When my 2015 RX F-Sport was totaled in a wreck, and I was shopping (quickly) for a replacement, I test drove an NX 200T F-Sport. I would say, if I hadn't already known the look and feel of the RX, I would have been content with the NX. It's a nice ride. But (a) I have a lingering prejudice against turbos -- I believe they detract from reliability, and (b) the size and weight of the RX result in a smoother ride, with a more comfortable interior.

 

Drove an hour and a half to the dealer in my RX, and an hour and a half back home in an NX. The NX was very noisy (tire noise I think), rough riding, and felt small (but not cramped). Never so happy to get my RX back.

 

I made my first entry into the Lexus world with a 2015 NX200T. While my wife enjoyed driving it, in the end, ultimately I did not. My daily commute is about 70 miles (round trip), the smaller gas tank in the NX meant I had to refuel more often. I traded in my 2010 4Runner Limited, mind you, so I was used to a bigger vehicle (and thus a bigger gas tank). I really didn't think I needed a bigger car and so I chose the NX because it was smaller, easier to navigate, and I thought would get better gas mileage and such. While I was initially happy with my purchase, every time I went to the dealer for maintenance they put me in a loaner RX. The RX reminded me so much of my 4runner in terms of size, space, and comfort. Ultimately, my NX journey ended 6 months later during the lexus "December to Remember" event. That day, I took home an RX350 and my wife took home a GS350. While I did enjoy the little turbo for a while, longer term my RX has exceeded my expectations and allows me to travel all week on my tank of gas, and as a bonus, I no longer have to use premium. My wife, however, isn't as lucky as her GS requires premium but she drives only 14 miles roundtrip to her office daily. To each his own, but to me, an NX is more of a "chick car" and the RX seemed more "mainly" to me. lol.

 

Couldn't disagree more. We have an RX gas model. Apples and oranges vs the NX noisy 4cyl engine and cramped interior. This is what makes the world go around.

 

How can you possibly disagree with what "works well for me"? We all have our own unique preferences. I wouldn't consider buying an NX but, as a loaner for a couple of days, I definitely prefer it to an RX 350. Bottom line, I was pleased to get my RX 450h back.

 

I actually prefer my ES FSport over them all. The RX is my wife's daily driver - she prefers the SUV seating position.

 

My 2019 RX350 was in for service this AM and I was given an NX300 loaner. While I'm a much bigger fan of the RX350 in terms of size and comfort, the 6-speed AT in the NX300 is sooooo much better sorted than the 8-speed in the RX350. My observations:

1. The 6-speed doesn't do the constant upshifts and downshifts. In gears 1-4 it allows you to dig deep into the throttle without spastic downshifts to use the engine's torque to accelerate. It also uses as proper kickdown point in gears 1-4 so if you really need to accelerate as quickly as possible you can.

2. This was a non-F-Sport NX300 and in manual mode it actually held the gear selected with the pedal to the floor. I know the RX350 F-sports will do this but the non-F-sports in manual mode will still downshift automatically when depressing the pedal....the only thing manual mode does is prevent them from upshifting. This is a useless feature in the non-F-sports.

3. Upshifts and downshifts were much smoother with the 6-speed.

4. There was no vibration through the steering wheel/center console while in drive but not moving with the 6-speed which I assume has to do with the torque converted. In my RX350 if there's anything in the cupholders the vibration is strong enough to rattle the objects.

The drivability of the 6-speed is superior to the 8-speed IMO. Having never driven another transverse Lexus before today I'm even more annoyed knowing Toyota knows how to setup an AT...they just boofed it with the 8-speed. The upshifting/downshifting/manual mode behavior in the non-F-Sport is the most infuriating thing ever and to know they did this purposely....there is only ONE WAY to program an AT....like the F-sport RX350 and NX300. If I was in charge there I would've beaten the idiot who suggested two different shift programs for the RX with his own slide rule!

Diatribe over....

 

Six speeds will typically be less bumpy than eight speeds but CAFE standards demand more gears.

 

Or, take a serious look at the RX hybrid. I love mine, and the fuel savings are incidental to my satisfaction. No up or down-shifting, just turbine smooth, not unlike an EV.

 

the f sport really has different shifting then the regular 350? I thought that was bs

 

I believe "Manual" mode behaves differently with F-Sports vs non-F-Sports - perhaps someone with an F-Sport can confirm this idea. In my non-F-Sport, when you put it in manual mode and select 4th gear and you press the gas pedal the AT will still downshift into 3rd or 2nd gear automatically. When you let off the gas pedal the AT will then upshift again into 4th gear but it will stay in 4th gear since that's what is selected in manual mode. For F-Sports, when you select manual mode and put it in 4th gear I believe you can press the gas pedal to the floor and it will stay in 4th gear until you manually select a lower or higher gear. The F-sport drives like a true manual while the non-F-Sport's manual mode is useless.

 

The f-sport stays in the gear selected until you get below about 8 mph when it automatically downshifts into 1st.

 

Sure....every AT will downshift to a safe gear regardless of auto vs manual mode if you slow down enough to cause lugging.

 

Have they improved this with the 2020s?

 

I have an f sport and I never even drove it in manual mode. What’s the point honestly?