mmarshall

Well, in most cases, it's hard to go wrong with an RX. Congratulations on your purchase.

Give it a nice easy break-in for a few hundred miles (break-ins aren't as longer as critical as they used to be), treat it right, and it should give you years of good service....plus a lot of refinement.

If I was spending that kind of money on an SUV, the RX would probably also be my first or second choice, too, although the new Lincoln MKC is very nice in some ways. The MKC though, is brand-new, untested, and a reliability risk.

SW17LS

This explains a lot to me. If it was a rental car it was likely a low package car, a Laredo or low optioned Limited. Thats a significantly cheaper car than an RX, and having owned a low package GC and a high package Overland GC I can tell you there is a huge difference in the experience of driving and being in the two vehicles.

An RX with navigation and typical options stickers for around $50k. The rental you drove had a sticker price $10-20k less than that depending on what trim level it actually was. When you look at a $50k GC, such as my Overland with the tech package (49k), the Jeep is a significantly nicer package inside than the RX. Real wood trim, leather dash and doors, better nappa leather with piping, better infotainment system, much more configurable and more modern displays, panoramic roof, stainless steel detailing in the cargo area.

A big difference between your rental GC and an Overland will also be the air suspension. I've had a GC now on the standard suspension and the air suspension, and the ride on the air suspension is great. Outside of the Lexus LS its the smoothest, quietest, best highway car I've owned. I can't say enough nice things about how it drives and rides. Much more robust 4WD system, RWD drivetrain architecture...the fact that it has PCS and adaptive cruise which you can't even get on the RX.

When you factor in the insane deals you can get on the Jeep vs the RX (I paid about $42k for our 49k MSRP Jeep), you actually can get a Summit for what you would pay for an RX OTD. The Summit gets you more luxury focused trim outside, an incredible Harmon Kardon audio system, alcantara headliner inside, even better natura leather, and the 2015 has additional sound deadening and active noise cancellation on the Summit model that will make my already very quiet Overland (similar to the RX) even quieter.

My issue with the RX is its "competent" at everything without being really "good" at anything. Its a very vanilla, middle of the road car...sort of like my ES's were. Thats a very appealing vehicle for a mass market who aren't really car focused people, but now that I've got two vehicles that really do things well and are purpose directed, I can't go back to driving appliances again.

JDR76

Small correction there. PCS and adaptive cruise are very much available on the RX. Mine has it.

SW17LS

Very rare though. I've never seen one on a lot with PCS or adaptive cruise, at least not here. Lexus.com doesn't even let me build an RX with anything but the option package that includes nav and brings it to $50k. With those features though, you'd certainly be pricewise what you'd pay for a Summit, likely more, and the value differential is significant with what you're getting with the Jeep vs the Lexus. You also can get a V8 and a diesel in the Jeep, and for what you pay for a RX with PCS and DRCC you could even potentially be in a Summit V8. What you loose is Lexus' warranty, Lexus service, and Lexus reliability...but having driven everything in this segment multiple times back to back, I think those are really the only selling propositions Lexus has with the RX unfortunately. The recipe works for the consumer...but if they're trying to truly offer the best product I don't think they currently are in this segment.

JDR76

Perhaps it depends on region, but it's very common here. We had no problem finding one with PCS and adaptive cruise.

Anyway...I think we're dragging this thread off course.

At the end of the day, in the Grand Cherokee you found a vehicle that suits your needs and requirements, and seems to exceed your expectations. In the RX, we found exactly what we wanted, and it's a vehicle that suits our needs and requirements, and exceeds our expectations. Everybody is happy.

SW17LS

Its almost impossible to find any Lexus here with adaptive cruise and PCS. Even the LS...

I just want to see Lexus do better when it comes to interiors. The RX is a vehicle I really wanted very much to like, because I had reliability issues with the 2011 Jeep, I wanted very much to get back into a Lexus vehicle to fill that spot in the garage. The main thing that kept that from happening was the interior. A Lexus used to always be heads and shoulders above the competition when it came to interiors, and they've lost that in that entry level segment, due to the competition improving significantly and they themselves declining somewhat to save cost.

A Jeep should not have a better interior than a Lexus...I want to see Lexus making huge strides and huge effort to build the best product out there...something I'm seeing from other manufacturers....and from Lexus in the GS segment, IS segment...but not everywhere else. I look forward to seeing the interior of the NX, but even that...should be on the GS/IS/RC platform...

Lexus needs great leathers, quality plastics, leather stitching on the dash and doors,high end, unusual and interesting trim choices, big infotainment upgrades...with non-luxury cars catching up luxury cars need to do more to stand out. Other manufacturers are getting that, and Lexus is starting to...it just seems like they're always late to the party.

mmarshall

I agree. But I think that says more for how well a job the newer Jeep Grand Cherokees have done inside than any real problems with the RX interior.

pbm317

You posted a 2011, which is pre-refresh. The 2014+ models are even better than this with a customizable TFT cluster and one of the best infotainment systems in the industry.




Lexus gave the RX a very mild refresh, and didn't address the interior at all.

SW17LS

Thats my point. I want to see Lexus work harder to make their product as good as it can be...something Jeep is doing...and Hyundai is doing, and MB is doing...and BMW is doing...and Lexus is doing on some models...but not all. I want to sit in a new refreshed Lexus and be able to say "Wow, this is MUCH better than the previous version of this car". I can do that in the GS...but thats it. Even the LS, in what way is the interior of the LS460 better than the LS430? The refresh '13 LS moved things around...but quality is the same. Every other Lexus model when I sit in it I miss the old model...and that sucks.

The current RX is from 2010. In 2010 (before the WK2 came out as a 2011 model) the Jeep Grand Cherokee was a far cry from anything someone would compare to an RX or any other luxury SUV. But...Lexus refreshed it in 2013 and did nothing to the interior except a new steering wheel they had developed for other models.

For instance take my GS. Its a great interior, I love it...BUT...the dash should be REAL leather. Door panels should be REAL leather...sides of the console should be REAL leather...console armrest should be REAL leather...its synthetic. It is real in the Jeep at $42k. Where are the alcantara headliners? I can get one in the LS...thats all. Panoramic roof? I can get one on the ES...thats all.

Since about 2007 I feel like Lexus is relying too much on its name.

WK2 was out twi years and they did a thorough refresh and upped the ante even more. I want to see Lexus work for my money like this.

pbm317

Agree with all of this 500%

Toys4RJill

The current 13-14 LS460 trumps the LS430 in interior and pretty much everything else as well.

SW17LS

In styling, sure. But when it comes to quality, material quality, etc etc I don't see how you can say that. I had an LS430...and while the interior of the 13-14 LS is not a "downgrade" as I feel the interiors of the ES, RX, IS, GX, are...its not an "upgrade" either. Its simply "as good". I love the LS460, and likely will get one in 1.3 years when my lease is up, but it is what it is.

Look at the new S Class vs any other S Class. Look at the new XJ vs any other XJ, look at the new 7 vs any other 7. The material quality, build, differentiations in available interesting trim, quality leathers, etc is superior. The LS offers what it offered in 2001 inside...two leather options, three wood options, an optional alcantara headliner. Exactly the same.

The S Class by comparison has 4 leather options, 4 or 5 wood options, a ton of exotic color choices and combinations. basic quality materials and the options for even higher quality.

Its not just the current S either, look at the outgoing S vs the previous S. Same thing. Evolving, improving. More options, more choices, more quality. Not the same or less. Its not 1999 anymore when you could put a wood/leather wheel in a car, have nice padded plastics and nice leather and its instantly luxurious.

spwolf

Well, problem with that, is that Lexus does have, easily, the best interior in classes it competes and at those prices. Maybe RX does not, but RX is car that was revealed in 2008. So outside of RX, Lexus has best in class interiors IMHO.

BMW interior quality is nothing like Lexus at all, so I am not sure what exactly is BMW doing. Most people that are BMW owners are complaining how previous gen was much better in almost every way.

MB I dont really follow - but S class is great, C class is not great at Lexus prices, E class is the same and CLA is not good at any price.

Audi A4 is very old, A6 is fine but IMHO less so than GS, A8 is old, A3 is crappy interior and so are Q3 and Q5.

It feels like complaint from 2009 really.

As to real leather on dashboard, let me know when you get that in BMW/Audi/MB at normal prices vs standard in GS.... not sure if it is available at all in the US for most of them.

spwolf

I think difference between facelift and original is huge. Much more than I remember any other manufacturer doing in their facelifts, most dont even touch the interior other than few color changes. For instance, 2014 CLS interior almost unchaged with decade old interior design. Hows that doing it right and Lexus doing it wrong? It is silly.

SW17LS

I don't really agree anymore. The LS interior is not best in class, all the cars at that range have equally nice, or nicer interiors. The LS has a great interior, but its not really superior. The GS is best in class I agree. The IS will be blown out of the water by the new C Class, and as it is now its not really "better" than a well optioned 3 series. The ES is blown away by the new Genesis, and has an interior similar in quality to a Buick Lacrosse now, because Buick has improved their interior. BMW and MB don't have a competitor. The GX doesn't have a nicer interior than anything in that range, the interior of the new Range Rover blows away the LX.

As for the GS, the new E will be coming. New 5 will be coming. Refreshed A6 is coming. They need to improve the GS' interior at the refresh next year to keep it class leading, they can't afford ton just carry it over.

Being "as nice" isn't "best in class". Everybody else has vastly improved their interiors over the past 5 years or so...Lexus has stood still or even declined somewhat...and as a result Lexus vehicles on the whole trail the competition when it comes to interiors and technology.

I also don't agree anymore. This was the case between 2010-2013, when I looked at the 5 Series vs the GS when I bought the 5 was spartan and plain, but not the refreshed 5. I have a friend with a new BMW X5...the interior is VERY nice. Real leather on the doors and console. Thick, rich padded plastics. I'd say its better overall than the interior in the GS.

You haven't seen the new C.

Not as old as the LS.

Because the competition doesn't offer it doesn't mean Lexus shouldn't. Lexus put the stitched imitation leather on there...if they're going to add stitched leather to the dash and doors...make it real...fake stuff doesn't belong on a luxury car. We want Lexus to lead, not to follow.

Because they facelifted the same car for the second time in a year when they should have introduced an all new model.

Yes the facelifted interior is an improvement, but the quality of the interior and the materials are the same. We want a new interior with better quality, not the same quality.