carfan1111

Hi, first post here!

I have a murano that is ending its lease, buy back is 17.5 (not bad). I like it overall, but it sucks in the snow ( I have goodyear fortera tripletread tires), and I dont really trust the cvt transmission

my requirements:
1) good handling in the snow....I live in the snow belt, I drive slowly, but I just dont feel comfortable in the Mo
2) good highway cruiser...I drive 500 miles a week on the highway, I just put the cruise on 80ish and go, I need to feel comfortable driving at that speed that the car can handle it
3) reliability....so much time on the road, must be reliable (this is where Im afraid of nissan cvt)

thats my requirement....I checked the MDX, but the gas sucks on that and I dont need 7 seats, the maxda cx-5 type are too small for my liking, and the Infinity FX looks real ugly lol
I like crossovers cuz I like to sit up on the highway
thoughts?

Im looking at 2010 rx with less than 25ish miles on them

kitlz

Welcome to CL, carfan1111. You've come to the right place. The RX is a great combination of reliability and luxury. In the 14 1/2 years I've owned one, the problems have been few and far between. All were covered under warranty and didn't necessitate numerous trips to the dealer. Twice a year, that's it. None of the RXs had any problems handling the snow. I'm the kind of person that likes to go out when there's 20" on the ground for fun. Even the little storms are no problem. You should definitely be ok as long as you have the right tire on. Comfort is definitely there. The seats can be adjusted multiple ways. There are radio and phone controls on the steering wheel, along with the voice command buttons to do just about everything else. For mileage, you can check this thread to see what everyone is getting. One note, the '10 RX does require premium. Lexus went to regular on the '12s and later.

Tell us more about the RX you're looking at.

corradoMR2

1) I live in Canada and I understand this requirement. The RX with AWD is a solid performer.

2) The RX is at the top of the class when it comes to highway cruising. It's exceptionally quiet and comfortable. The Murano does have sportier handling though.

3) The RX is top of the class on reliability. The Nissan CVT/3.5L combo is known for poor reliability.

A final note. If you want best AWD traction, the BMW x-drive and Audi Quattro systems are better, but you will get a noticeably stiffer and louder ride with an X3/X5 or Q5 than the RX let alone poorer reliability. You must also consider whether you want the RX Sport with 19" wheels which has a firmer suspension than the regular RX (even with 19" wheels) which can make the ride close to the Germans. Something to consider as well...

Good luck!

carfan1111

1) i just drove down from canada this weekend, the snow in upstate ny was scary!

2) i used to own the audi a6 , lovely in the snow, but its in the shop once every 3 months....im willing to sacrifice some awd and compensate with snow tires than sacrifice reliability

basically, my schedule is packed with 500 miles driving every weekend...I just cant afford reliability issues

Bearbrooke

Just purchased an RX450H over the new year and have been very happy with it. I owned an MDX, which is awesome in the snow, but you are right that the gas mileage is average for a typical SUV. Hubby is now driving the MDX, but I have to say that the RX is a really comfortable ride. I live in the midwest and we have had very little snow this season so cannot tell you how it will handle, but I am sure others will confirm that it probably does a great job.

Also owned a 2001 BMW X5 and liked that also. I felt the X5 had great reliability and we held on to it for 5 years, probably should have kept it longer. Sounds like you are doing your homework. Good luck with your decision.

UCSB

1. Can't help you with snow ... I use my Subaru Outback when I go into the snow.
2. I don't think I would get an RX if I was cruising at 80MPH most of the time. It can cruise at that speed for sure. But, the vehicle's handling isn't that great and you don't have the confidence that you would have in vehicle that was setup for that type of use. My last vehicle could cruise at 80, 90 or faster all day with no effort or worry ... the RX is just not that type of vehicle. Also, freeway ride quality is good for a SUV ... but, just mediocre when compared to cars setup for freeway cruising. It's freeway ride personality can change pretty dramatically depending on road surface ... more than you would expect in a luxury vehicle ... especially on concrete.
3. Reliability is great.

One thing I would look into is gas mileage. Mileage drops off with speed and it may be less than you expect.

Bayman

I had similar requirements for my car as I will be driving about 400 miles a week. It feels like you're going 60 when in fact you're going 80. If you're looking for better mileage, take a look at the 450H. The AWD system on the hybrid is different and I'm not sure if it is just as capable. I will let others chime in on that. But you won't go wrong with the RX. Good luck.

rayaans

1) The handling is very good in the snow. Obviously it will be better for the RX450h compared to the RX350 because of the mass.

2) When you get a Lexus, you know luxury is standard. Comfort will never be an issue unless youre an alien of some sort.

3) Again, Lexus is one of the best in terms of reliability. I know a guy with a Lexus IS and it has 220k miles on it.

4) I am also always fascinated by how slow I feel compared to the actual speed i am going at. Now, I don't recommend trying this but i hit the top speed in my 450h F Sport with one hand on the steering wheel. No vibrations, no shaking whatsoever.

kitlz

AWD on the 450h is fine. There's VDIM which takes power away from the wheel that's slipping. Reaction is instantaneous. The light goes on before I even sense a problem. I have to go up and down hills during my daily commute - can't avoid them. I remember my first real test driving home after work closed because of a snowstorm. I took a hill about a mile long with turns. By then there was maybe 6-7" on the road, a few cars but the plows weren't out yet. The RX handled it fine unlike the SUV in front of me that almost fishtailed into a curb. I've also used hill assist when a train forced me to stop on a steep snow covered hill. No doubt having the right tires helps in those situations. But I feel very comfortable driving my RXh in the snow. Next storm is Friday

carfan1111

i have looked at others, but crossed them off

jeep grand cherokee- failed the moose test, its on youtube, pass on that
acura rdx first gen- you can find great prices on these, but the 4 banger turbo engine just dont feel comfortable on long term reliability....turbos can always cause problems
acura mdx is too big, same with honda pilot
ford edge: seems to have reliability issues and i think its overpriced
i suppose i could look at the x5 again, although the interior on bmw seem so bland

any others Ive left out? to me, it seems like lexus gives me the best balance of all my requirements

ecr72

We had it narrowed down to the RX, Murano and Outback. If we drove in a lot of snow, I would have migrated to the Outback and looked harder at the Audi Q5. Given 99% of our driving is not snow, we opted for luxury over utility. We have a loaded Altima so we were very comfortable in the Murano but the reliability and higher end feel of a pre-owned Lexus won out over a new Murano or Outback.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

I went to test drive Audi Q5 last night and my thought this car drives, handles, and feels so much nicer than the RX. For the same price i think the only downside for Q5 is the rear space and less aggressive front in look. What's your opinion on the q5 vs rx?

carfan1111

i myself have re looked into the q5, and wow, it drives so much better than the rx

but the downsides

1) less cargo space
2) rear seats/space imo are better in lexus
3) ?audi reliability

I have it down to these 2....I crossed out the x5, i dont like the steering feel in it

Rxhopeful

I just purchased a '13 Rx on Dec 31 and I love it so far. I had it narrowed down between this and the Q5. The Q5 drives and handles great, but overall, I lived the luxury and feel of the Rx better. Plus, the placement of the side view mirrors was awkward for me- they seemed to block my view. Im a little taller than average for a female, and didnt have that issue in any other suv's that I test drove. Granted, I wasn't looking for a super sporty automobile, and was shopping more for value, comfort and reliability. Hands down. The Rx is a much better bang for your buck hands down, if that's what you're looking for.

carfan1111

I do agree the audi seems overpriced for what you get