Lexus RX 330

cadrvr

That's funny you mention switching cars with my husband. He actually suggested just that. Surprise! I thought that was a great idea. I would miss our BMW. So the RX330 is still in the running. Also going to look at the Volvo V70R. Can get a manual with that. Or maybe the Audi Allroad. Still searching for that perfect car.

snowbird

We are in a similar but reverse situation. I will replace my Mercedes for a SUV or sports wagon, while my wife will keep her BMW 330 convertible. So far, the RX330 is still the favorite. Have tested Volvo V70R and Audi Allroad. Impressions:

Volvo - fast but engine sounds harsh when pressed; plenty of room at the back but car looks like the old days' station wagon.

Audi - Very good, but discouraged by CR's poor reliability rating.

Heard the new 2005 Subaru models, due out any time now, are much improved in looks and performance and have good reliability record, but can't seem to be able to get over its brand image. So, likely to go with the RX. Jason

cadrvr

Thank you for your impressions. That's great to hear from someone who is looking at the same cars. I agree about the looks of the Volvo - a bit outdated. Also, the Audi is supposed to be discontinued next year and has poor MPG. There always seems to be something. Maybe I'm too picky. But I appreciate all the input!

gambiaman

What year was your RX300?

zojo

I am currently considering trading in my 2K RX300 for the 04 RX330. I neglected to check the rear seat heat/ac vents. Right now in my current car they are just about useless. They are mounted on console between the front seats and unless I have the mode switched to full upper vents and no lower or defrost, heat will modestly blow out of the vents. My dealership is 78 miles away, so its not like I can run back up and check. Can anyone tell me what they are like now, and if they seem to work well?

Thanks.

finch3

My RX300 was a 2000 model.

scottphillip

I just took my car in for its 10,000 mile service. I am generally very happy with the car. I wish that the passenger seat had more power features. It would be nice if there were an "ultra" edition with ventilated seats, smog sensors, parktronic and other goodies.

rparis

What are smog sensors and parktronic?

gardencar

Parktronic is a name coined by European car makers for parking assist. This feature warns you of a vehicle's proximity when you park, by emitting a beep that increases in volume, the nearer you are to the vehicle.

I'm not exactly sure about smog sensors. Perhaps they warn you to switch to re circulating mode, when air quality is poor?

mfullmer

The Smog sensor is the feature that is standard on all of the other Lexus vehicles (except IS) that automatically senses "bad air" and turns on the recirculate button.

I also miss that and the Park Distance sensors. They are available on the LS.

scottphillip

I miss so many features of the LS. I rarely had any bad odors coming into the cabin.

zojo

Could someone answer my post about the rear seat vents? Thanks.

finch3

Sometimes we need reminding we are hear to share information, not just chat.
I checked that out and it's a big improvement over my 2000 RX. There are two units on the back of the console with volume and angle adjustments. Should work nicely for back seat riders.

doubletrack

Rear seat vents (2004 RX330, FWD) are underneath each front seat, on the floor facing rearward, and seem to work well (my kids like them). Heat is good in cold weather. Not much experience yet with the AC, but no apparent cooling problems (North Carolina climate). Hope that helps.

doubletrack

Anyone towed a boat or trailer? Experience? Weight, brakes, etc.? While the hitch is rated at 3500#, I assume less trailer weight is safer and easier on the front wheel drive.

boomsama

I'm thinking of the RX330 and the ES330 (sold as the ES300 down in aus). The main difference is the RX is about $10k AUD cheaper than the ES and the RX has way more standard features. With all the fruit, the RX is still $10k less than the ES. Would the RX be worth the buy then?

gardencar

I would say that this is a no brainer. Definitely go with the RX and take the extra money to go on vacation. It really is surprising that the RX would be more, down under, because in the States, the ES is less expensive. G'day and G'luck!

gardencar

Hi Doubletrack,

I finally got the right Lexus hitch and towed my bass boat with the RX330. Although I decided not to tow it the 110 miles back home to the Bay Area, I did tow it the short distance from our place in Clear Lake, to the boat ramp nearby.

The boat, motor, and trailer package is about 2500 lbs. I did not notice any undue lowering of the back end when I hitched the boat. The whole rig was very stable, although the fastest I went was 30mph. Although I did have to press a mite harder on the brake pedal, I thought the brakes handled the extra load quite well.

I am planning to use the RX330 to tow the boat back to the Bay Area in June, for maintenance. I will post my adventures in highway boat towing then. In the meantime, happy hitching and safe towing to you!

dardson1

who ain't that much of a car person asolutely loves her new RX330. I suspect she is the target market for this vehicle. It's not too big, not too small, not too tall, and not too short. It drives and rides like a car with every option you could want and has a hatch to bring home plants from Home Depot. What a concept. Give them what they want. Lexus/Toyota is good at getting to the market early with what people want.

boomsama

how does the RX go on performance as well?

I'm really either going to get an RX, or the '06 GS300. Those are my two options. The GS will definitely be more expensive, but I get the stability of a sedan, with a comfortable seat. The RX seat cushion seems a bit too short.

rparis

I own a 2001 300 and have no problem backing up. I have heard that the wider rear pillars are a problem for many on the 330. Any comments?

lovemylexus1

I have commented on this very topic in the past...but it has been a few months so I will share them again.

My RX330 is the first SUV I have owned and I was worried about the rear visibility. But, I have learned to adapt. And after thinking about it for awhile, I realized I had to adapt to each new car I have ever owned. Now...there may well be a difference between the 300 and the new 330...but I can't comment on that because I've never driven a 300.

For the record, I do not have the navigation system with the rear camera.

bennb

Have been looking at purchasing the RX330 and was wondering how people who have the black leather interior feel about it. Looking at Millenium Silver w/Black interior at the dealer near me. I would maybe prefer gray interior or either the Savannah Metallic with Ivory. Any opinions or suggestions?

Also wondering about how people feel about the exclusion of a hitch with the trailer/towing package? Wish they'd work that in there somehow.

Thanks in advance! I really do like the looks of the RX330 over the 300. Just like the more aggressive look (coming from a guy's perspective). May buy an RX now and wait on a hybrid for the future. The mix of car ride and more carlike MPG with a partial SUV stature and room just seems too good to be true.

What would you change about your RX?

gambiaman

Black Leather-I've had a 01 RX Vapor Blue (ie Silver)with black leather for about 3 1/2 years and live in Florida. I like the black leather, it sorta grows on you. The only thing I don't like about it is it really shows up dust if you don't keep it dusted. No problems with it being too hot and I had a 99 Gold RX with Ivory leather prior to the 01 RX.

tomtomtom

My wife's Flint Mica has the gray interior. It does keep the interior a bit cooler than the black interior of her old car but be prepared for a very dirty set of carpets during rain season.

cotmc

I agree with tomtomtom. The light gray floor mats show dirt too easily. But there's an answer for that: Buy a set of black floor mats. That is what we decided to do after seeing how difficult it was to keep our light gray mats looking clean. We've cleaned up our original gray mats and stored them away in our garage for later. The black mats don't look bad with the gray RX330 interior, as they match the black dashboard, and they do a great job of hiding dirt!

If you contact the sales person who sold you the RX330, he/she should be able to get you a nice deal on a second set of floor mats. We purchased our set at the dealer's cost.

bennb

Yeah I think I have it narrowed down. Either the silver with gray interior or Savannah with the Ivory. Kinda like the wood on the gray a little better, but the ivory interior better as a whole. HMMMM.

tomtomtom

Better yet, ask your sales to give you a free set when you buy the RX. I also wanted to get a set of black as a spare but the RX was so new (a year ago) they didn't even have one in the parts dept. So I ended up buying another set of gray through ebay @ $95. Good Luck.

bennb

Really impressed ... I think I like the gray interior best with the darker wood. Not a huge fan of the light wood in the white RX330 I drove. I mean it was nice, but just liked the gray better.

Asked a little about the 400h and the dealer said not to expect them until around January 1st ... maybe this has already been said. Again, who knows? The salesman said he heard 48mpg in town and 36mph highway ... but I think he's a little ahead of himself.

I think I'll end up getting a RX330, but don't know if I'll do it this summer or wait for the 2005s to come out ... any suggestions?

bachfire

I have the RX330 in Savannah Gold Metallic with the ivory leather interior. Must say that the ivory leather seats remain much cooler in the summer heat here in the Atlanta, GA area then the black leather seats in my wife's G35 Coupe. Also, you cannot see any dust on the seats or dashboard of the ivory interior. The dashboard is covered in a light brown leatherette material as opposed to the black material found in the gray and black interiors. Seems much more pleasant and blends well with the ivory leather interior as opposed to the harsh black covering on the other two interior color choices. The Savannah Gold Metallic paint finish is just great. You hardly ever notice any dirt on the finish unless the car is very dirty and you get really close to the car. I get many compliments on the color of my RX330 as well.

bennb

Color -- Millenium Silver w/Gray interior; Premium Plus w/heated seats and rain-sensing wipers; 18" wheels; trailer tow pkg; cargo mat & wheel lock -- $41,938 retail (which might slide up by the time I purchase). Still thinking about waiting until the 05s come out.

Sales manager said Lexus doesn't necessarily increase price from year to year, but rather intermittently through the year ... there was a $100 difference b/t 2 RX's on the lot that were equipped the same.

Also an updated correction on fuel economy for the upcoming 400h -- 36mpg in town, 31mpg on highway. Most probably knew that anyhow.

demars581

What type of MPG are RX330 AWD owners getting? Also, is it ok to use regular in the 330 engine? Does it decrease MPG?

thanks

johnnieliu

RX330 AWD - Regular gas, 19-20 MPG, mixed
RX330 AWD - Premium gas, 19-20 MPG, mixed

RX330 AWD - Premium gas, 23-24 MPG, 99%(had to get off/on the freeway) Freeway, avg speed 70 MPH

mfullmer

At only 620 miles I've been averaging 17.8 in 60% city, 40% expressway driving. I expect that average to go up considerably. I only use Regular gasoline.

finch3

On a recent 300 mile trip, speed 60-80 mph, 23 mpg.

doubletrack

Gardencar many thanks. I've been looking at boats this week and hopefully will sell my truck soon so I'll be towing with the RX I'm looking at 15-17 ft. boats max. I'll be very interested to hear how your longer trip goes. Thanks again.

ladyofluxury

Goodmorning, 'afternoon, or 'evening depending on when you all read this. Just stopping back in to peek at everyone's updates on their 330 experiences. I had originally planned to purchase next month but with gas prices soooooooooo high and just creeping up more and more each week, the Prius is looking better and better everyday :-) My husband still thinks I should get it and just trade once 400h hits the market, his rationality is as long as we can afford it then who cares, but I have friends in Expeditions/Navigators/Suburbans etc who are paying $70-80$ every 4 days, that's another car payment! Granted I know the RX would not get that much, but experts predict the AVERAGE gas price will reach $2.50 by mid-summer, probably over $3 for you all in Cali, that's almost $50 to fill up the tank. Don't know what I'm going to do, yet another decision to agonize over. What do you all think? Had you to do it all over again would you have stayed with a sedan, GS maybe?

tomtomtom

I think you should get the RX now and enjoy it. I am not sure what car you are driving now but it should not be a hugh difference betwen yours (or GS/ any sedan) and the RX...I remember one night watching Jay Leno, he said something about people having no problem buying a cup of 12oz coffee for $4 that lasts 15 to 20mins...I think we are just spoiled by the cheap gas we have been getting.

cotmc

ladyofluxury: I understand your questions, as it sure does appear that gasoline prices will increase a bit further. I'm not looking forward to the gas prices when we take a long drive in July up and down the state of California!

Obviously, there is a big difference in fuel costs between an RX330 and a Navigator or Suburban. But here's the real surprise: If we are to believe the EPA mileage ratings, at least as a basis for comparing automobiles, then the fuel costs for an RX330 FWD are lower than fuel costs associated with the GS300 or the smaller IS300!

Here are the EPA ratings:
2004 RX330 FWD: 20/26
2004 GS300: 18/25
2004 IS300 (E-shift): 18/24

Also keep in mind that we can use regular (87) octane with the RX330. That is what we typically use in our RX330, but we occasionally fill up with 91. We are now averaging about 22mpg with about 60% highway (at 75mph), 20% urban, and 20% extremely short neighborhood trips of about 2-3 miles.

There are a few 6-cylinder sedans that are rated to provide up to 4mpg better fuel efficiency than our RX330 FWD, but many of the premium/luxury sedans offer no savings at all (such as the GS300). Many of these premium sedans also require Premium 91 octane.

Let's say you were to purchase a sedan that averages 3mpg better gas mileage than the RX330, such as an ES330 or an Acura TL. In this case, there would be some difference in annual fuel costs, but it wouldn't be very significant. If we assume 15,000 miles/year, with the RX300 FWD averaging 22mpg, and an ES330 averaging about 25mpg, you would save about 80 gallons per year with the ES330. At fuel prices of $2.50/gallon, the annual savings would be $200.

Of course, any small hybrid car will significantly increase your fuel savings, but at a major price in terms of features and comfort. A 4-cylinder model (Accord, Camry, VW Passat 1.8T, Mercedes C230, etc), or even one of those 5-cylinder Volvo models (S60, new S40), should save you closer to $400 per year in fuel (at 15K/yr, $2.50/gallon).

Note: I did not use the AWD (18/24 mpg) for comparisons because we were comparing the RX330 to other sedans, not to SUVs.

wwest

Lexus is touting, advertising, V8 performance from the 3.3 liter V6 now in the RX, NOT fuel economy.

Using Toyota's own design Ford is marketing the Escape with an I4 engine for fuel economy. I haven't been a big fan of Ford since I switched to Lexus in 91 but I think, given a choice between only these two, I would buy a hybrid Escape over a GAS-GUZZLING RX400h.

But I'm much more likely to simply purchase a new RX330 or a Lexus minivan if the AWD Sienna is Lexurized.

Unless the continuous delay in the RX400h delivery date is due to a rethink and it will have the I4 with the current V6 level of performance.

borg1of2

I decided to go with Flint Mica and Grey interior on the RX330. I also preferred the darker wood. I have a 99 RX and really like the richer look of the darker wood.

I chose one with the NAV, no Mark Levinson, Premium Plus, Heated Seats, HID, Mats and Locks, 18" wheels, all pretty much standard for the cars being delivered to FL. I got over $3k off of MSRP, so I am really happy.

Now, I just need to sell my 99 RX, any advice on that would be appreciated.

cotmc

I also don't see the need to improve the RX330's performance for the RX hybrid. We now have about 15K miles on our RX330, and the engine and transmission seem to have improved with time (as well as the TSB). I am sometimes amazed at just how quickly this thing will scoot. I don't drive the RX often, but it sure seems easy for me to accidentally squeal the front tires on take-offs! I don't think adding additional acceleration makes much sense, unless they also plan to tweak the chassis and suspension to make it more performance competitive against the FX45 and the V8 X5?

Will the RX400h be available as a FWD model? With its added torque, I almost wonder if Lexus should limit it to AWD only.

Willard: No more plans to purchase the X3?

wwest

At the moment researching the ability of buying a custom rear ring and pinion to convert the RX into predominant RWD. If so I'll stick with, buy, the RX330.

ladyofluxury

Tomtomtom and Cotmc, I will continue to keep you all updated, most likely before June ends I will be posting in the "Prices Paid..." thread.

colton

I am about to purchase a RX 330 and am undecided about adding the Navigation system. Any thoughts and experiences that anyone has would be appreciated.

BTW This car would not be used for business. It would be a pleasure car only averaging about 7K - 8K miles/yr.

sandiegotom

I am very satisfied with our RX330 and the navigation system. I use the nav all the time even though I usually know perfectly well how to get to where I'm going. The backup camera is an added bonus that can be very handy - I use it daily to avoid backing over a flower bed that's opposite my garage door. One thing the Lexus nav system doesn't do is remember routes. It can remember destinations, but not a specified route on how to get there; for example, from home to work using certain streets and highways that you want to travel. There are ways to force it to go the way you want by using intermediate destinations, but being able to put a particular route into the nav system memory would be a desirable feature. Perhaps someone out there knows how to do this...

wwest

Can't say about later models but the nav in my 01 RX definitely wasn't worth the money.

You can probably search previous posts for details.

wwest

Can't say about later models but the nav in my 01 RX definitely wasn't worth the money.

You can probably search previous posts for details.

tomtomtom

We probably won't buy another car without one. However, I like the Pioneer system in my van better than the one in the RX. The RX system doesn't has the voice recognition feature, also the POI database is not as large as the Pioneer one (at least in my area).

lil4x

Depending on your usage, the Nav system may or may not be helpful. When traveling in unfamiliar territory it is a big help. Wandering the French Quarter, the Warehouse District or the Garden District of New Orleans, it is easily worth its weight in gold (coincidently, that's just about MSRP of the option, too). It's helpful on the highway as well, but like any US navigation system it cannot respond to traffic conditions, nor can it benefit from local knowledge.

If there were a way to shut down that yammering woman's voice with a default OFF setting, I'd like to hear (or not hear) it. I still would like to see some file compatibility with notebook GPS systems and a card slot near the display so that you could build an itinerary on the notebook, save it to a card, then plug it into the nav system in the car. That would eliminate much of the button-pushing on a seemingly deliberately-obtuse nav system.

On balance, I guess it's worth it - but only if you spend a significant amount of time exploring new places. I'll probably order it on my next RX too.