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Is It Worth Upgrading From the NX to the RX?
By Brett Foote

Is the larger RX worth an extra $8k for crossover buyers?

mmarshall

For the present versions......Absolutely. IMO the present NX has been a disappointment since Day One.

For the new upcoming NX that has not been revealed yet, we'll have to wait and see.

LS430FL

I have a 2020 NX300 as an additional car but do not follow press on the car...Just curious...What has been a disappointment in regards to the car?

mmarshall

IMO, poor (or at least mediocre) road-manners for a Lexus-badged vehicle. Lack of sound-insulation, firm-riding tires/suspension, and some questionable interior materials. Some people agree with my view, some don't.....but those are my impressions. Although the smaller/less-expensive UX has a cramped interior (and itself some questionable materials/design inside), I thought its road-manners were, overall, noticeably better than the NX's.

Fizzboy7

Not a legit scenario. The NX is for a younger, slightly edgier crowd. The RX is for an older crowd, with older money. The majority of NX owners are not wishing or thinking about moving up to an RX. They present two different rolls.

703

the real scenario is completely opposite. nX is driven by grandpas with empty nests. Rx is driven by young mums with kids.

mmarshall

Here, I at least partially disagree. The NX and RX are not necessarily aimed at two different age groups....or different feels of "edginess'. The two vehicles are essentially similar in concept, except for size and refinement. NX buyers simply need (or want) a vehicle with less interior space, and have less money to spend...RX buyers either have more money to spend, need more space inside, or (as I do) believe that the extra $$$ over the NX is worth it. Of course, the RX would probably be too big for my present driving-needs....I could make do with a UX.

Not quite on the money, either. Both the NX and RX are quite diverse in all age groups....or at least more diverse than their their common stereotypes......A.K.A. Grandpas and the NX.

sm1ke

iTrader: (5)

Some of these comments are ridiculous. It doesn't matter what demo each car is designed for. The question is whether it's worth paying more to move from the NX to the RX.

I don't own or have even been inside either of those cars, but assuming one wanted to stay in the Lexus family, the most obvious reasons to upgrade would be interior space and cargo room, and the option to get a 3rd row in the L trim of the RX. The next most obvious reason might be the powerplant. NX comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0 4cyl while the RX comes with a naturally aspirated 3.5 V6, which really just amounts to slightly better mileage on the NX and presumably a more refined engine note on the RX (unless you get the RX L, in which case the NX has a slight edge in straight line acceleration). NX has a 6-speed, RX has an 8-speed. With the base RX, you get rain-sensing wipers, two extra airbags, an extra speaker, HD Radio, and Sirius XM.

Personally, the only reason I'd consider moving from an NX to an RX would be if I wanted a 3rd row without having to pay for a GX.

SW17LS

I would pay the $8k to get the RX any day, and twice on Sunday. Much better overall vehicle.

Third row in the RX-L is useless.

Fizzboy7

Depends where you live. In suburban L.A., it is how I described it. I can drive down my street and see it first hand with my neighbors.

WNYX

When my NX was getting work done at the dealership (it was there for half a month), they gave me an RX as a loaner. If given the opportunity, I would dish out the extra money for the RX. However, if I had never driven the RX, I would have been happy with the NX since I wouldn't have known what I was missing. (As a side note, my dad has been leasing an RX every three years since 2011, but I never drove it.) The driver's position of the NX is so cramped compared to the RX, and it's especially noticeable after driving an RX for a bit of time. The overall interior quality of the NX can't compare to the RX (if I remember correctly, some of the material in the NX is hard touch plastic).

In terms of demographic, I see an equal amount of young and old people driving the NX. However, I see mostly only old people driving the RX, unless it's a first generation RX that some teen is driving.

mmarshall

What's your definition of "old"? I see people every day driving RXs that appear to be in their 30s and 40s.....particularly the hybrid versions.

I'd wager that, with most people, if they actually took the time to test-drive (or have test-driven) both of the current RX and NX versions, unless exterior size was an issue, they'd choose the RX hands-down. It has far better road-manners and comfort.

Steve has a point, though, about the RX-L.......and I agree. It is not a very good example of how a third-row seat should have been added, and it should have had had some further engineering to accommodate the third-row seat. As it was, they just basically stuffed it in there.....which severely cut down on available space for the second-row.

WNYX

I'm in my 40s, and I consider myself old!
I agree with everything you said, especially about comfort. Even the interior door handles have a very soft leather. When I had the RX as a loaner, I found myself touching random areas inside the car at red lights because I couldn't believe how soft some of the surfaces felt.

703

The nx is just a high volume and high profit car for Lexus. They are traded in often for the RX.

Bob04

Yes if you want a bigger vehicle. No if you want a smaller pricetag.