Curmudgeon

Took a test drive in the RX-L this week. It's an interesting car.
The pros:
Larger trunk area, if the third row is folded down. (Otherwise smaller trunk)
Same luxury as the RX
As far as I can tell, it drives about the same as an RX

The cons:
1. There is legroom for two rows of seats, but there are three rows.
To get legroom on the third row, the 2nd row must move up.
Then for legroom in the second row, the 1st row must move up.
Or small people/children can fit in somehow.
(Second row legroom is fine with the seat moved fully back)

2. Strange and fairly unusable spare tire arrangement.
The compact spare is mounted UNDER the car. The same area supposedly can be used to hold the full sized flat.
It is unclear how the spare can be safely removed while lying on your back. As for replacing the spare with the full sized flat
I'd guess it would be impossible and would have to go in the trunk.

When questioned about this, I was told to just call AAA and let them do it. That may not be an option when driving
in remote areas of western states. And with a trunk full of luggage, putting a full sized flat in the trunk may not be possible.

There are lots of things done right on the RX-L. A few anomalies remain, such are the awkward swing out door storage that
grabs your pants leg when getting out of the car. And I find the prominent analog clock on the console to be a bit puzzling in this
digital age.

The center console has a lid that fully opens, and power connections are convenient in the console. The area between the legs of the
passenger and driver seats is now completely blocked off losing more storage area. Overhead switches are fairly flush, but have touch proximity switches.
Buttons for garage door and such are on the rear view mirror and can be identified by touch position.

In summary, I'm annoyed by some of the nannification, but I want to buy a RX-L.

I just have to decide whether or not the spare tire arrangement is a deal killer. It might be.

SoCalRX

Many a spare tire have been located in the same place regarding trucks. Did you look in the owners manual to determine how the tire was lowered to the ground? Using AAA is not always an option and I'm personally capable of changing my own tires, but hey, some salespeople will say anything to promote a sale.

JSracer

Spare underneath usually is no problem The cabling is long enough to lower and pull from under the vehicle in most cases. No need to try to to do it all laying underneath. If that makes sense.

SW17LS

I looked at the RX-L today too and was disappointed in the seating arrangement and legroom.

I would not worry about the spare. I'm sure its lowered by a winch cable. I've had several SUVs with spares under the vehicle. You simply thread the winch wire through the hub hole in the wheel with the flat and winch it back up once you've changed the tire.

And really? Whats the last time you had a flat tire that actually required changing? For me its been probably 15 years. Our Chrysler Pacifica actually has no spare, and no runflats either.

As a matter of fact, a quick google shows the old RX had this same setup. Heres how it works:

Curmudgeon

How many flats?

Well, I've been doing a bit of rough roading all the way back to my RX-300 in 99. In all that time perhaps 4 flats, three of which were
off in the netherlands.....no cell service and the trunk too full to easily accommodate a full sized flat.
So the spare situation is a rather big deal if I keep doing the same stuff

At any rate, thanks for all the info, and the video. It's not an ideal situation, but not a deal killer at all.

The RX-L looks awesome for my desires (room for cameras, scopes and tripods)
My RX-350 may be sitting out on the used car lot soon!

mcomer

The law requires that the full size flat must be secured while the spare is installed.
In the case of the RXL's (and pre-2010 RX's) the wind up spare carrier underneath
will hold the full size (dirty) flat. Check at www.lexusdrivers.com under resources
for the Owner's Manual, shows attaching the flat to the cable and hauling it up.
The winding connection is under the rear cargo floor and unlike the inside under
floor mounted spare in the non-extended RX's the flat will not raise the floor.

Kansas

As a Motor Trend review of the RXL said several days ago, "if you really want everyday functionality for seven or eight people, buy a larger three-row luxury crossover or apply Lexus badges to a Toyota Sienna minivan." although the reviewer's comment about the RXL third row being cramped for his 3-year old niece seems an exaggeration. The full review is at: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/lexus...t-test-review/

The RXL is only 3.7 inches short of the length of a Sienna which has plenty of head and legroom for adults in all three rows. The only way the RXL is ever going to have a useful 3rd row is for it to be lengthened by several more inches or for its proportions to be significantly changed -- perhaps by shortening its artificially long nose and shifting the passenger compartment forward.

Regardless of its shortcomings all forecasts are that the RXL is going to sell very, very well which, as long term TMC shareholders, is just fine with us.

Curmudgeon

In the case of my 2010 RX, the full sized flat will fit and will be secure in the compact spare space.
However, the lid will not close and some of the luggage in the trunk area would have to be moved to the back
seat or secured on the above roof rack.

Curmudgeon

That was my assessment also. The RX-L allows Lexus to check the box saying there are three rows of seats, and that's about it..
I do plan to buy an RX-L but the third row seats would be much better served by replacing them with storage bins

I suspect the extra trunk area will be quite attractive to buyers. I think they have a winner.

SoCalRX

I really like the extended look of the L models. I would have been interested in one without the third-row seating as I like the extra cargo space and have no need for those seats.

tomtom74

I'm looking at RX 350L right now at local Lexus dealer, and it seems like shorter Highlander has a lot more leg room on 2nd and 3rd rows. If you make good leg room for 2nd row then lose almost all leg room in 3 row, and try to make room in 3rd row then 2nd row become really tight.

Htony

Anyonehas test driven it with full load of passengers and cargo?