lexus_ls

I just bought a preowned 2010 RX350 fwd and I noticed that the ride isn't as smooth as the AWD. The AWD seems to absorb the bumps on the road a lot better and feels more stable. The only conclusion I came up with is because of the extra weight of the AWD system. My FWD RX isn't quite as smooth and the ride is harsh when going over rough roads. Has anyone else experience this? My RX is currently at the dealer for some warranty work and they loaned me a 2011 Rx350 AWD.

RXSF

hmm, the first thing I would check is the tire pressure and also what brands of tires are on each vehicle. Your FWD might have the bridgestones which do not have very good reviews. The AWD may have the dunlops or the michelins which are rated much better with a smoother ride

lexus_ls

I am currently running michelins and they have about 18,000 miles on them. I'm swapping out the tires for the Yokohama parada X and hopefully that will smoothen out my ride otherwise I'm not sure what I am going to do. I checked tirerack and those had top reviews. Whats strange is the loaner I have has the bridgestones and i think the ride is much better.

RXSF

LOL that is very interesting. I dont think the extra 200 pounds or so would make a difference.

flystone

could it be the difference between 18" and 19" tires??

sightdev

i think most/all with AWD had Bridgestone or Michelin. You should check air pressure to make sure its not over inflated. Bridgestone on my AWD with 25k still looks decent and still quiet with even wear. I read the horrid user review on tirerack and expecting to replace the tires with some quiet/smooth KUMHO tires from tirerack but its still going strong. From my experience, Dunlops always were noisy/rough tires but all of them were performance tires so i would expect more noise/harsh ride compare to touring tires.

brwilli

I have the Dunlops on my 2011 RX450h as OEM

kitlz

Same here, Dunlops too. I like them.

I felt a difference between 18" and 19" tires at least on the AWD. The bumps seemed harsher on the 18" FWIW. I wouldn't rule out the tires themselves though. I was looking at the Yokohamas too. If you do switch over to them, please let us know how they ride in comparison.

X, where did you hear about the Michelins being rough and noisy? Most people here like theirs.

RXSF

I thought michelins were famous for their quiet and smoother ride. Im pretty happy with my dunlops on my AWD RX

lexus_ls

My tire pressure is at 32 from 34 and it wasn't much of a huge difference. I'll let you all know how the new Yokohama's feel. I can't see how 300lbs of the AWD system can make huge difference in the ride.

CO_GS350

iTrader: (1)

I have the Michelins and they are very quiet and smooth.

tigerbait

News flash! The RX350 is not a smooth riding vehicle. For some reason Lexus
thought that salom speed was more important than a smooth quiet luxury
ride. They screwed up by not offering a softer suspension for those buyers
who are not interested in slightly better handling for the harsh ride. It is better tho if you put 300 pounds(sand in my case) in the rear. Of course the better ride only lasted from the home depot to my home. If you're looking for a luxury ride, it's not the RX.

pismoj

I noticed the harsh ride coming from a MB GLK where you can switch from comfort to a sport mode. Lexus should have this capability. The best of both worlds. I was a little shocked at the firm ride, but getting used to it. My 2011 RX 350 AWD came with Dunlops.

RXSF

^^ any difference you noticed from comfort to sport mode in the GLK was in your head. the C and S button next to the gear shifter does not affect the suspension but only the transmission programming

RXSF

the GLK does not have any type of changeable settings to the suspension. They say it has "agility suspension" which automatically tightens up the suspension during hard cornering, but a lot of people have concluded that this is just marketing because all cars with modern day suspension does that