hey fellow CLers i currently own an 08 IS250 AWD and thinking about switching to either the 350 or 450 RX. can any current owners chime in on any issues or problems that you have with the RX? according to my SA the RX and ES and LS are the only models with least amount of problems. the Is has too many noises and rattles and carbon issues. i was also interseted in a bigger car.

 

Have you considered a 3rd gen IS? IS350 has both port and direct injection, so it doesn't suffer from carbon build-up that early IS250s did. AWD on it will also be better.

RX is a whole new animal and drives very differently. While IS is a well-balanced, RWD-based platform, the RX is FWD with part-time AWD system. It is NOT a fun car to drive, it is a car to cruise in and relax.
Personally, unless there was a need to haul a family, a dog and a lot of stuff, I would not buy a vehicle this big and heavy.

Also, check out the new GS. It also features AWD and is supposed to handle much better than previous gen. Interior in the new GS is outstanding. Then again, so is the new IS and RX.

P.S.
No issues with the RX, other than massive torque-steer when trying to drive aggressively.

 

Well, if you call this "massive", then those 80s era front wheel drives must have been called "super massive gigantic gargantuan wrist shattering" torque steer

Put near 300hp on one of those suckers would have ejected people out of the side window.

 

thanks vlad for the info. i also forgot to mention im also concerned about gas. i like the new is350 however its still a tad small i think. i like the GS however i heard theres still a few problems here and there..?

 

No problem. The RX350 is not the best on gas as it still features good 'ol proven port-only injection.
Being a Hybrid running in Atkinson cycle, 450h is the leader in its class, but it will still be in the same range as IS250.
I like the idea of having some form of port-injection over direct-only injection and dealing with carbon build-up even at a cost of MPG.
If you're looking for a good mileage, weight is an enemy: SUV is not the best option. Same goes for handling.

 

I've been wanting to start a thread about it, so here goes:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...que-steer.html

 

Ca1vN, I owned the same '08 IS AWD and I currently own a CT and I'm on my third RX, latest one being the F-Sport. Here's my honest breakdown, being as fact-based and detailed as possible (get a coffee it's a long read):

INTERIOR and OVERALL BUILD QUALITY

1 a). The IS had a tonne of squeaks during warm or cold temps in the car, particularly surrounding the center stack - radio, HVAC, vents, and surrounding grey trim. I know where you're coming from here. These squeaks were present from Day 1 and progressively got worse. I posted a few posts on putting felt, etc to help reduce them in the IS forum and it helped but not my much. Even the dealer's efforts were fruitless. This is the MAIN reason I traded the IS back after two years.

1 b). In comparison the Gen 2 RXs were more solid and had a couple of minor squeaks surrounding the side vents and center stack with high/low interior temps. The Gen 3 is even more tightly put together on the interior, however, I have had the minor but annoying ticking sound (rattle) from the driver's door from Day 1. There's a post that helped with eliminating the majority of the noise by removing the interior black window surround trim and adding felt. (Metal on plastic while driving made the noise). 80%+ resolved. Expect, however, some other minor "rattle" sounds when hitting bumps coming from the rear trunk area. Had that with all SUVs/CUVs I've owned and has mostly to do with the rear hatch and rear seats. I had removed the rattle-prone tonneau cover across all RX Gens as that will drive one crazy.

2. Fit, finish, and materials quality similar and excellent in both the IS and RX Gen 3. RX Gen 2 not as good but close nonetheless. The IS leather was top-notch however and looks and feels marginally better than the standard leather in the Gen 3 RX. The IS had a very solid yet heavy feel to the doors (car does weigh close to 3700 lbs.) RX door feel while closing is not as tight or solid but close to the IS - keep in mind the RX doors are huge as they uniquely cover the rocker panel like the Toyota Venza (which I owned too at some point .

3. It goes without saying the RX is roomier and you will not feel the slightly cramped feel of the IS thanks to the RX's 4+ inches of wider interior room and wider view forward. Space-wise, interior cubic feet is comparable to a full-size car while the IS is two-car class sizes down at a "compact" class at about 20 cu ft smaller overall. Rear-seat was fixed in the IS while the RX has a very practical 40/20/40 arrangement. Trunk, you go from 13 cu ft to 40 cu / 80 cu ft with rear seats down.

4. I won't go on about features and other creature comforts as i'll need another thousand words, but I will say that the standard sound system in the IS was not very good. The F-Sport has the Mark Levinson, no comparison here (although not a fair one).


PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING

1. a) The IS' acceleration was somewhat weak, though the buttery smooth 2.5L V6 more than made up for it especially under hard acceleration. It sounded and felt better as the revs went up, contrary to most other engines (including the 3.5L in the RX). The IS 6-speed auto first gear shift was rough at times, though most of the other gear changes (up+down) were smooth majority of the times. Limited paddle shifting control since the computer "decided" when it was appropriate to upshift or downshift limiting the fun. I drove in "D" 99% of the times.

1 b) The 08' RX 400h hybrid powertrain was library quiet in electric mode. When the gas engine kicked in from a stop, it was felt but was not harsh. On hard acceleration, it was powerful and CVT made the experience very smooth, though the 3.3L V6 was heard and felt somewhat. Can't say for the Gen 3 hybrid but I can imagine the transition of the 3.5L V6 is more seamless and noise is reduced in the 450h. If my 2011 CT was better than my 08 RXh in this regard, I can't imagine the Gen 3 RXh not being better. The Gen 3 RX 3.5L V6 is coarser sounding and not as smooth as the IS 2.5L especially in the higher revs. It is however more powerful and about a half second quicker than the IS 2.5 AWD 0-60 mph. The 8-speed auto in the F-Sport is nice. Manual shifting via the paddles or tranny stick gives you much more control as to when you want to upshift or downshift making the experience more fun. Leaving it in "D", shifts are also smoother than the IS though first gear lurches a little and to avoid that you need to be light on the throttle initially.

2. NVH - The IS was very good, better than the Gen 2 RX at higher speed. The buttery smooth V6 made the experience better in the IS under hard acceleration over the Gen 2 or current RX. Strictly speaking, for highway cruising NVH, Gen 3 RX is better than the IS but not by much. The CT is noticeably louder as a highway cruiser thanks to tire noise, just to provide some perspective here.

3 a) IS handling was good overall, with some body roll present though felt a little heavy on cornering, more than what you would expect in a sports sedan. Road comfort good overall with bumps soaked up well (save for those dreaded rattles). All-weather AWD traction was good, no complaints but I changed the Bridgestone Potenzas that came with them as they were poor in snow.

3b) Gen 2 RX was very soft swallowing the bumps better than the IS but at the expense of lots of body roll and little "fun" in the handling department. Gen 3 RX different story. I do have the F-Sport so can't speak for the regular suspension setup. The F-Sport's suspension is firm but not harsh. Similar to the IS in comfort, but you will feel the bigger bumps a little more in the F-Sport. Body roll is BETTER in the F-Sport than the IS and despite it's 700 lb heft over the IS, it feels tighter and a tad more nimble due to the buttoned-down suspension and lateral performance dampers. Note, I also have a CT and the F-Sport has slightly flatter cornering than the CT but the CT is more nimble (1200 lbs lighter!). AWD traction better than the IS AWD thanks to its clearance and locking diff. VDIM is great in bad weather and steers the RX to the intended direction you want to go in. Of course laws of physics can only be cheated so much...

OPERATING COSTS

1. Fuel economy in the IS was fine. Averaged 10.8 L/100km overall (22 mpg). The RXh averaged at 9.7 L/100km (24 mpg) and the 3-month old F-Sport at 12.8 L/100km (18 mpg) over the winter. To note, I expect around 11.5 L/100km (20.5 mpg) overall once spring/summer comes along to improve the consumption. The '13 RX takes REGULAR gas and if I recall, the IS takes premium so overall fuel cost differences would be negligible.

2. Reliability issues, none with any of the Lexus vehicles I ever owned. Wear and tear good as well with the exception of the Bridgestone tires needed replacement after 20000 km (15k miles). F-Sport came with Michelins that have a higher treadwear rating so expect double the life. Some RXs come with Dunlops and have been controversial according to the reviews/posts. They are stiffer, noisier, and have a lower treadwear rating than the Michelins. Never had to change brakes or anything else over the 2-3 years I kept my cars, besides changing the oil...


Overall, love the RX F-Sport and would trade the 08' IS AWD for it in a heart beat if you are considering an SUV with some sportiness injected. Check my other posts on pics of my F-Sport or check the sticky roll-call. Good luck.

 

My wife and I each had 2007 IS250s. We recently traded in her IS for a 2013 RX350. Each recall on our IS' (and there have been a few) - the local Lexus dealer would give us RX350 loaners. Sneaky plan. Anyway - we got a 2013 RX350, and plan to use it for longer trips and such. Maybe it is because it is new, maybe because the suspension is a lot more refined.. but the RX350 has a much smoother and relaxed ride to it. After years of driving sport cars prior to our IS250s, and then the IS250s.. it is actually really nice to have a vehicle that you can do long trips in - and not feel beat up afterwards. There is a boatload more room in the RX, if you have backseat passengers.

We kept the other IS250.. and that is my daily driver. It's sportier.. and doesn't have Nav, or the iPhone integration of the RX.. but is still a great car.