I know that these forums are going to lean towards the Lexus but we are torn right now with what car to get and I was looking for some advice.

We are looking at the vehicles below, I am leaning towards the Lexus 450H but there are none locally so we would have to drive to get one. I like the idea of the hybrid because most of the driving will be done in the city and will be shorter distances. All are around the same price.

2013 GMC Terrain SLT-2 - Fully loaded - Under 40k miles
2013 Lincoln MKX - Under 40k miles
2013 Nissan Murano LE - Under 40k miles
2012 RX 350 - Under 50k miles
2010/2011 RX 450H - Under 70k miles

 

i almost bought a fully loaded 2011 GMC terrain, so i do like those. cant really go wrong with the Nissan either. but i personally would lean towards the hybrid because of your city driving,, and just because i really like and enjoy lexus! so i hope this helped you.

 

Hybrid offers more benefits than just the gas mileage. It is a better drivetrain that also happens to deliver a V8-like performance. Hence why it is marketed as the 450h, even though the gas engine is only 3.5L.

I would recommend driving all of the above to see which one you like best.
If I was going to replace our RX450h, I would look at the 4Runner because is has a real 4x4 and is a 7-seater.

 

We have test driven the MKX, Terrain, and a RX350. Having a hard time finding a RX450H in town to test drive. We still have not driven the Murano, but plan to do that soon. The Lexus was the smoothest ride and was my favorite of all of them so far.

We are just back and forth on getting a tad bit older luxury vehicle (RX) vs a newer non luxury with less mileage.

 

I had a Cadillac SRX that turned me off to GM yet again. Having recently purchased a 2013 RX450H, I have to say that I really like it alot. I drive primarily suburban and city and the mileage is outstanding for such a large/heavy vehicle. Mine only had 13.5K miles though. I'd lean towards the hybrid myself.

 

I recommend that you look at them all; and you will decide on one of the last two.

I spent the entire summer 2013 looking at and driving potential cars (bored retiree with S.O. that still works for her living).

I bought the 450h - despite the complexity, potential for gigungous repairs, and ignoring the calculations that try to justify the premium.

I still don't get the assertions that it delivers V8-like performance.

Based upon my first 31,000 miles and fuel prices, it will take me only 285,000 miles to save enough money to cancel out the $6,600 premium.

Among the things I love about the 450h is how it runs immediately after a cold start in -10F Michigan mornings, always being in "the right" transmission gear ratio, the absolutely best snow traction I've ever driven, the air conditioning, and - likely the most satisfying - that stop and go traffic snarls cause my mileage to go UP and not down!

The thing I like least is the darned artificial noise it makes at low speeds - it turns heads - and not for the reason I'd appreciate.

 

I've read this in the manual, but haven't been able to confirm. Can this be heard from the outside. At what speeds does it register?

 

The "vehicle proximity notification system" was not mentioned in the marketing materials during the reveal or general product brochures on the 2013, but as you found is in the manual. IMHO, Lexus and Toyota (IIRC, it was introduced on the 2012 Prius) were just ahead of laws beginning to make this a requirement in more recent otherwise silent (electric, hybrid when on electric only, etc) vehicles. The whole thing with producing an artificial sound is there as a way to help reduce accidents in situations like say, parking lots where previously silent vehicles may back out and hit a cyclist or a pedestrian with visual impairments, or a pedestrian that is daydreaming or playing with their smartphone and not paying attention as an otherwise-silent vehicle hits them. Another place this sound is useful is for blind pedestrians that use sounds coming from cars as an aid to know when it's safe to cross streets.

To hear the sound on a 2013+ RX450h, listen closely when say backing out of your driveway with the infotainment system off, fans off, etc to reduce other sounds. Open the driver's window if you need to. When the ICE is not on, you'll hear a slight sound as the RX moves -- perhaps like from a SciFi movie -- that increases in tone and intensity as you increase speed. The artificial sound goes OFF when you are stopped, you go over some particular higher MPH, or if the ICE comes on (since the gas engine provides it's own sound). If you still don't hear the sound, have someone else start your RX and you be on the outside as they move the RX and the ICE is OFF.

At first when I received my RX450h and found I could no longer play around in "stealth mode" like I did in my former RX400h, I was sad. Once I pinpointed the sound on my new RX450h, I considered it a bit odd ...but after I researched it and understood the reasons Toyota/Lexus took a leadership position to design and implement the function to help prevent accidents, and assist visually impaired pedestrians get around as more alternative fuel vehicles become the norm, I was A-OK with it being there. Now when the sound comes on, I just smile to myself in my own Sci-Fi way.

 

And don't forget early 450hs didn't come with the "vehicle proximity notification system." Some of us are truly in stealth mode, LOL! I just can't remember when it was introduced.

 

It came on the first 2013 RX450h as standard equipment.

 

And no, you (at least me) cannot hear it from inside the car (well, perhaps if by a wall, the radio is off, wifie is not talking, the HVAC fan is not on) - unless you're in a garage with your window open; and there is a thread here indicating that the noise generator (speaker?) plug is located just behind the driver's headlight - for those that want to disable the thing (does anyone know how to identify what the speaker looks like and/or where it is located?).

 

Nate, let's not derail the thread more. I contributed so I'm not immune myself. I'd suggest doing a search on how to disable the vehicle proximity notification system. The 450hs jtmoney528 is looking at doesn't come with it. I doubt that's going to make or break the deal. Finding one is. I came up with about a dozen in a 50 mile radius. But then again I have maybe 20-25 dealers in that same area. It might take going online and contacting a few dealers.

 

So, instead of sending me a private message, you chose to highlight my response(s) to a question posed by another new owner over that of the long post by none other than another Forum Administrator to the same new owner's question to even that of your own want for missing stealth - and single me out for derailing the thread.

Really?

Ok, gone.

 

You weren't being singled out. She was just trying to gently nudge the thread back on topic while offering some constructive suggestions. While this response is also off topic and for that I apologize, I just want to say that I appreciate the administrators on this forum helping guide us. Things can really get out of control on the ES forum quickly where I have never even seen an administrator post. IMHO the public reminder was for all of us, not just you.