Used Car Review: Lexus Rx 300:

[Lexusfreak]

For those who are intrested in purchasing a pre-owned Lexus RX 300, this write up might intrest you, enjoy! B)

Aug. 21, 2004. 01:00 AM

RX 300 gave easy entrée into SUV life

Lexus sport-ute served up virtues of its Camry forefather

Owners found few faults with impressive Toyota build quality

MARK TOLJAGIC

SECOND-HAND

"If you want to go off-road, get a used Jeep and beat it to death."

Sage advice from an Internet user who, in response to bleats that the Lexus RX 300 is not a real sport-utility, suggests the microscopic fraction of the driving public that actually does go off-roading wouldn't be shopping for a luxury SUV anyway.

For the rest of us, the RX may be just the right prescription.

By rummaging through its extensive parts inventory, Toyota was able to cobble together an appealing sport-utility in time for its launch early in 1998 as a '99.

As the he-man contingent is quick to caution, the RX 300 is a unibody platform (like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan Pathfinder) largely carried over from the Camry, although the four-wheel-drive version borrows bits from the RAV4 and Celica All-Trac.

In other words, a truck pretender in frilly underpants.

Still, Toyota is one manufacturer that rarely makes a misstep.

Knowing that the SUV driver is largely concerned with fashion, a tall driving position, comfort, safety, cargo utility and fashion (not to put too fine a point on it), Lexus made sure the RX delivered on all counts — employing car technology to stay within budget, and provide a class-leading ride.

The strategy worked. The RX 300 became Lexus's best-selling model from the day it hit showrooms.

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CONFIGURATION

The RX 300 arrived as a sleekly styled five-door wagon, powered by a modified version of the Camry/ES300 V6 engine.

In this application, the DOHC 3.0-litre motor was fed by a variable-volume intake system and variable valve-timing mechanism to boost low- and mid-range torque. About 80 per cent of its 222 lb.-ft. of thrust was available at just 1,600 rpm. And it churned out 220 horsepower.

To help make an already smooth engine even more sedate at idle, a unique active engine mount created pulses opposite to the engine to counteract shakes at the steering wheel.

The RX 300 was available with front-wheel or optional all-wheel drive. As with Toyota's All-Trac models, the AWD RX used a centre differential with a viscous limited-slip device to split the power between the axles.

The full-time, all-wheel version lacked a low range, so, again, while it's not ideal for rock climbing, it was more than adequate on gravel cottage roads or in foul weather.

The interior was roundly lauded for its design and finish. The standard four-speed automatic transmission gear selector resided in a binnacle high off the floor, maximizing space. Storage cubbies and cupholders abound.

There was seating for five, although the rear bench was mounted low to the floor, compromising comfort. Seemingly to compensate, the rear seatbacks reclined, a luxurious touch many owners like to boast about.

Unfortunately, the feature cuts into cargo capacity, which is a little disappointing for a vehicle of this size, say owners.

The RX 300 remained largely unchanged throughout its production run. For 2001, it benefited from some minor styling tweaks, a larger fuel tank and some new optional equipment.

The RX 300 was replaced by the redesigned and more powerful RX 330 for 2004.

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ON THE ROAD

The lighter front-drive RX 300 could sprint to highway velocity in 8.5 seconds, besting the V6-powered Ford Explorer. The all-wheel-drive model was only 0.3 seconds slower.

The Toyota engine made speed effortlessly. Silky and almost silent, the motor seemingly resided in the next county, rather than on the other side of the firewall.

Thanks to its extensive car bits, the RX 300 exhibited a delectably smooth ride and a well-sorted suspension, making for some very non-trucklike handling. For the vast majority of consumers, that's a good thing.

Still, given the higher centre of gravity and do-everything tires, the Lexus could only muster 0.69 g of grip on a circular skidpad. Braking performance was decent, requiring 58 metres to stop from a speed of 112 km/h.

By the way, almost everything that has been said of the RX 300 applies equally to Toyota's Highlander, which is the slightly larger, less-appointed spinoff of the Lexus, introduced in 2001.

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WHAT OWNERS REPORTED

We're always hard-pressed to find a disgruntled Lexus owner. And for good reason: Since the brand was first introduced in 1990 (a year later in Canada), it has been the top-ranked manufacturer in J.D. Power and Associates' vehicle dependability studies every single year.

"After four years, my kids still call it `the new car.' I can live with this kind of durability," wrote the owner of a '99 RX 300 on the Internet.

There were no significant mechanical headaches noted by owners in their posted comments.

There were some concerns, however.

Some owners mentioned the "ridiculous" turning radius, deemed far too wide for a compact vehicle. As noted earlier, others disliked the small cargo hold behind the rear seat.

And more than a few owners complained about the noisy sunroof at highway speeds. The wind-buffeting problem appeared to be addressed in the mid-generation upgrades of the 2001 and later models.

Overall, the Lexus RX 300 is an easy and sumptuous introduction to the SUV lifestyle.

It coddles you with creature comforts and safety features, provides you with a commanding view and still delivers decent fuel economy. Build quality and durability are above reproach.

Of course, you'll pay handsomely for the privilege of buying a second-hand RX, but that appears to be the prescription for peace of mind these days.

[bluestu]

RX 300s RULE!!! That's why I bought two of them. Look around and you'll find great deals. I paid right around 18k for each of mine with about 60k mi.. People will unload them around then so they won't have to pay for their 60k service which is over-rated and over-priced. All I've had to do is change the oil, air filter, cabin filter, and flush the transmission. That was less than $200. Everything else checked out fine. I kept my first Toyota Celica for 15 years and it still ran great when I sold it. I plan on keeping these cars for at least that long.

[PharmGuy]

Hey Lexusfreak,

Nice info in that review. I bought a 2001 Rx-300 and I love it. Totally

decent ride, reliable vehicle and I'm sure I'll get something when the time

come to do a trade-in. I had been used to buying Pontiacs, Olds, and

Nissan's in the past. but for the most part, you got zilch basically at trade time.

And they're also right, if you want to go off-roading--buy a Jeep. I can't

imagine driving an RX-300 or an RX-330 off-road, but I guess that depends

on your insanity in life.

PharmGuy

[Lexusfreak]

I thought a lot of the members would enjoy that write up B) I agree pharm, why would one take such a georgous machine like the RX off road? it would be such a waste!