New RX350 '13 owner - I'm lukewarm on it
08-04-12, 07:00 PM
#1
New RX350 '13 owner - I'm lukewarm on it
So, full disclosure. Loved our RX300 '03 for the last 10 years. Wife wanted to buy new I said let's just overhaul the 300. She had the money to buy so her decision, despite my protests. It's a 2013 AWD w/ Premium Package (white or pearl or whatever it's called).
Anyway, a week into owning and have the following observations.
Overall it's nice.
$40K+ will do that. It's an acceptable thing to own. But I won't look back on it in 20 years w/ any nostalgia.
Exterior suggests Lexus has lost its way.
The rounded edges on this bulbous mass looks to me like while everybody else is trying to emulate Lexus, Lexus is doing its darndest to look live everybody else. What happened to the jetfighter look? Front grill suggests it's a Lincoln from the 80s. Don't get the silvery roof rails at all. Why not make them match the body or the traditional black. The silver roof rails look really ridiculous on, say a black car. Who wants to highlight roof rails?
User interface nav is asinine.
I think they really have not figured out how to optimize the joystick / jogweel interface on the menu control. So manu things that should be doable easily are not.
Visibility is bad.
I can't tell where I am on the road. Yeah I'll get used to it, but the visibility compared to my RX300 is terrible.
Rides like a cadillac (in a bad way).
It's like a floating cushion but I feel like the tactile feedback from the road is sorely missing.
Interior color scheme - huh?
So we got the darker brown leather but much of the interior is still a charcoal / black while the ceiling is a parchment. Seems like a dumb color scheme. Our RX300 had a consistent color scheme between the ceiling, the vinyl and the leather elements.
That's it for now. Moreso than not it feels like an American car for which I paid a Japanese luxury premium. But maybe I'll learn to like it.
Anyway, a week into owning and have the following observations.
Overall it's nice.
$40K+ will do that. It's an acceptable thing to own. But I won't look back on it in 20 years w/ any nostalgia.
Exterior suggests Lexus has lost its way.
The rounded edges on this bulbous mass looks to me like while everybody else is trying to emulate Lexus, Lexus is doing its darndest to look live everybody else. What happened to the jetfighter look? Front grill suggests it's a Lincoln from the 80s. Don't get the silvery roof rails at all. Why not make them match the body or the traditional black. The silver roof rails look really ridiculous on, say a black car. Who wants to highlight roof rails?
User interface nav is asinine.
I think they really have not figured out how to optimize the joystick / jogweel interface on the menu control. So manu things that should be doable easily are not.
Visibility is bad.
I can't tell where I am on the road. Yeah I'll get used to it, but the visibility compared to my RX300 is terrible.
Rides like a cadillac (in a bad way).
It's like a floating cushion but I feel like the tactile feedback from the road is sorely missing.
Interior color scheme - huh?
So we got the darker brown leather but much of the interior is still a charcoal / black while the ceiling is a parchment. Seems like a dumb color scheme. Our RX300 had a consistent color scheme between the ceiling, the vinyl and the leather elements.
That's it for now. Moreso than not it feels like an American car for which I paid a Japanese luxury premium. But maybe I'll learn to like it.
08-05-12, 04:47 AM
#3
08-05-12, 05:20 AM
#4
Moderator
Sorry you're not liking your wife's new ride, but hopefully she's happy with her purchase. 
I do agree visibility isn't quite as good as perhaps my old RX300 but certainly my RX400h -- the raised back seats and it seems slightly larger headrests in the 2010-3 really chomp away at the rear view.
I do agree visibility isn't quite as good as perhaps my old RX300 but certainly my RX400h -- the raised back seats and it seems slightly larger headrests in the 2010-3 really chomp away at the rear view.
08-05-12, 06:48 AM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
08-05-12, 10:43 AM
#7
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Sorry you feel this way but a lot of the changes that you dislike in the new Lexus is all part of the changing tides in the whole automotive history.
Silver roof rails are "in" and everybody is doing it. I have a black RX and I love the silver rails. See Audi Q5below.
The nav system is all part of the automotive change on that touch screens are distracting, so every premium luxury brand has some sort of way to use the nav screen through a controller.
Silver roof rails are "in" and everybody is doing it. I have a black RX and I love the silver rails. See Audi Q5below.
The nav system is all part of the automotive change on that touch screens are distracting, so every premium luxury brand has some sort of way to use the nav screen through a controller.
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08-05-12, 06:44 PM
#8
Engine or whole vehicle? 
I know you meant engine. Yeah the gas pedal is one place where I notice the tactile feedback -- I step on it and something actually happens even if I don't floor it to force a downshift.
Anyway, as some advised about happy wife and life, no worries... my wife knows that better than any of us!! I'm not going to fall on my sword over a mere $50 large.
I know you meant engine. Yeah the gas pedal is one place where I notice the tactile feedback -- I step on it and something actually happens even if I don't floor it to force a downshift.
Anyway, as some advised about happy wife and life, no worries... my wife knows that better than any of us!! I'm not going to fall on my sword over a mere $50 large.
08-05-12, 07:34 PM
#9
a Freudian reference? I get displacement and transference mixed up...
Either way, I like the roof rails, they balance the look of the lower chrome strip and give me hand holds while waxing the roof. And I love the remote touch controller. Haven't formed an opinion of the 2013 exterior.
Either way, I like the roof rails, they balance the look of the lower chrome strip and give me hand holds while waxing the roof. And I love the remote touch controller. Haven't formed an opinion of the 2013 exterior.
Last edited by DunWkg; 08-05-12 at 07:38 PM.
08-07-12, 06:09 PM
#15
Isn't this forum a perfect example of "In the eyes of the beholder"? Black rails, silver rails, Too hard a ride, rides like a Cadillac (bad thing), made in Japan, made in Canada. But for me the most impressive feature about the RX forum is with all the diverse opinions, no one seems to get defensive. That's pretty rare, so we should give ourselves a high 5.
Sorry, didn't mean to get off-subject.
Sorry, didn't mean to get off-subject.