RX F-Sport Owners: Are you pleased with your choice?
03-04-13, 08:04 AM
#1
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
RX F-Sport Owners: Are you pleased with your choice?
I have enjoyed my reliable 1999 RX 300 for over 188k miles, but it is time for a new one. All three RX models seem to be good choices for their unique features and prices. I had the opportunity recently to test drive an F-Sport model and was generally very pleased (except for the limited interior and exterior color choices).
I thought I would inquire of the F-Sport owners if you are still pleased with your choice to go with the F-Sport now that you have owned it for a while. Does the F-Sport package really make that much difference? The reason I ask is that according to Edmunds: “We don't recommend the RX 350 F Sport, as it suffers from an overly firm and poorly damped ride, with no appreciable increase in driving feedback or involvement. Worse still, its handling and braking numbers at our track were actually worse than the regular RX 350.” http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/rx-350/2013/
I find such a report disturbing. Any regrets that you didn’t select the RX350 or the 450? I am performance oriented and am leaning to the performance oriented RX F-Sport model, but need your opinions. For the price is it worth it?
I thought I would inquire of the F-Sport owners if you are still pleased with your choice to go with the F-Sport now that you have owned it for a while. Does the F-Sport package really make that much difference? The reason I ask is that according to Edmunds: “We don't recommend the RX 350 F Sport, as it suffers from an overly firm and poorly damped ride, with no appreciable increase in driving feedback or involvement. Worse still, its handling and braking numbers at our track were actually worse than the regular RX 350.” http://www.edmunds.com/lexus/rx-350/2013/
I find such a report disturbing. Any regrets that you didn’t select the RX350 or the 450? I am performance oriented and am leaning to the performance oriented RX F-Sport model, but need your opinions. For the price is it worth it?
03-04-13, 09:25 AM
#2
I went through this same decision process you did, about 6 months ago.... I settled on the RX F Sports Appearance package, FWD, vs. the F Sport, which is what I set out to buy. Until the F came out in the RX, I considered the RX look a bit too lame for my taste...the F makes it stylish and aggressive enough for my taste.... here is why I opted for the Appearance package over the F Sport...
The exteriors are identical...specially after you add the F Sport badges. There is ONE exception however,...the F Sport has a Honeycomb top and bottom grill.....the F Appearance package has horiz. top grill and Honeycomb bottom grill.... I actually prefer the mixed grill over the dual honeycomb, very stylish. Specially in Pearl White Color. Compare pix for yourself. Most people prefer the mixed grill. The dual Honeycomb grille gets washed out....
F Sport only comes with black interior. I hate black interiors, I live in warm climates, interior gets too hot. In addition, the F black interior is by no means "impressive" such as you say in a Range Rover Sport. It's simply black with some mediocre white stitching. I am not knocking it, considering its mild price. No option on interior color, which IMO is a mistake. Benz AMG now offers interior color options, albeit just a few. I am more impressed with my Parchment interior.
The F Sport comes with a new 8 speed trannie... I hate buying anything the first year its put on a new car.... I test drove a few, and did NOT like it. slow off the line, and it seems the computer and the trannie have not fully meshed yet, maybe this is what the reviewers noticed as well. bottom line, for a small rig like this, which is NOT a performance vehicle, 6 speed trannie is sufficient, and more importantly, PROVEN! Reliability was a huge issue with me, I hate visiting service centers. Its rare a first year option comes with no associated problems. As reliable as the RX is, if you read these threads, Lexus has taken years shaking out some of the shortcomings, which the 13 base RX takes advantage of. The engine / trannie has been fine tuned through the years, and is very well engineered. Sure, you can get more mpg from a similar sized Ford, but it wont drive like an RX....and it wont be as quiet....very impressive considering the mid tier price.... credit this to the RX's high volume, 40k units a year in N.A., which allows for continual re-engineering. IMO, the RX hit the sweet spot between fuel economy, size and ride quality. No harsh shfifting, 4 cylinder SCREAMERS for me, despite the extra few mpg's.
The F Sport model does NOT allow the Radar Cruise option, due to the top HoneyComb grille, as the radar sensor is behind the top grille. I really wanted this option Sure glad I followed my instincts. IMO, this option Is the crown jewel of all the RX options, assuming you make long drives on highways. I have commented on this in other posts.
The F Sport is 4WD, I prefer 2WD, less to go wrong, less weight, but I don't drive in bad weather often, so I might be rare in that regard. The 2WD is very peppy off the line, quite impressive, unlike the F Sport which hesitated, delayed, had different gearing, downshifting was rough.... was not impressed. And, F Sport has the exact same 0-60 times and nearly identical fuel economy.
The F Sports suspension I liked more than the base RX. This was a strong feature for me, as the base RX has tremendous body roll at 25mph+. The F Sport transferred most bumps right through to the passenger, unlike the base RX. Can't have both. F Sport ride was noticeably sportier though, and I wanted that tighter feel....so I gambled, and bought the RX with all the features I wanted, and added the F Sport front Dampener onto my suspension system, dealer charged $900, Luckily, this addition removed about 70% of the body roll, and I still get a relatively plush ride.... a perfect compromise for my taste. The F Sport also has beefed up struts n shocks on both front and rear.... which I did NOT replace...this provided the extra stiffness, but also made the ride MUCH rougher. An RX and a rough ride is bad mix IMO, it's Crossover rig. I was rolling the dice on this jury rigged combination, but it paid off....there is a thread regarding this, u may want to review the details of it, assuming you like a "sporty feel" to your ride and feel the F is too rough.
The F Sport would not allow a rear hitch option.... I do tow occasionally, I did not want to a hitchless rig. The reason is, the F sport has a rear dampener, which is in the same physical space as the hitch mount would reside, so it prevents a rear hitch option. The RX can pull up to 3500 lbs, impressive... considering it's small stature. Without 4WD, as it turned out, I did not need the rear dampener, as I predicted, the body roll was occurring mostly in the front where the bulk of the weight is...... I commented on this in the other thread.
Hopefully some of my experiences helps with your decision....good luck...
The exteriors are identical...specially after you add the F Sport badges. There is ONE exception however,...the F Sport has a Honeycomb top and bottom grill.....the F Appearance package has horiz. top grill and Honeycomb bottom grill.... I actually prefer the mixed grill over the dual honeycomb, very stylish. Specially in Pearl White Color. Compare pix for yourself. Most people prefer the mixed grill. The dual Honeycomb grille gets washed out....
F Sport only comes with black interior. I hate black interiors, I live in warm climates, interior gets too hot. In addition, the F black interior is by no means "impressive" such as you say in a Range Rover Sport. It's simply black with some mediocre white stitching. I am not knocking it, considering its mild price. No option on interior color, which IMO is a mistake. Benz AMG now offers interior color options, albeit just a few. I am more impressed with my Parchment interior.
The F Sport comes with a new 8 speed trannie... I hate buying anything the first year its put on a new car.... I test drove a few, and did NOT like it. slow off the line, and it seems the computer and the trannie have not fully meshed yet, maybe this is what the reviewers noticed as well. bottom line, for a small rig like this, which is NOT a performance vehicle, 6 speed trannie is sufficient, and more importantly, PROVEN! Reliability was a huge issue with me, I hate visiting service centers. Its rare a first year option comes with no associated problems. As reliable as the RX is, if you read these threads, Lexus has taken years shaking out some of the shortcomings, which the 13 base RX takes advantage of. The engine / trannie has been fine tuned through the years, and is very well engineered. Sure, you can get more mpg from a similar sized Ford, but it wont drive like an RX....and it wont be as quiet....very impressive considering the mid tier price.... credit this to the RX's high volume, 40k units a year in N.A., which allows for continual re-engineering. IMO, the RX hit the sweet spot between fuel economy, size and ride quality. No harsh shfifting, 4 cylinder SCREAMERS for me, despite the extra few mpg's.
The F Sport model does NOT allow the Radar Cruise option, due to the top HoneyComb grille, as the radar sensor is behind the top grille. I really wanted this option Sure glad I followed my instincts. IMO, this option Is the crown jewel of all the RX options, assuming you make long drives on highways. I have commented on this in other posts.
The F Sport is 4WD, I prefer 2WD, less to go wrong, less weight, but I don't drive in bad weather often, so I might be rare in that regard. The 2WD is very peppy off the line, quite impressive, unlike the F Sport which hesitated, delayed, had different gearing, downshifting was rough.... was not impressed. And, F Sport has the exact same 0-60 times and nearly identical fuel economy.
The F Sports suspension I liked more than the base RX. This was a strong feature for me, as the base RX has tremendous body roll at 25mph+. The F Sport transferred most bumps right through to the passenger, unlike the base RX. Can't have both. F Sport ride was noticeably sportier though, and I wanted that tighter feel....so I gambled, and bought the RX with all the features I wanted, and added the F Sport front Dampener onto my suspension system, dealer charged $900, Luckily, this addition removed about 70% of the body roll, and I still get a relatively plush ride.... a perfect compromise for my taste. The F Sport also has beefed up struts n shocks on both front and rear.... which I did NOT replace...this provided the extra stiffness, but also made the ride MUCH rougher. An RX and a rough ride is bad mix IMO, it's Crossover rig. I was rolling the dice on this jury rigged combination, but it paid off....there is a thread regarding this, u may want to review the details of it, assuming you like a "sporty feel" to your ride and feel the F is too rough.
The F Sport would not allow a rear hitch option.... I do tow occasionally, I did not want to a hitchless rig. The reason is, the F sport has a rear dampener, which is in the same physical space as the hitch mount would reside, so it prevents a rear hitch option. The RX can pull up to 3500 lbs, impressive... considering it's small stature. Without 4WD, as it turned out, I did not need the rear dampener, as I predicted, the body roll was occurring mostly in the front where the bulk of the weight is...... I commented on this in the other thread.
Hopefully some of my experiences helps with your decision....good luck...
03-04-13, 10:13 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Hell yes! Own an RX 450h F Sport so best of both worlds i guess.
Firstly, the F Sport package definitely makes the car look much better than normal. its very aggressive and the wheels are lovely too!
F Sport is only available with black interior with white perforations. Looks great in my opinion and i actually prefer it to my old beige interior. The white perforations and stitching certainly set it apart as well as the sport pedals and steering wheel. It honestly does feel sporty. I also bought a set of black carpets with white leather binding which certainly looks great.
Now I have the 450h so no 8 speed transmission. I love the CVT though, certainly pulls very strongly. I can feel the nose go all the way up and sport mode is very good
I found the initial ride bumpy, coming from a gen 2 RX which was super smoooooth. However, now i just love the suspension. Gives a very confident turn in and the nose no longer dives during heavy breaking. The ride is pretty good even with this suspension. Ive never though "ooh that was harsh". Also, barely any body roll during turns and the handling is IMHO right up there with the best. Not as good as the X5 or Cayenne but its very good non the less.
Firstly, the F Sport package definitely makes the car look much better than normal. its very aggressive and the wheels are lovely too!
F Sport is only available with black interior with white perforations. Looks great in my opinion and i actually prefer it to my old beige interior. The white perforations and stitching certainly set it apart as well as the sport pedals and steering wheel. It honestly does feel sporty. I also bought a set of black carpets with white leather binding which certainly looks great.
Now I have the 450h so no 8 speed transmission. I love the CVT though, certainly pulls very strongly. I can feel the nose go all the way up and sport mode is very good
I found the initial ride bumpy, coming from a gen 2 RX which was super smoooooth. However, now i just love the suspension. Gives a very confident turn in and the nose no longer dives during heavy breaking. The ride is pretty good even with this suspension. Ive never though "ooh that was harsh". Also, barely any body roll during turns and the handling is IMHO right up there with the best. Not as good as the X5 or Cayenne but its very good non the less.
03-04-13, 11:51 AM
#4
Ray, agreed on tight ride...interesting comparison to X5 and Cayne. Those must be REALLY tight. I was curious how the Hyb. F Sport performed... it has very low center of gravity, so I suspected excellent cornering.
I have not seen any Hyb. F Sports as of yet.... my guess is, a fully loaded Hyb. F Sport can be close to $70k...considering a fully loaded RX is mid 50's MSRP?
I have not seen any Hyb. F Sports as of yet.... my guess is, a fully loaded Hyb. F Sport can be close to $70k...considering a fully loaded RX is mid 50's MSRP?
03-04-13, 02:57 PM
#5
Driver School Candidate
New F Sport
Picked up a new F Sport for my wife last week and I really like it.
It is the RX 350 F Sport so it has the tuned suspension and graphite 19" wheels with decent tires.
The tuned suspension is great compared to the standard RX and to the 2008 Hybrid Highlander that we traded for it.
The ride quality is very responsive and it is perfect in a turn, especially for a 4000+ lb SUV.
The 8 speed transmission is smooth and should help with fuel economy and acceleration quality.
I really enjoy it ......gm
It is the RX 350 F Sport so it has the tuned suspension and graphite 19" wheels with decent tires.
The tuned suspension is great compared to the standard RX and to the 2008 Hybrid Highlander that we traded for it.
The ride quality is very responsive and it is perfect in a turn, especially for a 4000+ lb SUV.
The 8 speed transmission is smooth and should help with fuel economy and acceleration quality.
I really enjoy it ......gm
03-04-13, 07:10 PM
#6
The pursuit of F
Yes, no regrets! Vehicle is tight with no rattles. Fuel economy is pretty good averaging 20 mpg 80% city winter driving. It also turns heads. Yes, the biggest controversy is the suspension and I say those writers are expecting to drive an ISF or LFA. It's still an SUV! Coming from a gen 2 RX and currently owning a nimble CT, the RX is FUN to drive the handling and near-flat cornering are a pleasant surprise and match the F-Sport's aggressive look. The suspension is firm, but not harsh and majority or everyday bumps are nicely absorbed with little impact into the cabin.
My top two minor gripes with the vehicle are:
1. Slight lag at launch, then lurches with a relatively high first gear shift point. You can control this with a feather's touch of the pedal but takes some practice.
2. All black interior, although sporty looking, does not look as rich as the parchment or saddle tan colors.
And by the way, see the following for a couple articles that give a more positive review on the F-Sport: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...x-f-sport.html
Good luck!
the handling and near-flat cornering are a pleasant surprise and match the F-Sport's aggressive look. The suspension is firm, but not harsh and majority or everyday bumps are nicely absorbed with little impact into the cabin. My top two minor gripes with the vehicle are:
1. Slight lag at launch, then lurches with a relatively high first gear shift point. You can control this with a feather's touch of the pedal but takes some practice.
2. All black interior, although sporty looking, does not look as rich as the parchment or saddle tan colors.
And by the way, see the following for a couple articles that give a more positive review on the F-Sport: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...x-f-sport.html
Good luck!
03-05-13, 04:29 AM
#7
Driver School Candidate
I dont mind the firm ride but then I am an Aussie so our cars are typically tuned for a stiffer ride. The F Sport is my wifes car and this is our 3rd RX and she hasnt complained yet about the stiffer ride on this car over her previous 2009 350. Dont see any issues with the 8 speed box and I find the performance of the car acceptable (although I would like more grunt). I also have no issue with the black interior although it is a little harder to keep clean.
I just read upthread that the F Sport wont allow for a tow hitch - is that really true? I made an enquiry at our dealer and they seemed to think no problem (although the Lexus sales guy told me to buy the hitch from a specialist hitch company in Denver which was 50% cheaper than the dealer).
I just read upthread that the F Sport wont allow for a tow hitch - is that really true? I made an enquiry at our dealer and they seemed to think no problem (although the Lexus sales guy told me to buy the hitch from a specialist hitch company in Denver which was 50% cheaper than the dealer).
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03-05-13, 09:00 AM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
Ray, agreed on tight ride...interesting comparison to X5 and Cayne. Those must be REALLY tight. I was curious how the Hyb. F Sport performed... it has very low center of gravity, so I suspected excellent cornering.
I have not seen any Hyb. F Sports as of yet.... my guess is, a fully loaded Hyb. F Sport can be close to $70k...considering a fully loaded RX is mid 50's MSRP?
I have not seen any Hyb. F Sports as of yet.... my guess is, a fully loaded Hyb. F Sport can be close to $70k...considering a fully loaded RX is mid 50's MSRP?
My car without discounts or anything was priced at Ł53,650 as I also ordered the ML Audio and Starfire pearl paint. Works at around $81k. The price included VAT at 17.5% and also number plates and registration.
03-05-13, 09:28 AM
#9
No, I don't play soccer!
The F-Sport ride is firmer than the standard RX but hardly worth dismissing due to a few negative reviews. The positives I found during my test drive were the tight steering and confident feel on the road. It's more controlled. I had a black on black F-Sport that was absolutely gorgeous, just a little dark on the inside. The only strange thing was accelerating from a stop. I'm not used to shifting coming from the RXh. Now if they only offered a 450h F-Sport in the US 
03-05-13, 10:23 AM
#10
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The F Sport would not allow a rear hitch option.... I do tow occasionally, I did not want to a hitchless rig. The reason is, the F sport has a rear dampener, which is in the same physical space as the hitch mount would reside, so it prevents a rear hitch option. The RX can pull up to 3500 lbs, impressive... considering it's small stature. Without 4WD, as it turned out, I did not need the rear dampener, as I predicted, the body roll was occurring mostly in the front where the bulk of the weight is...... I commented on this in the other thread.
03-05-13, 11:19 AM
#11
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03-05-13, 11:23 AM
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03-05-13, 11:28 AM
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03-05-13, 05:03 PM
#14
Driver School Candidate
I spoke with our Lexus dealer today about this and a very helpful parts guy went and did a lot of research using the factory portal and apparently there is a hitch conversion for the F Sport but it does require removal of the suspension dampener in order to fit the hitch. Our dealership are yet to fit an F sport with a hitch so it makes me a little nervous to have a bunch of guys standing around the rear end of our car, scratching their butt cracks and all peering under the car with flashlights and a concerned look on their faces...
03-05-13, 05:59 PM
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I can't find a good reason to buy and F Sport. Its mostly a cosmetic option except for the suspension. The RX is a CUV/SUV not a sports car. The ride is not as good as a standard RX and the price for a marginally better handling is not worth it IMO. When I want a car that handles well, I drive my corvette. The biggest problem is that there is no engine or power upgrade as with the IS-F. Most other manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW have upgrades to make it worth the money. From what I read, F Sports are not selling all that well.