ROSCOGX470

2uz-fe 4.7

valex

The list should start with 1UZ-FE, first Lexus car was 1990 LS400.

Fizzboy7

I'd have to say there are two Lexus engines that left big marks on my memory.

The first was the ES300 motor. My friend had an early ES250 which he installed an ES300 motor in and it was the most smooth, quiet engine I've ever experienced. He drove like a drunk comedian, and floored it every moment possible. It never sounded strained, even at redline. Same smoothness, quietness, and zero vibrations as if at idle. I never could understand how such a thing was even possible. This was the type of motor you'd have to look at the tach to see what was happening. Going by sound or feeling meant nothing.

The second Lexus engine memory was when I had an IS-F at the track for an afternoon. It was a WILD beast, with the same sounds as a modern Corvette. Normally I'd find something like that totally obnoxious. But somehow, Lexus found a way to make it sound sophisticated and intoxicating at the same time. I will never forget that day at the track in that car. It just begged you to be a bad person- and I have spent most of my adult life promoting safe and efficient driving. I'm not much into the car collecting thing at this stage in my life, but that car would be the first on my list if I were.

Stroock639

my sister currently has (and i've been driving it since she's up at school and i broke my crown vic transmission) my dad's old 2004 Camry SE V6 with the 3.3 liter and it's ridiculously quiet and smooth. it also has LOADS of torque and the car will literally spin it's wheels in 2nd in the DRY depending on how you come out of a corner. it's still no 1UZ but it definitely feels torquier than the new (basically 10 years old but still awesome) 3.5 V6 although the top end pull on the 3.5 is wayyyyy beyond the 3.3 liter. my LS dusts our camry, but a camry with the 3.5 is actually faster than the LS, rather annoyingly lol... nowhere near as much torque as the V8 but it's actually a bit faster if you rev it all the way out. in a 2013 camry V6 i've gotten 0-60 in 5.7 seconds!! not too shabby in my book

Fizzboy7

I always had a soft spot for the very short-lived ES330. I totally forgot the Camry got a 3.3. Was it the same one as in the Lexus ES? I do believe it's probably one of the smoother motors out there. There's a strange attraction I've always had to stealthy, smooth engines that don't announce rapid acceleration. Surprises and delights the passengers while making you look smart and sneaky at the same time.

Johnhav430

Was Lexus the first to completely shroud their motors in plastic? Long before I even bought a new car, I remember going to an auto show, and opening the hood of a LS (no clue what year), and thinking, not much is visible, it's all covered, interesting. Even today, BMW and Audi have plastic covers, but much of the motor is still exposed....

Since I bought my car used, and the selling dealer armor all'd and cleaned the motor, I keep it that way. I don't even think I could get my BMW that clean, prolly impossible (meaning by hand)....

JDR76

My list was a list of all the Lexus engines that were NOT included in the linked "best engines" article. The 1UZ-FE is on the list in the article.

Stroock639

yes is it the same one, the 3MZ

they used it in a couple of other things too, definitely a low key sleeper of an engine. the transmission in that camry though has nothing "SE" about it, it's so laggy and sluggish shifting lol... in a way sort of gives the car character once you learn how to better modulate the pedal, you can start to predict how it'll act after awhile and it becomes pretty fun to drive. only problem with it is that the 4 cylinder camry will be ruined for you lol, but yea many at the dealership also didn't realize it has a 3.3 liter. back then the SE V6 had a bigger engine than the XLE V6, which they don't do anymore. nowadays i'd just get the XLE since it's nicer inside but if the XSE was actually faster that'd be a significant selling point

Aron9000

My mom has a 2012 Camry SE, V6 Sport Package, every single damn option, 18" wheels with low profile tires, holy **** is that car fast. Stupid fast, yet torque steer is not a major concern when you mash the pedal, nor is excessive wheel-spin(my buddy's old Grand Prix GTP with the supercharged 3.8 was the king of low end torque and front tire smoke if you were abusive with the right foot, but it never torque steered either, maybe the bigger/wider/lower profile tires on the newer Camry helped the traction situation). Main thing with this engine/trans combo, it feels pretty strong in the low RPMS, but man if you floor it, it straight up screams and pulls hard to at least 120mph(don't tell mom lol). Handling is great too, it doesn't lean over in the corners like past Camrys. Steering is a bit numb though, its hard to tell what's going on in the road below you. Still its very precise and direct, short of some vintage 90's Hondas, its one of the better handling FWD cars out there.

Still though, I prefer my RWD SC300/5 speed over that 2012 Camry V6 SE as a driver's car. Yes its slower, but damn there is something about flooring your car, banging gears, and not grossly exceeding the speed limit. Also the 2JZ -GE inline six just absolutely sings when you rev the **** out of it, the Camry's 2GR-FE V6 stock sound, when you rev it up, just flat out sucks. Sounds like a damn vacume cleaner, I can't think of a more horrid engine note. Yes the Camry is fast, and it handles well, but it just lacks soul, the dead feeling steering, the awful souding V6, if Toyota had just spent a bit of time in R&D getting those things right, man I'd be driving a 2012 Camry V6 SE. Its like the got the suspension right, power right, but totally forgot about the driver feedback and the sound coming from the engine.

Stroock639

yea the sound isn't all too exciting lol, in terms of a V6 i'd have to say the honda/acura V6 is the best sounding one out there... especially once the VTEC kicks in yo. i'd have to assume the toyota V6 being so quiet is a result of the efficiency and very low internal friction. example, the V8 in my lexus is very quiet and gets great mpgs whereas the V8 in the crown vic is so goddamn loud and gets terrible efficiency lol

1QWKGS4

iTrader: (3)

I'm down with 1UZ & 3UZ for Life!!

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Add me to that list. I'll also include the 4.7 2UZ which is a beast of a motor that came on the LX and Land Cruiser. Sounds incredible at full throttle.

dicer

Pretty broad window. If its truly the 7 best piston engines, there is nothing from Lexus that fits. If its the 7 best in automotive world then maybe there is a place for it, I'd have to run the list.

Toys4RJill

I don't know the engine codes but the current 3.5, 4.6, 5.0 and 5.7 are far superior than the engines that proceeded them in their perspective models. From a hp, fuel efficiency, and a maintenance perspective there is no question.

1QWKGS4

iTrader: (3)

I had a 4runner with 4.7 V8.. wow Thats one torquey motor!