Jewels15

Rx350 not so smooth ride I found this on the forum (sorry didn't copy from who) and it sounds interesting.


"I too agreed that 13 RX350 ride is not as good as I want. I keep tire pressure to 32 psi on all four corners.

One time I placed a 80+ lbs portable AC in the trunk and drove to Home Depot to return it, the RX did ride smoother.

However, after 2 yrs of ownership, I kind of get used to the ride characteristics.

One thing is that tires play important role for this RX suspension setup. Check out the Bridgestone Ecopia tires. There are couple reviews on tirerack.com stating that their 3rd gen RX ride quality has been significantly improved. When my set of Dunlops are due for replacement, I will definitely give Ecopia a try."

wilchan

Hello Jewels, ya that was my posting.

In fact, I replaced all four 19" Dunlops with Ecopia last Thur at American Tires to take advantage of the $70 off bridgestone tire special. The initial impression is very positive. Ride and nose comfort have improved for sure. My wife feels the difference immediately as well and she also feels the lighter steering feel too.

My 13 RX has 26K miles now and Dunlops still had some tread left. 2 at 7/32", 1 at 6/32" and 1 at 5/32". American bought 3 back for $45, I said why not.

I will give more detail report once I accumulate more mileage on them.

tqh

I have an idea that may sound crazy but I hope somebody with suspension knowledge could help point out if this is infeasible or not: Can I replace the RX 350 front struts with the NX200t's?
- Without power to the NX200t AVS adaptive suspension, the struts will always be quite soft, right?
- Will the NX200t struts fit?
- The NX200t is a bit lighter, so probably fine?
Thanks!

Clutchless

I doubt they would fit as the NX200 is based on the RAV4, a smaller lighter car and they are probably the wrong length and would not bolt up to our lower assembly or the upper. Also our springs may not fit. They are designed for a lighter cars so may be over compressed by the RX. Plus you have no idea how those struts would perform without the adaptive part operating. The only 3 known strut/shock providers are OEM, KYB (who makes OEM, but aftermarket is usually 10% stiffer) and Monroe, whose new OE Spectrum shocks/struts may make it ride better due to their unique valve structure. However, I do not know if anyone has tried them here. I think the best way to slightly soften the ride is have 18 inch wheels with Bridgestone Ecopia tires at 30 pounds pressure.

raylor

reading all of the similarly disappointing experiences in the ride quality over anything but the smoothest surfaces makes me feel a little bit better about my disappointment in my 2012 rx350. my biggest problem has been an incredible amount of rattles (rear seat row, front passenger seat, front and passenger window ticking, etc.) over anything less than pristine surfaces, but the general bumpiness of the ride is also disappointing. i should have test driven more extensively as i tested it primarily on the highway (where it rides very nicely). overall a pretty big disappointment as my ford explorers had much smoother rides.

tqh

I wonder if any of us who *both* think the 3rd gen suspension is hard *and* have tried the 4th gen RX think of it? Is the new suspension harder or softer? With & without AVS?

Johnknee

I had the chance to get a 4RX as a loaner for a week and found that going over bumps or anything of that sort is a lot smoother than my 3RX.

hovbuild

I too have a rx16 loaner in my driveway. I ran it through my "test" roads to see the difference while my 12 was being worked on. My first impressions is that it seems a bit more nimble and or light in response. The ride on my 12 is more boat like but nice anyway but smoother. IMO It is quicker than the 12 but the road noise is about the same. The interior has gone tech and personally I like the 12's. I don't like the flat screen as much as I do when it is more integrated into the dash. Nice backup camera with guide lines is a big improvement. Also I do like all the safety features on the car but find the dash a bit distracting with so many controls but this would disappear in a short time. The exterior is nice but to use plastic as trim around the bottom and wheel wells is cheap looking especially in years when they fade. Exhaust tips are a bit much but seem to go with the futuristic style of the new body design. The front end would be tough getting used too. All in all if it is as reliable as the 3 generations before it will do well. I am not impressed enough to buy one yet because my 12 only has 32000 on it.

billh556

I traded in my 2015 RX for the 2016. I drove FSport and luxury package models during test drives. Chose the luxury package for the seats. There is no doubt at all that the 16 rides more smoothly than the 15. Much less busy with the new suspension setup, and I think helped by the nearly 2 inch longer wheelbase. My 15 had 19" wheels, the 16 luxury package comes with 20" wheels. This gave me pause at first, but the ride is smooth and quiet even with the 20s.

TBoy

2012 initially was a rough ride (I did report this to sales person with no response) and found out during a maintenance service that the suspension was leaking and needed to be replaced. This was reported to the Department of Transportation insure that a log is kept in case this became a
safety issue. Ride was as your described "boat like" compared to our good old RX300 2002...which I ended up re-purchasing one in good shape...the ride (not too soft) and overall comfort level (feeling the spatial distance) is something I like. When we decide to make a change we'll be looking at another maker...I don't like what I've been experiencing with local Lexus sales representation and the path of the expectations and specifications of their product line. We've been Lexus customers since 2002 and Toyota even longer...

somecar

My wife and I cannot tolerate the very rough ride (especailly over minor road bumps) that we get with our 2014 RX 350. Our 2009 Lexus RX350 did not have this problem. Have talked to the dealer with no results so will trade it in for some other make. Does anyone have a suggestion about another brand 2015 or 2016 SUV that gives a smooth ride? No more Lexus for us!!!

JT4

Sorry to hear you're so unhappy with your RX, hopefully you will be much happier with your next vehicle.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Have you tried the new 2016 RX350? The ride is supposed to be nicer. Unfortunately, the 3rd gen RX was built during the 'sporty' era. Everyone wanted to make their vehicles handle like a Formula F1 car so you end up with rough riding cars.

My RX is not too bad for me, but I was surprised at the ride quality for a 'luxury' vehicle. I may end up disconnecting one of the sway bar endlink to see how it rides without the extra stiffness. I don't drive the RX aggressively so I'm willing to sacrifice some turn-in stiffness for a smoother ride.

jfelbab

My 2014 RX350 rides pretty nice, smoother than my older RX330. What tires do you have and what inflation? Tires can make a big difference in ride quality. Check the Tirerack.com site for ride quality rating and customer comments.

lex_rx

I would also recommend changing to the 18" 235/60R18 and inflate those to 30 PSI.