I’m pretty sure the answer is no but my window sticker says “full time active torque control all-wheel drive”. Does that not mean the all wheel drive is always active? Very confused. I know part of what makes Subaru one of the best AWD systems is that it’s always on so it handles like a beast always. Is that not the case with the RX? Definitely doesn’t feel like it’s always on I can feel the FWD especially coming from a RWD car.

 

Active Torque Control all-wheel drive intelligently monitors road conditions in real time, automatically shifting engine power between front and rear axles, while 100% of the power transfers to the front wheels during normal driving conditions for added efficiency.

 

You sure? Why does it say full time then lol. Very misleading. Do you think it’s bad for the car to drive with the AWD on if I turn that button on often? Since technically the car isn’t designed to be constantly driven in awd like a Subaru?

 

The RX 350 AWD model features an electronically controlled Active Torque Control AWD system. Active Torque Control AWD uses an electronically controlled coupling ahead of the rear differential to vary torque distribution anywhere from 100:0 to 50:50 front to rear, depending on driving dynamics and road conditions. When accelerating, or starting off on a low-grip surface, torque is quickly provided to all four wheels. At steady speeds, torque is sent only to the front wheels, enhancing fuel efficiency.

To help provide handling agility and control, the AWD system increases rear-wheel torque when the vehicle’s front tires start to lose traction and decreases rear-wheel torque when the vehicle’s rear tires start to lose traction. On rough or sandy terrain, an AWD LOCK switch provides enhanced traction performance for low-speed maneuvering (if in LOCK mode, the system reverts to AUTO mode when speed exceeds 25 mph). To help prevent a tight corner-braking condition (shuddering) during low-speed cornering, the system reduces rear wheel torque.

 

Yes that is correct, don't get caught up in marketing hype, it does say "full time active torque control" meaning the "active torque control" is working "full time" which is true. 100% front wheel drive under normal conditions and gradually sends drive to the rear as required. My F-Sport has a diagram showing the power split, accelerate hard and you can see the rear lighting up showing that power is being fed to the rear.

 

I guess I’ll always accelerate hard then . Thanks for the excellent explanation

 

Haha.....yes well I tried it on a gravel road, floored the accelerator and you see the diagram light up with equal power all round and the car just bites and goes, just like the Subaru's.

 

The all wheel drive button on the center console can be used to force the system into powering the rear axle
at speeds below 20 MPH. If you are towing up a hill on gravel and do not want to lose momentum waiting for
the automatic function to recognize the front wheels are turning faster than the rears you can press the button.
The lock up disengages above 20 MPH whether the button is pressed or not and the button does not engage
if deliberately or accidentally pressed above 20 MPH. Lexus NX AWD also works this way.
Note: Lexus Hybrids do not have a mechanical shaft drive to the rear, they have electric only to add power
when the fronts are slipping. These AWD models do not have the driver selectable button.

 

If you look carefully at the wording in the description, it does not say that the RX AWD system sends power to the rear wheels on full time basis. Instead, what it says is that the system is doing monitoring on a full time basis and only sending power to the rear wheels when that monitoring detects a need to send power to the rear wheels.

 

The 2019 RX 350L Owners Manual doesn’t provide much info about the AWD Dynamic Torque Control; one short paragraph on pg. 379. I haven’t found anything in the manual that addressed the correct usage of the AWD Lock Switch. The info that I posted yesterday actually came from a Lexus press release. Guess some things get lost in translation between Japanese tech writers and English tech writers.
While in the vicinity of a Lexus dealer today, I decided to stop in and ask if they had a tech person that’s equivalent to a BMW genius, and they said that all dealers have a person like that. She came out and didn’t have a clue...so much for Lexus genius.

 

Yea I just started keeping it on that diagram today and a lot of the time it’s getting a minor amount of power from the rear. It’s really cool having that, even more happy I got the f sport now. That should be standard.

 

Yea I can’t wait to use that button in the snow to get out of a parking spot.


yes they’re slick it’s really just full time active torque control. But isn’t all awd that way (only as needed) except Subaru’s?

 

Engineering Explained has a few videos explaining AWD systems.

 

The diagram is standard. I have it on both of my non-F-sport RXs.

 

Based on other cars explanations and some real world use, in a few situations you want all 4 wheels spinning, just to keep going, rather than have them sense slippage and shift between front and rear. Deep snow and mud are two where you just want to plow through as best you can with all the wheels trying. While not the same, the lock switch gives you the effect of a true manual 4WD, where there is no control of slippage.