2001-2004 Toyota Highlander vs. Lexus RX330 FRAME question
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2001-2004 Toyota Highlander vs. Lexus RX330 FRAME question
Very confusing statistics all over the net and in print. Some say the Highlander is based on the 2002 Camry Frame (which is the same frame that the RX330 is based on) while other places say the Highlander is based on the old Camry Frame (same as RX300) which dates back to 1992!!
So if anyone knows which one it really is or how to find out, please comment
Thanks.
So if anyone knows which one it really is or how to find out, please comment
Thanks.
Last edited by gs4to4; Aug 4, 2004 at 04:51 PM.
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From: Colorado
Many auto "experts" say that the RX300/Highlander is "loosely" based on Toyota Camry. Funny, I compared my RX300 with my neighbor's V6 Camry. Even got down on my knees to look at the undercarriage. I saw no resemblence in mechanicals - other than a few parts commonly shared with other Toyotas. Oh, they both have 4 wheels. That must be it!
I also wonder where those experts got their information. It's like saying the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier is based on the Exxon Valdez oil tanker.
I also wonder where those experts got their information. It's like saying the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier is based on the Exxon Valdez oil tanker.
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From: Virginia
I owned a 2001 Highlander, and remember reading that it was the first vehicle built on the new (2002) Camry platform. The '01 Highlander, and the RX300 before it, are vehicles now commonly referred to as cross-overs or CUVs, because they're built on a car platform.
While I don't understand the nuances, I can say that the term frame implies a specific meaning like a ladder truck frame, which the vehicles are not built on, and the term platform conveys a different automotive meaning.
It's not uncommon for manufacturers to design a "platform" and build many outwardly different vehicles from that "platform," from what I've read.
While I don't understand the nuances, I can say that the term frame implies a specific meaning like a ladder truck frame, which the vehicles are not built on, and the term platform conveys a different automotive meaning.
It's not uncommon for manufacturers to design a "platform" and build many outwardly different vehicles from that "platform," from what I've read.
Last edited by jayskinner; Aug 5, 2004 at 03:56 AM.
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From: Colorado
True, some vehicles are based on the same "platform," which means they share the same underpinning for unibody vehicles, or the same frame for goo' ol' ladder frame.
In case of Camry and RX300, I just couldn't see any resemblence in its underpinning. I think it's more fair to say that the ES is based on the Camry. The RX? That'll be a stretch IMHO.
In case of Camry and RX300, I just couldn't see any resemblence in its underpinning. I think it's more fair to say that the ES is based on the Camry. The RX? That'll be a stretch IMHO.
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