Lexus. What else to say.

Poor design. With all the effort that has gone into designing the exterior to be so sexy, the air vent design sucks. How can anyone just ignore the basic laws of car design? I guess that differentiates a Jap car from an excuisite

Well, my note above should say it. i think that the car is a disappointment the way it has been designed and shows complete lack of care on part of Toyota to craft the car. It also shows that they have completely missed the bus on "designing" cars. May be that is totota policy...looking on the cars that they roll out: Camry, Tercel and awful Corolla.

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Better SUV than the rest of the pack. Better exterior design then BMW (they have just raised a 5 series a foot!)and Acura (looke like that bad Aztec SUV)

Comfortable car-like ride, adequate power, AWD, great sound system. Lexus reputation for service.

Wind noise from roofrack very loud. Turning circle too large.

Bought this car used in January '01. I love the drive. Have always had a BMW 3 series and was apprehensive about the change to an SUV but love every minute of it.

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MB ML320 - truck like drive, cheap looking interior, test drive car wouldn't start.
BMW X5 - poor 1st year repair performance, high cost.

I am currently the temporary owner of a 2000 Burnish Gold RX 300, 4 X 4 model; I leased the vehicle in May of 2000 and now have approx. 6,000 miles. My down payment was $3,000.00, which included taxes, and the other “hidden charges”, which I later found out, and my monthly fees are $455.00. My first experience with Lexus has its ups and downs, but I try to forget the negatives, especially when I was told that my down payment of $1,000.00 would not be refunded to me, this down payment was just to get the paper work started and to hold the vehicle for me. My wife and I was trying to go to another dealership, although we signed the contract, the sales person from Lexus of Massapequa said, “don’t worry about it, if you change your mind we will return your down payment and sell the vehicle to someone else, no one losses.” Later I was to find out I will become the loser. So we felt forced into the deal.

Well here comes the positive findings:
1) Vehicle does ride a lot smoother and handles better that your average SUV, (although the RX 300 is not a true SUV).
2) We requested to have the Nakamichi System installed, which came with auto dimming interior/exterior mirrors for night driving. These features work well and sound great.
3) The package also included heated front seats, which seem to be operating satisfactory, but there should be some type of adjustment that will enable the driver and passenger to control the amount of heat before you end up roasting your behind.
4) The paint job is neatly done, although our vehicle came with scratches, one of which caused by the individuals preparing the RX 300 for us to pick up, and some of which could not be removed. One of the defects was a chip on the hood, which eventually flaked off to revealed the black primer coating, Lexus of Massapequa’s comments to this was that the leasing company would not penalize us, because they would be looking for larger defects.

Now for the negative findings:
1) During the cold seasons the breaks squeaks until they become warmed up.
2) The LCD display, during the cold seasons is not clear, until the interior of the vehicle becomes warm. The display should be a bit user friendly, the buttons do not exactly match up to the display.
3) With sudden stop and even normal Midtown Manhattan traffic the RX 300 tends to dive forward, which sometimes places my heart in a race.
4) When driving on the highways, sometimes there are high wind noises, which I found to be distracting, especially when going only 60 MPH.
5) Then there is the gas consumption, Lexus claimed that in the city you should get 18 MPG and on the highway you should get 22 MPG. I am not sure which planet Lexus got these numbers from, but this vehicle gulps down gas, I am getting approx. 14 MPG in the city and about 19 MPG on the highway. Now keep in mind I accelerate my vehicle very slowly, the RPM’s do not exceed 2,000 between each change of the gears. Lexus should have installed a five speed automatic transmission instead of the four-speed auto.
6) I expected the interior leather to be of higher quality, more plush and softer, let’s face it this is not a Camry or is it? The leather was not to my satisfaction.
7) The rear wiper after six months had fallen below the glass, Lexus made the adjustments, but there should be a rest that the wiper sits on when it is not in use.
8) The front and rear bumpers should be of better scratch resistant material. Lets face it the bumpers tend to display scratches and indentions from other vehicles attempting to park next to the RX 300.
9) I am not a speed demon, but hey the max speed of this vehicle is 110 MPH, although the display says the max speed is 140 MPH. Lexus said that the vehicle is governed due to government standards, but other vehicles such as Honda can and will max out what it says on their dash.
10) Then there are the Bridgestone Tires that came with the vehicle. For the retail cost of this vehicle you would think that Lexus could at least installed tires that had more meat on them. I can see myself replacing the tires at around 25,000 miles, just enough to make the lease company happy, but not my wallet.
11) The roof rack should be able to stand higher weight amounts, instead of the limited amount specified. The ML 320 by Mercedes can with stand more the 100 Lbs.
12) Then there is the engine vibration that occurs although the vehicle has completely warmed up, (I always allow my vehicle to idle for at least 10 minutes or until the RPM drops to the lowest setting in the park position.) The dealer claims that this is normal due to the cold start injector that causes the vehicle to run a bit rich for a few miles, OK but lets face it I did not expect that type of normality to come from a Toyota/Lexus vehicle.
13) Next we have the suspension of the RX 300, I have noticed that during cold seasons the ride of the vehicle becomes stiff/very firm, like a true SUV, although this is not a true SUV, the struts that come equipped with the vehicle causes this.
14) I have also noticed when reversing the vehicle and the head lights being on, along with turning the steering wheel causes the vehicle to surge slightly, (approx. 200 – 400 RPM higher), so I usually rest my foot on the breaks and allow the idle of the engine to assist when reversing.
15) I also feel that Lexus should do away with the Extracting and Retracting Power antenna, hey this is the new Millennium, the vehicle should have the antenna built into the glass of the vehicle like that of the ML 320. I noticed the antenna becoming frozen and staying up, especially during the cold weather.
16) Hey, no rear cup holders, did the people at Lexus forget something?
17) The dealer told me that a Navigation system will not be available for the RX 300 for another few years, well they sure fooled me, it is now available for the 2001 models. If I

I hope that I have given you, the reader of my experience, a better understanding of my situation and I am hoping that you will not be taking for a ride. Please contact me via my Email: NW1997@Excite.com if you have any questions about my article.

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ML 320, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, Infinty QX4, BMW

paperweight, since thats what its worth

where do i begin, i havent seen such atrocious craftsmanship since the titanic, i mean this thing is just horrible. The engine sounds like a dog being hit with a stick, and thats only when idling. I am tempted to call the SPCA once i start acclerating. how many times do i have to tell you, inferior lexus cars are totally worthless. Is there much more i have to say?

i wouldnt wish the RX300 upon my worst enemy

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Mercedes ML320, a work of fine art. the lexus always bows to King Benz

Smooth
Relatively comfortable

No storage areas
Cup holders are strangely located
CD unit in glovebox is plain stupid
Lousy Navigation system
Location of most button on dash are awkward

As several others have pointed out already the ergonomics of this vehicle are just plain terrible. It is very unusual for a Lexus which is usually very thorough.

Everytime I drive this vehicle I hate it, I agree with the other reviewer who pointed out that there is absolutely no storage space in the vehicle AT ALL!!! I find it extremely difficult even to find a space to put my cell phone while it is charging. The cup holders for the rear passengers are placed next to the front seats which is so wierd I have not seen anything like it before!!

I regret leasing this vehicle and if I could I would return it right away. Unfortunately the flaws in this vehicle become apparent only after a week of ownership. I have decided that I will be returning this vehicle at the end of my 36-month lease. Lexus can then scrap it because the metal is worth more than this SUV itself.

The navigation system cannot find any point of interest locations at all.. I live in the Los Angeles metro area and it does not have information on "7-eleven" or "McDonalds". One also cannot locate the "nearest gas station" - you have to type in the name like "Mobil", "Arco" which is really lame. In the MDX I was able to highly customize the directions to my liking. The Acura Navigation had all this and much much more! Unlike the Acura system the Lexus unit is not very accurate in its instructions.

The bottom line - get the MDX, you will be much happier.

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Acura MDX

Extremely good quality, reliability, fit and finish, extremely smooth and quiet for an SUV, good acceleration, Excellent DVD Navigation system-most useful feature, great sound system (for a "non-name brand" premium unit), 4-wheel traction control enhances the 4WD system to give excellent traction!!

Very limited off-road ability(due to the lack of SKID PLATES), CD changer in glove box-very difficult to access, Navigation system cannot be accessed while driving, Extremely wide turning circle makes for very bad manuverability (especially when making U-turns and parking)

I was going to buy the Acura MDX because of the good reviews by auto magazines. I test drove both MDX and RX 300 and both are equally good -I personally think RX 300 is marginally better. What does Acura think?? We're all stupid?? They wanted 3 grand over MSRP($39,450 + $3,000). I told them to take their vehicle and shove it and instead got an RX 300 fully loaded with Navigation system, Heated Seats and 4wheel drive for $37,561 ( six hundred dollars over invoice) from www.carsos.com and took delivery at Longo Lexus here in Southern California. Best decision I ever made!!!!!

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Acura MDX - Acura dealers are playing the "short supply" game and asking 3 to 4 grand over MSRP for this useless crap. Anyone who pays this or even sticker is plain STUPID - Don't let Acura get away with this!!!!!

Power, refinement, fit & finish, interior layout, quality materials throughout, clean appearance, reliability, decent fuel economy for an SUV, drives like a tall Camry

Smallish gas tank, huge turning circle for the size of this vehicle, no navigation system available at time of launch

Terrific vehicle, though dealer service has been spotty....had problems there with previous vehicle as well (1997 Camry)....not a vehicle reliability problem, just seems that the service department seems problematic.

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Much more reliable than the Mercedes SUV which has been plagued by reliability problems...only comparable SUVs are the BMW X5 and the new Acura MDX....Jeep Grand Cherokee and other "Big-Three" SUVs simply not in the same league.

Smooth ride, good handling, very comfortable, great long trip vehicle, superb overall quality and reliability. Great dealer experience, good power, excellent stereo. Styling is different but appealing. Decent mileage for the weight of this SUV. I like the LCD display and the interior is rich looking and well appointed. The seats are great. Power everything. Have not had one problem, just normal service. Uses regular gas. Easy entry and exit unlike many SUV's. I like the AWD when road conditions are sloppy. Excellent brakes.

Complaints are few and not major. Gas tank should be larger (2001 RX has a larger tank), turning radius is annoying, wind noise at highway speeds.

I would recommend the Lexus to anyone looking for a non-truck based SUV. If you need a lot of cargo space and off road capability look elsewhere.
Lexus makes trouble free vehicles and provides the best customer service in the industry, although Volvo is very good as well. I take many long trips and this great "crossover" SUV is very comfortable and you do not feel the miles. It handles almost like a luxury car, the ride is amazingly smooth. I love the styling overall and the beautiful and different interior. The leather is of high quality. And with today's gas prices it is nice not to have to use premium fuel. The RX is the most popular selling Lexus and for good reason, it is a winner!

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My prior SUV was a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it was quite unrefined compared to the Lexus. The Jeep had two major breakdowns and was out of commission for several weeks each time. Lexus dealer service is great, Jeep was horrible. The assembly quality of the Jeep was primitive. Jeep is OK if you need off road capability but how many go off road? I wanted Lexus reliability after the negative Jeep experience.

Very smooth drive train also the quality is very good. Noise Isolation is good for an SUV. Very carlike ride although not quite as smooth as our ES 300. All in all is a very good suv.

Probably my biggest gripe is all of the extra charges for all the extras. Was considering a new vehicle but by the time I added up the accessories I was considering it really drove the price up too much. Also I do not know why they could not have made it just a little larger in the back. Also in dash CD player would be nice and an ability to tow a little more.

All in all this is a good vehicle. My only complaints are the small space in back when the 2nd seat is up and also all the extra charges for the add ons, when that is considered the price for a new model was more than I wanted to go with. Plus now there are more competitive models on the market. Competition is always good for the market place. But all in all fair value for a luxery SUV.

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MDX A larger vehicle although the reliablity has been some what below Mercedes standards.
Acura MDX many more accessories come standard. Also it is far larger. However it wasn't available at the time.

It is a luxury car with everything u need! Everything is perfect:-)

Basically, the CD Player, can't believe that there isn't a CD Player on the dash (you have to change CD by changing the 6 CD Changer in the glove box). But, that's just some getting used to.

This is the best car/suv I have ever driven. It response very well, and the Nakashimi sound system is AWESOME, I love it! The ML 320 is not as good because it is more like driving a jeep, but both can go off-road with no problem. The Acura MDX is only a on-road "car" that can seat 5 person (the 3rd row is for dogs only, can't even seat a child), but for $40000. I certainly would choose RX 300!!!

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ML 320 - Jeep liked
Acura MDX - test drove, car like, I would think twice taking it off-road