ggebhardt

Need a 2nd vehicle and love the looks F-Sport. Other than the price, are there any mechanical negatives to this vehicle. I tried the hybrid and was not very impressed. It seemed somewhat sluggish in comparison to a friends RX350.
It will be joining my 2013 LX.

Thanks

kitlz

Greg, take a look at this thread. It hasn't been out too long but I haven't heard of any mechanical issues. The 3RX has been pretty solid overall. And as far as the hybrid, it might've been in eco mode. I'd hardly call it sluggish at 295 HP. You might want to drive it again.

Browninggo

I just traded in a 09' 350 for a 14' F Sport. Love it. 8 speed tranny is a nice feature and the inside cabin is nice. It's the wife's main drive. Suspension is stiffer than the 09' which is expected but boy it hugs the curves. And we both liked the front better than the non F 350s.

ggebhardt

Was not in eco mode. I found that ECO mode caused a lack of power that almost seemed unsafe. The 450h is drove had the power but it just seemed like I have to really get my foot in the gas pedal to get it to go. I think part was the CV transmission, too!

Yep the front end is nice looking to say the least! Do not mind a little stiffer ride as it would improve the handling.

Thanks for your comments.

kitlz

Fair enough. The 450h does take a little getting used to. It's not for everyone.

One thing about the F-Sport, I've noticed they come with Dunlop tires. They were noisy on the one I test drove. Very distracting. I used to have them on the 450h but didn't experience that problem, just poor tire wear. If you wind up getting an F-Sport, I'd ask the dealer about swapping to Michelins. They're much better.

ggebhardt

Thanks. Just got back from a test drive and have reserved a black on black 2014 RX F-Sport. Not sure if I can get the dealer to switch out the Dunlops but if not I would put the Michelins on it if they are not what came from the factory.

Happy New Year everyone.

kitlz

Dayum, that's a super sweet combo. It's the exact color I test drove. Congrats!

corradoMR2

Congrats! You made the commitment. Anita made a good point about the tires and Browniggo is echoing my sentiments. I was going to add that my only minor gripe with the F-Sport after 1 year+ of ownership is still today, the initial takeoff has a slight hesitation then lunges forward, similar in sensation to turbo lag or the takeoff of the '07 RXh I owned. Gas pedal is also soft with barely any resistance, which contributes to this. Though after a while you adjust how much you initially depress the pedal for a smooth takeoff. Paddle shifting in Manual-mode is engaging and taking the curves is very rewarding with barely any body roll. Almost as fun as my IS - yep the RX F-Sport is that good

ggebhardt

Yep, picked it up today as my salesman pushed it ahead of the original schedule. Handling is AWESOME. Came with the MIchelins! Love the darker wheels.

viperdoc

Congrats on the new car. I have had my F sport for about 6 months. I agree with the post above that the only gripe I had was the slight lag in accelerator feel. I fixed that with a throttle controller....works wonders, and even helps on the highway with better gas mileage.

corradoMR2

Can you shed some info on the throttle controller? Brand, install, cost, etc? Sounds interesting. Appreciate it.

ggebhardt

Yep, I would like to know about this too!

vlad_a

Although Toyota's power split device may qualify as a CVT, it really isn't. There are no belts or chains to move, and 2 electric motors are permanently connected to the engine via a planetary gearset.
Not responsive, it is not. I just had a 2014 IS250 AWD as a loner, which has a traditional automatic. All I could say, wow, in comparison, the 450h has an immediate response. In fact, after talking to a friend who reminded me about German cars having a lag in acceleration, I paid closer attention to what the 450h does. Again, I'm very impressed. It is immediate. As soon as I press on the gas pedal, the engine RPMs jump as it goes. Also, the regular auto felt rubber-band-like. I am so spoiled by the linear acceleration the hybrid provides.

So, it is strange the 450h felt slow. It is about as quick as my IS300.
Maybe it is a matter of getting used to it.

ggebhardt

The CVT was not my cup of tea!

I do like the 8 speed on my RX F-Sport

vlad_a

I think I know what may have tainted your experience with PSD.
If the RX450h you drove sat on the lot for a long time, its traction battery charge may have been below its normal operating range. In this case, the car will feel sluggish, won't go into the EV mode and you will feel the engine working hard, even when stopped.