LoveOM

Right now I am debating the RX450h and the ES300h....

I work from home so it will by 95% city driving with the occasional summer or winter weekend getaway thrown in. Day to day the car will just be for myself and my petite kindergartner but she occasionally wants a friend to have a playdate, etc.

The dealer asking price for the ES300h fully loaded is $46,461 which is in my price range but the ES feels quite long which seems like a pain for city parking. Does anyone have thoughts on how the ES300h drives? What is the turning radius like? For the cost of a fully loaded ES300h it seems like I would also be able to easily consider a CPO RX450h or a base model 2013 since it seems impossible to find a used 2013 RX.

What do you feel are the pros / cons of the RX450h vs. ES300h?
Pros / Cons large sedan vs. crossover in general?
Would it be worth it to get a CPO hybrid RX even though the body style has changed? (I plan to drive the car for at least 7 years)
How is the turning radius on the RX?
What should I be realistically looking at cost wise for a 2013 RX450h if I purchase it new? (Leather seats and blue tooth are a must have....)

Thanks in advance!

vlad_a

FYI - there is no such thing as base model for RX450h. Not a single one comes off the boat at that trim, unless it was custom-ordered (3 months+ wait, $5K deposit).

I got my 450h out of state for $52,750. That was with the least amount of options I could find.
That includes heated/ventilated seats, moonroof, NAV, bluetooth, HID headlights, but no towing prep package and no LED lights.

Personally, I prefer to buy as small a vehicle as one feels comfortable with. The larger they get, the more mass there is to carry around, which negatively affects handling and fuel economy. If I was able to get away with driving a sedan, I would.

ecr72

The ES is a midsize sedan and quite frankly, sounds perfect for your needs. Comparing the ES and RX, the length and width are within a few inches of each other. The turning radius is almost the same as well with the ES edging out the RX by a few inches.

Before getting hung up on new/used/cpo/options, you may want to determine what else would push you one way or another. Do you need the space an RX provides? Do you like to be at a higher sitting position? Is AWD a consideration? Do you like the way one looks more than the other? Financially speaking, the ES will win since it's a bit less expensive to buy and gets better mileage. Maintenance could be a bit cheaper too.

UCSB

I think you would be much happier with the ES. It is easier to drive and easier for people, especially children, to get in and out of. We have owned the RX while owning an ES in the past. My Dad owns the ES now. You mentioned parking the ES. Just keep in mind that the RX has pretty limited visibility and would be difficult to park in tight situations. You pay a high premium for the RX hybrid; I don't believe that is the case with the ES hybrid. If you work from home and your miles driven are lower, breaking even on a RX 450h over a RX 350 may never happen ... given the premium in price. I'm not putting the 450h down, I own one; just being realistic.

The RX 450h is ordered by dealers in standard configurations. In my area, when I do a Google search for the car, the inventory at all local dealers comes up. You will see that most of the cars are clustered around a few price points because they are all equipped virtually the same. All have many options. Even with a good deal, they are going to $49K + before taxes and fees. Here is a local sample of cars in N CA:

https://www.google.com/cars/?s=1&kw=...knid=564319820

Take each car out for a few test drives. Good luck.

cossie1600

I had a brand new ES350 while my RX was in the shop. The car looks like and feels great, but it is not worth the $45K. For one, the car is a lot smaller inside than the RX. It might be slightly quieter, but the difference is marginal at best. The ride is virtually the same between the two. Other than that, you get your usual bells and whistles from Lexus. If the car was $30K, I would be all over it. $45K, you got to be kidding me.

LoveOM

I agree with this. Generally I would not be considering vehicles in two different segments however they are both lexus hybrids and are both similar in length / width.

Honestly I do not "need" the additional space the RX provides but it would be nice to have the trunk to put my bike and my daughter's bike in when we want to ride ~ and I know myself well enough to know that I will not go thru the hassle of putting a bike rack on and off often, we just would not ride bikes as often. (We live in the city where we have to drive to a place I feel safe for my daughter to practice riding.) Other than that the sedan size works. I would do FWD for either car because I live in Los Angeles.

I think both cars are nice looking. I love the 40 MPG and the regular gas with the ES300h and it is very eye catching. With the RX I love the higher sitting position and even though it cost more than the ES somehow with the design it seems less flashy and more like understated elegance. Do others feel the RX is more understated than the new ES?

Cruiter

They're both great cars of course. I love my RX 450h and admit I was in the showroom for the launch of the 300h but I'm not trading down at the moment. You tho are the one that has to decide the best value for yourself. RE: biking, there is not a rack that will fit the back of the RX but I'd bet one could adapt to the trunk of the ES. You'd just have to check.

Good luck in our decision and welcome to Club Lexus .

ecr72

$30K? That's very unrealistic. A well equipped Camry will run you over that. Heck, I paid over $30K for a loaded Altima Hybrid in 2008. My father paid around $33K or 35K for his ES300 back in 1997. While the current ES may be priced on the hgh side, it's certainly not a $30K car. Everybody would be all over it at that price and it would seriously throw off the sales of almost all other Lexus models.


Posted from ClubLexus.com App for Android

LoveOM

Thanks for the welcome. I measured and would actually be able to fit my daughter's bike in the trunk of the RX and I would be able to fit mine with one seat down in the back or if I took the front tire off my bike. So both bikes would go right in the trunk of the RX no rack needed.

LoveOM

Thanks for sharing! That is a pretty nice deal for your RX and it has everything I would need and any a couple items I could take or leave (i.e. the NAV). I plan to purchase outright so the deposit is not a big deal however I am not sure I want to wait three months.

The RX and the ES are very similar in length / width. The ES feels "longer" to me in the way the car is set up (large back seat/small trunk), the RX is heavier/ sits higher but has more useful trunk area since the batteries are not in the trunk...... so even though they are different vehicle segments some odd way they seem to balance out size wise to me.

If you don't mind me asking how does the size of the RX negatively affect handling compared to the ES? I test drove both and the both felt like a "lexus" in the small area I test drove in...

LoveOM

I took both out for test drives and they drove smooth and felt like exactly what one would expect from a Lexus. In that short trip and both felt a little "big" parking wise in different ways and only affirmed I could not do a Toyota hybrid that I had to go with Lexus.

Was the ES a 2013? I currently have a 1996 ES which has been AMAZING to me, it feels smaller than the 2013 ES300h..... which I liked. The turning radius is horrible in my current ES and I could not really tell from my test drive if that is improved significantly. My current ES turns as quickly and smooth as my dad's Yukon

Yes there is quite a premium for the RX Hybrid and it is more than the ES Hybrid. For me getting a hybrid (either one) is not about breaking even over the conventional version of the same car, it is about voting with my money by supporting the hybrid technology so car companies, oil companies and our government know this is something to continue to invest in.

I did not think about it being easier for my daughter to get in and out of the ES. I was thinking she would possibly like the view better in the RX but she would have to climb up into it.... where she can just pop into the ES.

Life could be worse - I am thankful Lexus has hybrid options to be torn between!

LoveOM

I felt the inside of the cabin of the ES was quite roomy (the hybrid trunk not so much). That said, I agree most of the ES300h packages around here are $46K which is pretty close to the cost of the RX.... that was pretty surprising to me. That made me wonder which was the better long term since I plan to drive this car for the next 7-10 years. Which would resell better in 7 years it is hard to know....

ecr72

The RX should retain more in terms of resale value but you total cost of ownership will probably be higher over those 7-10 years due to the lower mpg (higher gas cost).

Handling is not a strong suit of the RX. Whle it has the "Lexus" feel it still drives like a mid-size SUV.


Posted from ClubLexus.com App for Android

kitlz

The RXh has greater versatility and more horsepower but limited vision and lower MPG. I've only driven the gas version of the ES. It's very comfortable and fun to drive. I imagine the ESh is similar with even better mileage. And keep in mind with the ESh, you're getting a brand new vehicle. You'd have to shell out at least another $5-6K for a '13 RXh.

Cruiter

One factor to keep in mind, while all Lexus models do very well in resale and dependability, the RX series is very popular due to it's unique qualities and size and outsells all the other models combined year after year. It's quite a record.

The RX has become the Marque of Lexus.