maybe you should try another dealer. dealer quality varies tremendously, and you might be dealing with one who just wants to move the vehicles on their lot to make way for the 2019s.

 

Well, if Lexus doesn't want to give you what you want, by all means go look at BMW or Acura or whatever.

 

I guess he's not "experiencing amazing"

 

I have a 2018 FWD RX350 F sport and love it. In the Chicago area AWD is all dealers stock. Every dealer I shopped got an attitude when I asked for a FWD RX350 and tried talking me into "benefits" of AWD. I explained to the mostly uneducated sales reps that AWD on the RX350 is a marketing gimmick - 99.999999% of the time it operates in FWD. Only when a front wheel slips will it temporarily port power to the rear wheels, similar to Honda's system. I see no point in lowering MPG by dragging around approx 165 lbs of extra drivetrain weight that will only get "used" a few times a year. In addition, the owners manual even warns you not to drive extended periods with the AWD drive lock switch on and also says AWD lock mode is canceled at speeds over 25mph. (To avoid any confusion, the AWD systems on other Lexus models, like my AWD RC350, operate totally different and the RX450h is a FWD gas V6 with electric RWD making a hybrid AWD system.)

So when it came time to purchase a FWD I had 2 choices, go to Texas where FWD are all over dealer lots or special order locally. I ended up going the special order route to get exactly the options I wanted, like triple beam LED headlights. With RX350's being built in Canada it only took 2 months for delivery.

I would warn you that with 295hp and FWD if pushed hard you can light up the tires pretty easy, especially in Sport+ mode. So obviously you need to use common sense driving in rain or snow, but FWD actually makes the RX350 so much more fun to drive in my opinion.

 

And there you have the reason for AWD, you won't "light up" the tyres. Anytime you're driving in adverse conditions the AWD system can be beneficial, particularly in an emergency situation. ABS brakes, traction control, stability control, etc, etc all are things you don't use daily, maybe never, but they are there "just in case".

 

 

Apparently you missed my "more fun to drive" part, as in being able to spin the tires for a bit before all the safety features kill the fun. Having driven FWD for decades in adverse conditions like winter, I've never had an issue. If you don't have that experience then I could see the benefit of this type of AWD so you can get a participation award. It's funny to see the attitude difference in this RX forum vs the more performance oriented RC/LC/ISF forums where most get what "fun to drive" means.

 

The FWD unicorn still exists, here's 2019 sitting at a dealer in Texas...
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used...ting=218980317
Normally Park Place Lexus in Plano or Grapevine stock a few FWD's, don't see any 2019's yet, just 2018...
https://www.parkplace.com/VehicleSearchResults?search=new&make=Lexus&model=RX%20350&trim=F%20SPORT&drivetrain=FWD

 

I've grown up - "spin the tires for a bit" does nothing for me now, chewing through a few thousand miles of tread for seconds of "fun" is hard to understand.

 

No really a gimmick.

In acceleration, the 4 wheels are used and when reaching the cruising speed, the rear wheels torque is progressively remove to become FWD. You get better grip for quick acceleration. And yes also the rear wheels kick-in when the traction becomes poor (like wet surface or dusty road).

The reason it's not fully AWD is for fuel economy. OK it is heavier but still, you drive a FWD with the benefits of AWD when required.

I used the drive lock a couple of times in heavy snow storm (6 inches an hour), and you need to drive slow to keep it as it disengages at (by experience) 20 mph. But it is more designed for the start of pulling a tow load in bad terrain condition.

And in my opinion, taking a tight curve with a AWD holds better than a FWD.

 

I have the 2017 F Sport, FWD. Bought it from Georgia and shipped here. Why Georgia? I searched throughout California and almost all 50 states, and found nothing that was less than $60,000. The price from Georgia was the best and I went for it. I do not need AWD and feel the saving in fuel and maintenance will pay off right away.

 

***UPDATE***

After 4 months of delays, numerous promised build/delivery dates, excuses...I was finally able to get the car my wife wanted.

A 2019 RX 350 F Sport, with Front Wheel Drive.

When we went to the dealership, even some of the sales people and managers couldn't believe that an RX 350 F Sport even existed in FWD.

This is definitely one of the nicest cars we have ever owned. The triple beam headlights are really bright, and light up everything on the road. The car drives really well, absorbs all the bumps around town. The seats are really comfy. Seems like it is going to get really good gas mileage...especially on long trips when I am driving. The sound system and easy connectivity to our phones is really nice.

 

Congrats! And many happy miles!