Mason

I just got an 01 RX 300 and there is no way this thing has 220 hp as advertised. I'm averaging about 21mpg with about 60% highway driving. Great vehicle overall, smooth ride, but it feels more like around 160hp. I have a 02 Ford Explorer with 206 HP that is much, much more powerful. This RX is more comparable to my old '00 Honda CRV which had about 150hp.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

perhaps the engine wasn't in it's optimal powerband?

Lots of cars drives differently despite their power ratings.

zombie

iTrader: (1)

i never believe the hp ratings car companies give. the rx is probably like 100hp to the wheels.

aren't 02 explorers 4.0L 6 cylinder, so of course its gonna feel more powerful.

ppcpilot

I think it's because it's geared differently, perhaps.

cary1

There is much more to how a car accelerates than horsepower. Horsepower in a vacuum tells you nothing about how fast a car will be. Other important factors include:

1) Weight of the vehicle. A 4000 pound SUV will be much slower with the same engine than a 2500 pound compact.

2) Torque- How much Torque does your engine put out. Diesel engines like the Dodge Cummins Powerstroke only put out about 250 hp, but put out 600+ft/lbs of torque. You RX has about 220 ft/lbs of torque, if that..

3) Gearing. Tall gearing will hurt acceleration.

If I had to guess, your 1992 Exploder weighs about the same as your RX 300, but has much more torque and shorter gearing.

Lexmex

Mason,

Welcome to ClubLexus

The hp is never what it should be, but I tend to think in the RX300 it ain't even close compared to other vehicles.

My bigger beef is with the so-called 1/4 miles times of 16.6 (FWD) and 16.8 (AWD). I don't know who, what, where, when or how (Why is easy to answer) about these particular times, but last time I picked up a Consumer Reports article about the RX330 (not the RX300) they reported a time of 17.0, well off the low 16s reported by Lexus.

Keep in mind, are European brother/sisters get 201 hp advertised.

Jeep Libertys can beat me (if driven right) and they have 3.7 L, which is much more effective at high altitude than the 3.0 of our RX300s.

AM1

iTrader: (6)

i used to have an rx300 and i always felt the car was severly underpowered.

Lexmex

My original reason for the modifications on my RX was precisely due to the fact that it had a hard time getting up hills and wasted a ton of gas up here. Until you and your RX have experienced the beauty that is high elevation Mexico City, it is completely different world.

TunedRX300

Exactly, this topic is already dicussed in this thread. Before 3K rpm, the max hp delivered to wheel is a mere 94 HP. Dyno does not lie.

http://sr1.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205664

I found a very detailed dyno chart for 2002 RX300 AWD, 4 speed automatic transmission with 95 RON fuel. This is stock with no modification.

http://www.rri.se/popup/performanceg...1&Flap=Details
According to the dyno graph, max HP band is from 4800 to 5500 rpm. 4000-5000 rpm are RX's sweet range for maximum torque. Powertrain loss is about 20%. Wow, I need to find time to install forged rims, lightweight crank pulley, and forged lug nuts to improve effective hp delivered to those wheels.
If one leaves shift **** at "D" and let the auto transmission shifts from around 3000 rpm, the RX will deliver a mere 94 horse power to the wheels.

Dyno chart in pdf:
http://www.rri.se/popup/performanceg...Flap=Downloads

zombie

iTrader: (1)

dang...thats kinda embarrassing.
well i use to drive a 96 4runner sr5 (intake mod, borla cat-back, and optima yellow top battery) and i know my rx is faster than it.

HarrierAWD

The previous owner may have babied the RX. You need to reset the ECU and then floor that thing. The RX300's adaptive tranny is tuned for fuel economy, so it does feel weak sometimes, especially in mid-range rolling restart.

anulex

I had a 01 CRV SE that i Traded for my 01 RX300. I never babied any of my cars when driving and there is no way a Stock CRV can out accelarate a Stock RX300. However, 94hp @ the wheels is pathetic. Thats over a 50% loss from engine to wheels. However, truth be told. At the current gas prices, IN MY SUV (not my Sports Car) i would give up some acceleration for a 20-30% increase in mpg

Lil4X

Uh guys, the RX 300 was designed and developed as an SUV, not a sports car. It weighs (depending on options) a pretty porky 4000 pounds, and short of grafting in an LS-1 and a 9-inch rear end, it's not going to be winning a whole lot of stoplight grands prix.

FYI, it won't fly or float either, making it a pretty sorry airplane and boat. I know, I've tried both.

tcheung87

You're only stating the extreme, no one realistically expects it to run with sports cars or handle like an Elise. We're just referring to facts.

miniround

well i don't know what you guys are talking about...

the only person I couldn't beat off the line at a light was this crotch rocket. but that was unfair.

yes indeed, the car may be underpowered, but there are many ways to make it feel as if it's not. for instance...turn the power button on. now this just mean hit the pedal to the floor everytime you want to pass someone. next time you do want to pass with the power button on, just tap the gas a little bit and it shoudl downshift...then just take off.

and if you liike the feeling of a manual, turn power on and overdrive off...enjoy.

unless you're pulling trailers behind you, you really shouldn't feel that the rx is underpowered...you should kind of just not expect much from a Lexus couch that weighs 2tons and is driven mostly by people that don't want to move quickly.