Lexus RX Review
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| Overall: |
 
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| Performance: |
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| Appearance: |
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| Comments |
Favorite feature: |
Best looking leather interior, reclining rear seats, acceleration |
Least favorite feature: |
Doesn't look macho, no 7 seat option, some cheap switch gear |
Advice to buyer: |
Drive it after an ML320 and you'll be sold |
Detailed review: |
I drove the ML320 , Land Rover disco and Jeep Grand Cherokee first. The ML interior is still not up to Mercedes sedan standards, and while the ride and handling are OK, it doesn't drive as smooth as the Lexus. The Land Rover looks great, drives OK (but the V8 is not particularly powerful and it is thirsty), has great jump seats for the kids, but is too high to fit in the garage. The Jeep looks great, and with a 7/70 powertrain warranty you have some piece of mind, but with the I6 engine there is no freeway power and the interior is cramped. How often are you really going to go seriously offroading ? The X5 looks great, but it's expensive ($10K more than the Lexus), and too many reliability problem stories. I thought the Lexus was a 'chick's truck', but with the rear spoiler it actually looks OK. The interior looks great (by far the best of the ones I drove), although there are still a couple of cheap Toyota switch gear pieces. What sold me on the RX300 was the way it drives. Power is similar to the ML320 and X5, but it weighs a lot less. Drives almost like a sedan - and since you'll spend 90%+ of your time on-road this is great. Yep, it's not a true off-roader - but it'll probably handle snow and dirt roads just fine for those camping and skiing trips. Reliability history is second to none. The dealer gave me a great discount (don't pay more than $1K - $1.5K over invoice) - which wworks out $5K less than a similarly equipped Benz and $10K versus the X5. Sure, get the Jeep if you're really going off road, but as an all-rounder you can't beat the Lexus. |
Also considered: |
2002 Mercedes-Benz M
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2002 BMW X5
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Vehicle purchased: |
2002 Lexus RX
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| About This Reviewer... |
Location: |
Sunnyvale, California |
Other vehicles owned: |
1998 Mercedes-Benz C280
1996 Mercury Villager
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Review submitted: |
May 03, 2002 |
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