I'm a long time lurker on this forum, and finally getting serious about buying. The virus lockdown and a lousy local dealer have made lots of test driving difficult. It would sure be helpful to hear other's thoughts on RX handling characteristics. I drive a lot of WV mountain roads. My wife's 2017 Honda Pilot (20" 245/50 wheels) is decidedly unfun to drive in the mountains, although highway driving is fine. I just gave up company car (Ford Escape, my last Ford fleet car after 37 years and a million miles in them!), and am looking for my first lux or near-lux vehicle. Something reasonably enjoyable to drive in the mountains would be nice. Anyone have thoughts on how the RX350 would compare? A race car isn't necessary, but a barge on wheels isn't good, either. I'm also considering the Acura RDX. It has some issues, but the consensus is they are fun to drive.

Any general comments are welcome. In addition, here are some specific questions:
1. The 2020 is supposed to be a little stiffer than prior 4-Gens. Is there a noticeable driving difference? I'm considering both new (2020) and 2018/19 used.
(I'd only consider 20" wheels on the RX, as the 18s look awkwardly small to me.)

2. Do the adaptive dampers in the F-Sport make a noticeable difference? Does the F-sport sacrifice highway ride quality?
(Even though I'm very thin, I don't know if I could get used to the hard and tight bolstering in the F-sport.

Thanks

 

I have a 2017 RX350 and though I love the vehicle in MY environment, in yours my 1st choice would be Subaru, either the Forrester or the Outback, they have a much lower centre on gravity and are much more fun to drive.

 

Background info

I had a 2016 pilot, and we currently have a 2018 subaru outback with the 3.6 liter six , and a 2020 rx 450h with about 5000 miles on it.

First of all, I think your assessment of the pilot is spot on. Good on the highway, but not great on mountain roads. I live in the pacific northwest which has similar hills to your area. In a nut shell, the rx is a better then the pilot and my wifes Subaru...and its a bunch nicer vehicle overall.

I was all hot to buy a new MDX, but they are at the end of their design life and I did not want to wait for the 2021. I did drive the new RDX, and its a really nice car to drive. Its more sporty to drive, and feels pretty nimble. What I did not like was the way you had to use the info system, and my wife was not a fan of how they did the dash area. Compared to the RX, it is probably better hitting the hills, but the RX is quieter and more comfortable to drive. The RX has a revamped info system that has a touch screen that is really nice, not to mention they now have car play and android auto. The new RDX have those as well, but not the touch screen,

Final comparison is that to me the pilot felt pretty big in parking lots. The RX and RDX are several inches narrower than the honda, and are actually almost exactly the same width. The RX is about 6 inches longer. They both feel pretty nimble, but to me the RDX is a bit sportier. Have fun driving them.

 

I should have added that my 2020 450h has 20s, and they look and ride great. They came with Michelins from the factory.

I did drive some with 18s on test drives, but I did not notice any difference in the 20s vs the 18s. A lot of times people over inflate the tires, and this causes vehicles to be stiffer then they could be.

 

The RX is a great vehicle, but it definitely geared for the highway commute vs the twisting mountain roads. I think that you would find the RX comfortable, but not particularly sporty or engaging. I also considered the RDX (I have owned Acura since 1988) but the ongoing issues with infotainment and other problems, (along with dealers unwilling to deal) made it easy to leave the brand. The RDX is awesome for the driving experience that you are looking for in an SUV....you just have have to deal with a crapload of other issues. As I am getting older and I have a very long highway commute each day, moving to the RX worked for me and I am very happy with my choice. As always, all cars are a bit of a compromise. Good luck!

 

Wow, just a few comments so far, but super helpful. Many thanks to all. The Subaru notion is a non-starter for me. They are not bad vehicles (my son's both drive Subi's), but not what I've waited a long time to buy. It sounds like the RX is a reasonable compromise between quiet/comfortable and good-enough handling.The RDX is intriguing, but there is no longer an Acura dealership in WV. Given what I've read about warranty claims for them, lack of a local dealer is an additional knock.

 

Have you checked out the 2020 Honda Passport AWD Touring or Elite models? I drove a new one last week, and the handling is excellent when equipped with AWD with torque vectoring. Power is strong with 3.5 V6, and the cargo area behind the second row seat is great. It’s a incredibly practical 2 row SUV that’s fun to drive. The Elite is very well equipped and stickers for 44K.

 

Since we already have a Pilot on the garage, I haven't thought about the Passport. My wife's 17 Pilot is AWD and the Elite trim. It's a very nice vehicle and a great highway cruiser with room for lots of stuff. It just drives like a barge on curvy roads. Would the Passport be much different? It has the same wheelbase as the Pilot, and I thought it was raised a little (might be wrong, though), which wouldn't help the handling.

After 37 years in Fords, one of the lux brands is in mind. Don't get me wrong - I don't feel entitled to luxury, I just want it.

 

Luxury understood. Regarding the Passport: The Passport handling and steering is a very different than a Pilot. If you get a chance, test drive a Passport, and it must be AWD to feel what torque vectoring does on a corner. Take care. Be safe.

 

Let me offer an alternate opinion - the only really disappointing part of the RX 450h for me is the handling. Particularly the emergency handling. The steering feel is okay, but the emergency handling under braking is very poor. Based on your Pilot comments I'd test drive numerous times under varied conditions prior to buying.

Background: I've owned a 2012 MDX (excellent handling but needs interior update), 2015 BMW X5 (loved the handling and engine, but steering feel poor), 2017 Macan GTS (no complaints, just small) and the RX 450h.

Based on your description, consider an Acura if you can live with end of life dated redesign, buy a BMW if local dealer, buy a Porsche if you can pay the $$, and buy the Lexus if you don't mind a smooth well balanced ride and steering feel, but don't mind poor handling in emergency maneuvers. I haven't driven the Palisade or Telluride, but lots of awards for them. Lexus dealer service is by far the best IMO if that matters to you.

 

Thanks again to everyone. C3uo, that's a good list of vehicles you've had. The RX350 is a done deal now; I pick it up later today. The RDX was the only other vehicle I seriously considered (Volvo XC60 got some looks, too.) The RDX forum has a lot of common complaint threads and with no local dealer, didn't seem like the right choice for me.

 

Congrats! You can't go wrong with the Lexus. It's terrible at nothing - just doesn't handle as well as the Germans. That said, reliability is a step above for the lexus in comparison... let alone the costs (especially service). Enjoy! We've found the Lexus & Macan a great combo.. I take the Lexus for all daily driving and road trips and Macan when I want a sportier drive.

 

Congrats, OP. The RX is great for what it is. Quiet, smooth, comfy and most importantly the wifey loves it.
IMO it’s not a canyon carver - F Sport or not.

 

They need to increase power to the rear wheels somehow. The F Sport suspension is great and the bucket seats hold you well around corners, however the understeer on this car can be dangerous with spirited driving. The RWD on my Macan just feels amazing, but it is def not as plush as my RX450h F.

 

Coincidentally, this just popped into my mailbox: https://www.motortrend.com/news/best...C41FEB9754F4A5.

Of course, the RX doesn't appear to have even made the test list. The Macan scores well in the figure 8, and the Honda Passport isn't bad in the real-world double lane change test. Both are mentioned earlier in this post. Good on both of you, erican13 and xxx350L!