debian

Hi All, I have a 2004 LS 430 CL and had to take it to the dealership to get the satellite chip put in so that if stolen the car can be found quickly. They lent me an RX350, this was the first time I have ever been in one of them.
Let me be clear when I say that I was not impressed with the space inside that vehicle. At 6feet 2" my legs were not comfortable. Going over speed bumps in my neighborhood the RX seems to teeter totter forward and back. The interior finish is nice and the drive on the highway was nice. Put the rear facing child seat in there and the space is noticeably different from the my LS.
In short I really love my LS and cannot wait to get it back. I guess the RX is just not my type of ride. I am not going off-road so maybe that is where the RX is best...I don't know. However the RX, the Cayenne (which I was considering before buying the LS), the MDX and the Murano all seem like the same car.
Note the Cayenne interior and drive was incredible. The MDX I thought had a nice tech package and good back seat space, the Murano was blah, and the RX seems a step above the Murano but not as thrilling as the Cayenne. Now I know this is the LS forum so let me not talk too much of other vehicles. The LS 430 is great to drive, has great space, looks impressive, and gets great mileage for a v8(I drive it like a manual).
So anyone out there thinking about any of these cars as a purchase please make sure you try the 04-06 Lexus LS. IF the fold down seat is not important to you.
Cheers,
Ian

AlexusAnja

They are different vehicles serving different purposes. I'm sure if you compared to an LX570, it would be much different in terms of size, comfort, and feel. I have a '99 RX300 which I've had much longer than my '04 LS and the RX holds much more in back than the LS can (duh, of course), is AWD, gives better riding position for me, and drives more "stealthly" through the city roads I take.

Again, they're just different vehicles and for different needs. The LS is the "old man's" cruiser for driving on air and having a smooth ride. The RX is for the "sport" minded buyer that has a small family and is not ready to jump on the minivan bandwagon.

For me personally, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. When there's bad weather, going to the mall, having to pack cargo, etc. I run the RX. When it's happy go smooth driving for the weekend, then it's the LS.

debian

Point taken.
Have you driven the Cayenne BTW?
I may just take this RX through Rock creek park here in DC this evening to see how stealthy the ride is.
Yeah maybe I am getting old! lol.

tigmd99

yeah, i don't think that the RX will shine off-road either....

Tee

We own a RX350 I have to say Alex you nailed it!

I also agree with the OP on room for a over 6' person (I'm 6'1) it sucks but being the RX was the first crossover sports car meets SUV was marketed toward female drivers, and is Lexus bread & butter when if comes to their car sales. My wife loves the RX told me it was her dream car (low maintenace women) so I dumped the Maxima so she can have her RX. When comparing the LS to the RX you really can't b/c it is not a apples to apples comparison, the LS is the flagship.......it's soposed to smoke the RX in every way that matters. Now some small touches the RX has I would put on the LS like..

-Illuminate Lexus floor plates
-Gen 4 Nav system
-Faster AFS
-Cup holders & the coffee one the drivers side
-Door handle with a bottom

AlexusAnja

Also, don't forget RX350 power liftgate, open & close yay !!! LS430, pop unlock trunk only... boo !!!

The only feature I feel missing on my RX300 compared to the RX350 that I would even "need" is the power liftgate. HID, AFS, all extra I don't need.

Tee

[QUOTE=

The only feature I feel missing on my RX300 compared to the RX350 that I would even "need" is the power liftgate. HID, AFS, all extra I don't need.[/QUOTE]

The LS460 has it, when I test drove one the salesman went over ever feature and I remember that one.

KILLERGS4

when comparing RX to Lex sedan, it should only be compared to the ES... end of story...

AlexusAnja

Yes, the LS460 has the open and close trunk... but we're talking the LS430 here. If you compare the LS460 to the RX350, that's an even bigger mismatch. Although, the 3rd gen. RX350 has some nifty features even the LS460 doesn't have.