msubee

We have been owning the RX for 4 months, overall we are happy with the purchase.

The lack of "fun to drive" factor on the car is over compensated with the very smooth ride and quietness of the cabin.

JT4

A friend of mine had a loaded 2013 Highlander which I thought was a very nice vehicle. He just replaced it with a 2016 and I couldn't believe how much more refined it was than the 2013.

chandlervt

You should test drive it. Mazdas are fun to drive but noisy as hell wrt cabin noise.

Have 2015 RX with 6000 miles. Had a back seat rattle when I bought it but they replaced the whole rear seat and now the rattle is gone. Its quiet and smooth. I was initially thinking of getting rid of it at the end of lease but now I will probably keep it. I don't like new RX's seats and drive feel. So if I want to stay with Lexus I would need to keep this car. Only other car I can reasonably justify within my budget is ES350 but I don't want that.

Sadly I have accepted that all other cars will be noisier in comparison unless I want to spend more money. So I would spring for a Mini and hope they have improved since I last owned it in 2007 for a glorious period of 1 year (what a piece of junk that was!)

Clutchless

The New York Times video review of the CX9 said they addressed the prior noise issues and had a thicker floor pan. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/au...line&te=1&_r=0

I suspect MINIs are still junk per Consumer Reports repair survey. I had a 2009, got it used in 2010 and sold it in 2012 right after warranty ended and I paid $700 to replace turbo oil pipe due to crap gasket design that failed due to heat! But the guy I sold it to is still driving it and loves it!

lexus114

not a mazda fan what so ever here. they are not one of the japanese better made vehicles. or mitsubishi.

rj4510

had a Mazda for a few years. Fun to drive, but did it ever fall apart quick. It was a 2002 model, so not talking the 80s here. Never again.

airboss

I have to say - I drove a 2015 Highlander when I was looking at a 2013 RX.... I was surprised how well I liked it! I didn't need the space and found a good deal on a 2015 RX. I'd consider a Highlander if I needed the third row.

JDR76

The new Highlanders are quite impressive. The only thing I really don't like is the touchscreen (don't like them in general), but I love the available panoramic sunroof.

We love our RX, but the lease is coming to an end in the next few months. Our family has expanded since we bought our RX in '13, so this time around we'd really like to get a third row. If we didn't want the third row, I think I'd just buy out my RX.

NateJG

I'm with you regarding touch screens. I really like the positioning and utility of the joystick in my '13 RX - only I wish I could reorder a couple of the menu selections. Not having to raise my arm to point/touch a screen is easy on my shoulder; and being able to operate the navigation (I.e., and e.g.: North Up vs Direction Up; and Repeat; and zoom) all at my right armrest - is supremely convenient (regardless of how the Slow-Learners at Consumers Reports dislike it).

rj4510

As technology goes, I liked the speed of the touchscreen in my GX, but got used to the RX fairly quickly. Comparing it to the tech on the MDX, I'll take the GX. Audi has some nice features in the way they display songs and their 3D maps, etc. navigating through their menu system is truly insane. BMW is rather intuitive in some respects, but they are darn good about making sure you have to click 10 times, where one would do. Nice looking set up tough for the most part.
Overall, I was one of the whiners when I hit my RX, but even my technophobic wife navigates through the menus fine at this point.

Could it be better? Yes, but definitely better than most I've seen.