spwolf

i actually owned 2 European Rav4's (4.3), with considerably better quality interior than american rav4 that you have, and if you think that RX interior quality is similar to Rav4, after all those high res shots, I really dont know what to say.

I will just ;-)

spwolf

p.s. only thing on RX that looks lower quality than my GS is that the centre console area sides are not wrapped in leather.... everything else looks either close or better than GS. Which is pretty nice progression for the car that is one class below and significantly cheaper.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Looking 10 years back it's not unusual to say something is bland now. But the original RX was radical.

TRDFantasy

I can't picture the regular RX350 hitting mid-50s, fully loaded or not. The RX450h fully loaded will likely hit mid 50s, but you're getting one exceptional vehicle and a plethora of options and features. An RX450h loaded will come with the LED headlights, heads-up display, and the dual-screen rear entertainment system among other things. Those are pretty high-end features right there that some higher-end vehicles don't even have.

Anyways, we should see final pricing before we jump to conclusions. Looking at the competition, a loaded MDX can reach 50K, a loaded X5 can reach over 60K, and same thing with a loaded ML. Even if you stick to the 6 cylinder versions of the X5 and ML, loaded they will still be around 60K. Even assuming a loaded RX hybrid will reach mid 50K range, you will be getting a lot more than a loaded MDX offers.

Options like the dual-screen entertainment system allows the new RX to compete head-to-head with the German competition, and it will still likely be cheaper.

spwolf

According to Edmunds, RX450h will have 8% better mpg than before (27 combined) while having 27hp more and more weight of course!

TRDFantasy

That site is a hassle hotlinking pictures. Here is the picture from another link:



Are you honestly complaining about fit-and-finish on a PRE-production vehicle?

First off, the production interior will NOT have issues like that, because the production interior will have laser-aligned panels. This pre-production interior looks like it was put together by hand, and obviously is not a production model.

Let's compare shall we:




The carpet is not even the same texture! You can obviously see that there is different carpet, as well as different plastics being used.

Carpet is scarcely used in the Rav4, while the RX has much more carpeting used. The wheel well area, and even the rear hatch area are carpeted on the RX. The Rav4 has plastic in those areas.

I'm sorry, but I honestly don't see the similarity here. The overall fit and finish and appearance of the Rav4 rear area is quite basic, compared to the RX which looks clearly a step or two above and overall the rear area looks more seamlessly put together.

Uh, no. Like I said in my earlier post, the Venza CANNOT be compared to the RX. Seeing as the RX will have an available locking differential, and by virtue of it's higher ride height the RX will be able to go off-road to places the Venza can only dream of.

The Venza is a more specific vehicle, and thus more of a niche vehicle. The Venza is designed almost entirely for on-road use, and regardless of what Toyota calls it it's nothing more than a Camry wagon. Don't forget the 2010 Venza will have an even lower ride height because Toyota doesn't want it classed as a SUV or CUV. The RX is, simply put the more versatile vehicle here.

The vehicle *itself* was radical because it was a new segment that the original RX created, but styling was NOT radical. The original RX has never been known for "radical" styling.

You could argue this RX is more radical because in hybrid form with the LED headlamps and blue-tinted tails it looks unique and stands out from other vehicles on the road. Whenever I see an LS hybrid on the road, I can spot it a mile away since it immediately stands out with its LEDs.

Regardless, styling is subjective here, and most people seem to think the exterior is decent.

SLegacy99

Thats what I was thinking. Perhaps the felt the 400h was representative of the current 268 HP.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

I think it's great that they focused on efficiency rather than just power, as 295 is plenty, but I am still just unsure about how they settled on "450h". It seems like they tried to make it sound a lot sportier than it actually is.

The rationale for "400h" was that it had the thrust and feeling of a 4.0L V8. Now we only get a 20hp bump which is supposed to be representative of .5L of displacement?

One Lexus "450h" has 340hp, and the other has "295hp". Since this naming system is based largely off subjective feeling, then they need to make the same guy do it for every car.

Additionally, I can understand that "4.5L" for a car and "4.5L" for a CUV/SAV/SUV feel quite different, but theres some underlying when the "450h" twins have a 45hp spread between them. RX 430h would have likely been appropriate- 4.3L V8= 290 hp, Hybrid RX V6 = 295 hp.

RX "450h" just doesn't make sense based on the numbers

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

Sorry but that is not the rear cargo area of my Rav4.. I have a 4.2 & not the 4.3.. The carpet area on the back of the rear seats and the plastics utilized in the 4.2 are very similar to the new RX in the photos.. Sorry to put the new RX on trial lol...

SLegacy99

Yes, I agree. Personally, I would have rather seen a focus on improved fuel economy, reduced emissions rather than more power. But, the modest power boost is nice. I'm assuming this 3.5L is direct injected.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

Both the U.S. & Euro versions of the 4.2 & 4.3 are made in Japan at the same plant

TRDFantasy

Again, I don't see how this is any different compared to the ES350, GS350, and IS350. They all have the same "350" monicker, but they have different power ratings. Likewise, I don't see how this is any different than the GS460 vs LS460, which also have different power ratings. I just don't see the big deal here.

The GS450h is more focused on performance, and you can easily see that in it's fuel economy ratings.

Finally, although the new RX hybrid has 295HP "peak" system power, you don't know how powerful the electric motors are. Maybe the new hybrid really DOES "feel" like a 4.5L V8.

I posted a picture of a 2009 Rav 4 interior. Here is a picture of a 2006 Rav 4 interior:



Here is also a picture of a 2006 Euro-only Rav 4 X Package:



Once again, I still don't see any similarities with the new RX rear area.

I've now posted multiple pictures of current-gen Rav4 cargo areas of varying trims and years.

Regardless of whether you have a 4.2 or 4.3 Rav4, there is NO Rav4 currently which has the rear hatch itself and the wheel well areas fully carpeted like the RX does.

You keep saying your Rav4 interior is different, but until you post a picture it means nothing.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I agree, they should have stuck with 400h.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

TRD, you really should go work for Toyota/Lexus or become a defense lawyer.

TRDFantasy

Likewise, you would be great Mazda PR representative .