jacksonlui

Took delivery of a new 2010 RX350 today with premium and Nav options in silver. they call it tungsten pearl. whatever, it's silver.

This replaces my 2001 RX300 which was a great car and till this day still runs great and has never given me any issues. I wasn't expecting too much from the RX350 but boy was I wrong. The improvements are huge and here are a list of things that I like:

- they've fixed the turning radius issue, awesome!
- love the handling, it's a light tighter, just enough, not too much
- it's a lot quieter
- the bluetooth works a lot better than the one in my Infiniti
- the touch lock and unlock is great
- love the auto open trunk/gate
- both cars are smooth, I didn't find this any more smooth
- the NAV which I didn't expect to buy is pretty good. haven't gotten use to it yet. I may have to play with the settings, but my Garmin Nuvi seems to have more info on the screen.
- the remote touch is such a great invention. love the tactile feel when you're hovering over a button. whoever though of this should be promoted.
- the sounds system is better in the RX350 than the RX300
- love how the side mirrors tilt down when you're in reverse
- the seats are so comfortable, love the lumbar. I want one that massages you too.

Things I didn't like:
==============
- the clock is placed too low and I don't know how to get it to show on the screen
- there's no cigarette lighter socket on or near the dash, this sucks because I can't plug in my radar
- the key fob is too big and I was told there is no wallet key for the RX350
- i hate having to step on the brake before I can start the car, safety my ****. I find this very annoying.
- I don't really need 19 inch wheels but it came with the car and just costs me more money to change in the future.
- the center cluster display shows average mpg. mine shows 16.7 which seems wrong. the graph in the nav shows 22mpg. haven't figured that out yet.

it's only my first day so i'll post more after the honeymoon period. so far Lexus has done such a great job in the past 9 years. since I bought this for my wife, now I'm thinking I might need a new GS.

Jack

RXSF

omg i remember my old RX300. the turning radius was horrific. really cause a lot of embarassing moments.

as for the new RX, legitimate complaints you have there. the clock will never show up on the nav screen, but is there a setting on the instrument cluster display?

where ever you heard that the RX doesnt have a wallet key, you were most likely lied to. the wallet key while is not an option and is not standard, can be bought from lexus and programmed to work with any lexus with the smart entry system.

as for the brake before start, you have to push the brake to change gears anyways, so pushing it before starting and pushing it after starting isnt that big of a change. lol

rxets

19"? You got the sport pkg or just have 19" added onto your RX?

As for your average MPG and graph on the Navi, you can play with it and reset them. After a few plays, you'd get the better ideas.

Congrats for your new RX10. Enjoy.

jacksonlui

thanks for the replies
i'm in socal and the premium or nav package has the 19inch as an option.

i usually start the car from the passenger side in the mornings when i stick my head in and start it to get it going, etc.. maybe old school from the east coast. maybe cars these days don't need a small warm up.

i'm really surprised at not finding a 12v outlet. oh well. need to figure out how to hardware it. kind of leaves portable devices in the dark if they go on the dash.

there's no setting in the cluster display, i meant when you push up and down, it changes to different displays (average mpg, average mph, how many miles left to drive on the tank of gas, etc..)

DigMyM35x

1. In regard to having to brake while you press the start button - yes, that is a safety issue. Imagine if you are starting the car like you do - half hanging out of the passenger side and the car was left in gear and you lean in and press the button and the car lurches or takes off. That would probably be a bit more annoying (and awful) than all of the collective braking each time you need to press the start button over the life of the vehicle
Another big reason for the braking is that if you don't press the brake when you hit the start button, it will cycle through the 'accessory power' so you can turn on the radio while sitting in a parking lot, etc. without having to turn on the engine. No brake when you press the button? Accessory power! Hope that helps. I'm sure it will still be annoying since you are used to starting your car from the passenger side but you definitely get used to it. Incidentally, I have the same thing on my Infiniti and love it. Works identically! My wife has no idea how much she'll appreciate not having to dig through her purse for her keys to get in and out of her car.

2. I agree about the clock and the Nav. For some reason it doesn't seem like Lexus puts as much effort into their technology as others. Sure the Remote Touch is cool but it really is just a touch screen interface using a cool joystick. Don't get me wrong, I really like it but it was probably just a response to user complaints about fingerprint smudges on their Nav screens and the interface would probably work a bit better with the touch screen for access (i.e. going back and forth to the audio screen since there are no hard preset buttons). The remote touch interface is definitely cool but the nav graphics are so-so and they don't have enough information on the screen at the right times. Lexus navs have always seemed like the display technology is about 3-4 yrs behind the curve, even in the new vehicles. That being said - this Nav is much better than on my wife's 07 RX and there are some really nice improvements. It just doesn't feel like the display technology you would see in 2010. (Take a look at the new Audi or drive down to your local Infiniti dealership for a test drive). Great - sure, excellent - no!

3. Still learning the mpg settings but I think you may have to reset the two different displays separately. I know that doesn't make sense and it should all tie together (see comment above about some of the tech feeling a few years old) but try resetting both manually before driving off one day and see what happens. Then try resetting just one and then just the other. That's what I plan to do one day but I don't really care about the graph on the display too much. Too confusing Don't forget there is also the 3rd mpg calculation for 'after last fill up'. I'm not sure why one would need so many mpg displays but I guess more is better than less. I see a reason for each display and I'm sure people would complain if they took one away. Please let us know if you figure out the secret!

Glad you are enjoying your ride and have fun figuring out all of the new toys. Again, there's some great stuff in the car but, other than the remote touch interface, there isn't anything earth shattering from a tech perspective unless you get one of the rare, fully loaded RX's.

Cheers!

Jay

klegrow

Jackson, the values for MPG in the Nav and instrument panel are separate. Mine also displayed very low values at first. However, you must remember that they idled the car for quite a while between the pre-delivery checklist and delivery training. You can reset each of them separately. For the Nav, there is actually a button to select for resetting. On the instrument panel, go to the average MPG, then press and hold the enter button on the right of the steering wheel.

afpj

You don't have an outlet in the center console?

jacksonlui

nope. don't see it. there's one in the armrest but the cord stretches too far.

afpj

OK, that's what I meant, the center armrest. That's where I have the radar detector plugged in, and the wire is routed along the driver side of the center console area & up to the dash. I suppose it could look better, but it's not in the way and it works fine. I miss having one right in the dash.

DigMyM35x

Yeah, another glaring omission from the cost cutters.

There will be times when you might want to plug something into an outlet (i.e. a cell phone you wouldn't normally use in the car) and there is no quick or easy way to do it if there is no outlet there.

I'm more than a little bummed about a number of the cost cutting measures that they implemented on the new RX and I hope they ask their customers and listen to them. Taking away lighting may save a few dollars but people notice those things. As do taking away audio preset buttons and a dash mounted (or easily accessible) outlet plug.

Not earth shattering but I can see the guys with the clipboards saying: 'ok, we have to save $40 per vehicle, what isn't necessary and what can we cut. Let's think about it, everyone brainstorm and then let's make the changes'. Probably a stretch but not too far off I'm sure. Those little savings add up in volume but can cost in customer service and expectations.

Still love the car but have that nagging disappointment about these little things.

Jay

jacksonlui

where do you put your quarters? i didn't see a place to hold coins.

Cruiter

Of all the things you mentioned, that's one of my biggest gripes. I moved up from an '03 RX300, a really great car. But other than (little things I liked better in the old like individual arm rests, expandable pockets on back of front seats, cigarette lighter) this car is not only a vast improvement but also a stage up in luxury, performance, and new features. At least IMHO.

I wouldn't go back, no sir, I like it.

klegrow

Cruiter, I wouldn't go back either. However, it really seems like Lexus missed the mark on so many things. It's really sad that the new Ford Taurus was thought out much better in terms of technology and little finishes. That being said, I obviously sucked up those dissapointments and bought the RX because the core car was just so much better. Hopefully Lexus will get the message and step up the car. Different customers will look at these shortcomings and pass on the RX.

jskennedy

my mpg values are linked

when i reset the avg-mpg (not the avg since last refill) w/ the steering wheel buttons, it causes the nav screen that shows the mpg's w/ dates to generate a new graph bar

klegrow

Kennedy, I'm guessing the separation is a feature of the 450h. So it makes sense that yours is separate.