ftatiger

I am interested in buying a 2019 Lexus RX350L with Tow Prep Package. But I looked everywhere on the eastern side of USA all Lexus dealerships, none of them have a 350L with Tow Prep package while the 2nd row seat is Bench Seat instead of Captain Seat. I don't like Captain Seat. I prefer to have bench seat because most of time I will lay 3rd row down to increase cargo space. I don't know if 2nd row bench seat option doesn't/can't coexist with Tow Prep Package. Called 3 dealers, 2 of them said they can and one said they can't. Called Lexus Tech Support, basically bunch of people without any knowledge and they kept asking me to ask and trust dealer salespersons. Towing becomes almost a deal breaker for me.

Here is my question. If I purchase a RX350L with 2nd row bench seat and without Tow Prep Package, can it still safely tow something without damaging the car and void the warranty? If so, how much can it tow? I don't seem to find anywhere online for a definite answer to that. I hope someone here can help me.

Also, if I decide to take the risk to install a hitch without tow prep package, what hitch should I get? Is wiring going to be a headache? Does the underneath spare tire prevents the hitch from being installed? Many thanks in advance.

JSracer

what are you looking at towing ??

ftatiger

Nothing dramatically heavy. Maybe a very small trailer big enough for me to rent aerator from Home Depot a couple of times a year or other tools. Not going to tow a boat or anything like that. Thanks. Want to know the limitation without so called Tow Prep Package.

ftatiger

Read from another post, it seems Lexus dealer will not install hitch for you unless the car is equipped with Tow Prep Package from factory. Still waiting for someone to answer my questions in the first post. Thanks.

xxx350L

I too was hoping to find an RX with tow prep, but no luck. Don’t understand these dealers as the tow prep pkg is only a $265 option. After the purchase of our new RX350L, I asked the dealer to install a factory hitch and the answer was no. No tow prep pkg, no factory hitch. We want the hitch for a Thule bike rack; not going to tow a small trailer ever. I’ve researched hitches, and Curt just made one available yesterday. The part # is: 13394. You can call Curt at 1-877-287-8634, and ask which retail dealers will have the product. I like E-Trailer, but they don’t have it listed yet, might take a few weeks. The only other hitch for the L model is Draw-tite, but that hitch is fully visible under the rear bumper facia, while the Curt is concealed except for the actual 2 inch receiver. In terms of voiding the vehicle warranty, if you tow without the tow pkg, that includes HD radiator, HD fan, transmission oil cooler and wiring, and you cause damage to the transmission, or overheat the cooling system or brakes, then Lexus probably won’t cover that under warranty. Now even if you had the tow prep pkg, the car will only tow 3500 lbs. I’ve towed a lot with diesel trucks, and to be honest, there are better equipped SUV’s that will safety tow 5000lbs plus. The Lexus is not an ideal tow rig.

xxx350L

Forgot to answer the question “how much will it tow?” IF you had the tow prep pkg, the answer would be 3500 lbs. There is no official Lexus tow capacity number for tow prep delete. So my advice, check the GVWR on the car and stay under that number. We had a 2008 RX 400h and, at that time, our dealer installed a factory hitch without having a tow prep pkg, and we towed a 2000 lb recreational trailer and never had a problem. Small utility trailers would not over tax the car, so use good common sense and you will be ok. As for the wiring, unless the mfg has provided a pig tail somewhere near the rear of the car, you will have to splice into the factory harness. No big deal if one knows what they’re doing. With a light utility trailer, you won’t need a brake controller. States have weight limits before trailer brakes are required. Good luck.

Kansas

I think there is. The 2019 RX Owners Manual says:

Trailer towing (vehicles without towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus also does
not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier
for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.

xxx350L

There you go, I stand corrected. When in doubt, read the owners manual. I, personally, call BS to the recommendation that you should not add a hitch for carrying bikes. I will be adding a hitch for a 50 lb. Thule 500XL bike rack. The combined weight of the rack and bikes is approximately 130 lbs. That 130 lbs. is then subtracted from the payload rating of 1235 lbs. I’m good.

Kansas

Of course it's BS ... maybe written by lawyers.

The owners manual for the fancy Prius v wagon my wife drives has the exact same verbiage as the RX owners manual about not towing except for the substitution of "Toyota" for "Lexus". That didn't stop me from installing a receiver hitch on it for carrying a 2-bike rack and I'd tow my 1,500 lb. gross weight utility trailer with it if I didn't have a better tow vehicle.

Toyota uses some awfully fuzzy logic regarding towing capacity in various world markets. For example, all Toyota and Lexus vehicles that are rated to tow 3,500 pounds in North America are rated to tow 4,409 pounds (2,000 kg) in Europe. Are the Tow Prep Packages different in Europe? Nope. It's BS.

I wouldn't be concerned about towing up to 1,500 pounds with an RX that didn't have a Tow Prep Package. That said, I wouldn't buy an RX without a Tow Prep Package if I knew I was going to do any towing and a Tow Prep Package was available. I'd go with the 2nd row captain's chairs on an RX-L just to get a Tow Prep Package. The 2nd row RX-L captain's chairs are really nice and comfortable.

Getty

So bizarre how different parts of the country tend towards different packages. Here in the midwest you almost can't find an RX without the tow-prep... and if it's an F-Sport, it automatically has panoramic sunroof... meanwhile... just a little ways down south to Georgia... and it's F's with normal sunroofs and no tow-prep.

I agree... there are certain things that they should ALL have... the tow-prep, and touch-less rear hatch are so cheap... they should just put that option on all of 'em.

Honestly... if more "non-F" RX's had the ML stereo... I'd have opted in on that too, but nope... gotta' go F in my area to get it.

ftatiger

Thank you very much for the information and advice.

ftatiger

Thank you very much for the advice. I called etrailer.com and they said there is no hitch available for 2019 RX350L yet. I think I am just a casual tower, maybe a few times a year renting some tools from Home Depot, (such as aerator, would be 500 pounds less) or buying some trees from Pikes. Haven't thought about towing a boat or something. Maybe one day I will regret not getting Tow Package. I just don't understand Dealer don't put Tow package and 2nd row bench seat option together for some reason while Lexus Tech support hot link says they can coexist. Economic reason???

ftatiger

Hi "XXX350L", I see you are in CA. I am in GA. Over here half of RX350 have Two Prep Package installed since it is so cheap yet so functional. But not RX350L, I found none in the whole east if it comes with 2nd row bench seat. Don't like Captain seat because I am losing one seat. For me to go with L is to get two emergency seats and when they are folded down, I got bigger cargo space. I can find L price close enough or similar to non-L. so I think, why not. Thanks.

Kansas

etrailer is a pretty wonderful company. I've bought receiver hitches, draw bars, electrical harnesses, two hitch bike racks and a variety of towing related gadgets from them.

As I said earlier the "build" feature of the Lexus website is clear about the Tow Prep Package not being available with the bench seat on the RX-L. If I were to speculate about the reason for this, it would be to compensate for the RX-L weighting 242 pounds more than the standard length RX and to keep the combined maximum weight of the vehicle with passengers and luggage and a 3,500 pound trailer under the 9,360 pound maximum shown in the RX owners manual. If this is the case, it would not be the first time that Toyota has reduced the potential number of passengers to reduce the total vehicle + trailer weight.

This begs the question: Do you really need the long version of the RX? If you are going to leave the 3rd row stowed most of the time like you said and since the 3rd row isn't suitable for adults larger than dwarfs (no offense meant to dwarfs), then maybe the regular RX (with the Tow Prep Package) would be a better fit for you.

xxx350L

Very well said Kansas. The regular RX 350 is only 4.3 shorter than the L model, and the L only has 2 cu ft more storage behind the second row seats. Both have same wheelbase. I’d give up 2 cu ft for the second row bench and tow pkg. You can recapture the 2 cu ft by installing a Thule roof mounted cargo box. Got cake and eat it too!