I agree, this is kind of becoming a plague in auto advertising that I don't understand. I assume it preys on the general ignorance of the consumer? Cars where handling is an obvious weakness are touted as being sporty and good at aggressive driving. The Prius super bowl commercial, all those stupid Nissan Rogue ads (CR described the Rogue as "bland as dry toast to drive"), and "Jan" off roading the new Camry all come to mind. The first 2016 Lexus RX commercial I found on youtube starts with "performance, reimagined" accompanied with an engine sound. Later it calls out the "agile handling".

I like that Consumer Reports does a thorough road test, and dings a car that does a poor job regardless of class. I have a three row SUV because of my family size, but if I can have something that handles and accelerates better than other vehicles in the class I absolutely value that, and it played a non-trivial hand in what I selected. I had to balance the more important 3rd row space and safety against performance so I certainly don't have the fastest SUV for the money, but it's a lot faster than a QX60 that I crossed off from the start because it is such a slouch.

 

This is exactly why I don't bother with CR or any reviews for that matter. They really need to test the car on the categories that it is built for instead of a standard template.

 

While none of the RXs I have owned handled like either of the two 300ZXs I owned or the Mustang I owned, I think it is useful to understand how well it does when faced with a sudden emergency maneuver. The former governor of NJ was involved in a serious accident (made worse by not wearing his seatbelt). His driver was speeding on the Garden State Parkway in an SUV that CR testing said had the slowest lane change speed on any vehicle they tested. An emergency lane change by the driver (at 90 MPH) caused the SUV to go out of control and resulted in a serious accident. Maybe if he had his seatbelt on and was a passenger in a better handling vehicle he might have not been seriously hurt.

 

IMO nothing should be blamed except the person himself if going 90mph, way too fast.

 

Seriously, the guy was going way beyond the speed limit and somehow this was the cars fault. Okay now I know why politicians are so corrupt. LoL

Driver error plays a big role when driving any vehicle. It doesn't matter how great handling the car is if the driver is incompetent or inexperienced. You could be driving an AWD Nissan GTR with all the traction aids on, going 50 mph and still get into an accident if your a bad driver.

 

I was not trying to defend the driver, who was speeding at the governor's request, or the governor who thought he didn't need a seatbelt.
My point was that even for an SUV knowing its handling limits is useful.

 

Just a FYI - a NJ state trooper was driving the SUV with its lights flashing and they got tangled up with an incident ahead of them. And I agree, way too fast, especially without seatbelts. It's amazing Jon Corzine didn't die in that accident. I thought to myself when I read about it that Mr. Corzine is one tough cookie (to have survived). Very accomplished guy - US Senator, Governor and former CEO/Chairman of Goldman Sachs.

 

I just noticed this in the April auto issue of Consumer Reports. They selected the '16 RX one of the 10 Top Picks for 2016.

"We set a high bar for the cars we rated the best in the U.S. Each leader in its category drives beautifully, boasts solid reliability, did well in crash tests, and makes owners happy."

 

Here's why I like Consumer Reports and also Car and Driver, etc. I have changed my approach to car buying over the years-a lot. We all start with a bias on what we want, maybe brand loyalty or like what you have now.

First I read every evaluation I can find and hope I have the judgement to interpret and evaluate all the information. Consumer reports has a different slant from the magazines. CR is more likely to point out issues than the mags, IMO. Usually I go by the dealer and look over the vehicle because let's face it you have to like the looks and interior features.

Second I go to the forums of the vehicles that I am considering for purchase. At this point I have 2-3 I am considering. Forums provide early feedback on issues and pricing. There are also a lot of tips and details that you can't get yourself in a few hours on a test drive.

And last comes a test drive. If not before-now is when I take my wife along. We look at totally different things and this makes for a good balanceed eval. At this time, we try to consider the strengths and weaknesses noted from above research and the relevance to us. I feel I am less likely to miss important features. Some dealers will let you take a vehicle overnight. I'm big on luxury but want performance and handling too. I consider the Nav and smart phone interface as important features so try to get a feel for how they work. Just crossed off the Audi Q 7 because of the bland interiors and complex, hard to use electronics. Great car to drive but overpriced and not for me....

Sure, this can be a lot of hassle, but I tend to keep a vehicle 4-5 years and will add aftermarket accessories. We seldom have buyers remorse now and actually enjoy starting the process 6-12 months early. If you aren't in a hurry you also have better purchasing power in a smaller market like ours. I have several friends that just buy the same brand and some don't even test drive. Most of the time they are happy but too often not.

 

I also agree. Very frustrating-even when sitting still, would never attempt to use it while driving..

 

I agree. This is how KBB begins their review. This is why I purchased the 2013 and now the 2016.
Driving Impressions
While the new Lexus RX’s exterior styling screams aggressiveness, its driving manners remain much as they have been: comfortable, quiet and confident. This is an SUV for those who appreciate...
... a soft ride and serenity, vs. drivers who prefer blasts down twisty roads accompanied by a roaring exhaust note.


Sums it all up for me.

 

I enjoyed reading your comment. It makes sense to me. I have been following the 2106 since the NY Auto Show. Although I had tested the 2016 RX350 I still had concerns since , in my experience , you really learn about a vehicle after you drive it for a while. I had a 2013 RX350 and was satisfied but wanted a new car. I can honestly say that the new RX is far superior to the 2103 ( IMO). Ride, quiet cabin , no noise going over bumps ( seems tighter than the 2013),and I added more options. My guess is that this will be the last car that I buy and I'm very happy with it.

 

EXACTLY. I just moved out of a BMW X3, after seven years, into a 2015 RX350. While the RX doesn't drive like the X3, every time I push the start button and settle into the luxury, I smile. When I have those pangs of missing the exhaust noise and the tight steering, I think of the Z4 sitting in the garage and know I'll be driving it soon.