I've driven 15 hours straight with no fatigue afterwards! Such a solid road tripper!

Cruiter

Woody, well written. For a long trip with ample space for bags, good handling, great economy, lots of visibility, creature comfort and a host of techi features along with high confidence of being dependable there's just no competition. That's why it continues to top the charts in sales for type.

go3Ds

Our AWD hybrids do have bragging rights over the FWD hybrids though.
0-60mph= 7.4 seconds versus 7.8.

Yes, whether FWD or AWD, the Rx hybrids are a joy to drive on road trips. Especially for its size. Myself, wife and Yorkie dog couldn't ask for a better retirement travel SUV. Our Yorkie is a good test for comfort, as before our RX hybrids she used to get car sick on long trips.

Cruiter

That's what my new C7 Stingray Vette is for. Under 3.8 0-60mph

cflutist

Totally agree. We just got back from a 2300-mile road trip to Yellowstone National Park and it was such a pleasure to ride in our RX 450h AWD. The only minor annoyance was that the Nav system kept trying to send us on Hwy 26 to the Southern Entrance when we wanted to go the the Western Entrance via Hwy 20. Finally had to get the Destination Assist guy to download those coordinates instead.
In my younger days I had a Turbo Supra. We don't need jack rabbit starts anymore. We try to engage EV mode when possible (when people are not behind us).

Woodrow

Yellowstone is my favorite place in the US. Only the Yosemite Valley and the Black Hills come close. OK, I haven't seen much of anything west of the Mississippi, but I can't imagine anyplace more spectacular. Plus, you have the Tetons just to the south! My parents grew up in Idaho, and spent a lot of time in Yellowstone/Teton area, so it has always been a family favorite.

I can't think of a better road trip for the RX this summer, than a trip to Yellowstone. Let the planning begin!

Thank you for the great inspiration!

vlad_a

Woody, I may share some of these revelations. However, recently I have taken a few short (2 hour one way) trips. The choice I had was between my IS300 and RX450h. When circumstances allowed, I chose the IS300 over the RX. With the speed limit set at 70, the MPG difference is almost negligible. As much as I like the comfort of the RX, I still prefer the sportiness of the IS. IS is still very tolerable to drive on long trips, even though I have replaced original springs with stiffer progressive ones. Koni Yellows are really helping in the comfort area.

Now, I was lucky enough to get stuck with an '11 IS350 AWD this past winter for 2 days as a loner. Don't take it personally, but what a horrible ride that was. I couldn't wait to get the RX back from service. The suspension was so poorly tuned, it reminded me of a Civic SI. The dampers were dialed so stiff, every little bump was felt through the body. My 1IS drives very differently. So does '14 IS350. I love the 3IS, even with its hump in the floor for AWD models. If it came with manual, I would buy one in a heartbeat.