Unibody Or Frame Built

[lowhombre]

are the RX unibody or built on frame? help...................

[SW03ES]

Unibody, it shares a basic platform with the ES, Camry, Highlander, Avalon, and Sienna minivan. Most SUVs are unibody nowadays.

[lowhombre]

Unibody, it shares a basic platform with the ES, Camry, Highlander, Avalon, and Sienna minivan. Most SUVs are unibody nowadays.

why unibody? arent frame built alot safer than unibody? need input please....................

[SW03ES]

The reason almost all passenger vehicles (and increasingly more trucks) have moved to a unibody from a body on frame design is because unibodys:

1. Are cheaper to design and build

2. Are stronger while being lighter

3. Their structure can flex while maintaining its stregnth which improves handling as well as long term rigidity (lessening rattles and creaks etc)

4. They dissipate vibration and harshness much better

5. They better incorporate inertia absorption (crumple zones) in the event of a crash

So really and truly my opinion would be that unibodies are safer than body on frame construction.

The negatives for unibody construction are reduced prowess offroad (due to the flex of the structure) and reduced hauling and towing capacity.

Body on frame designs are a thing of the past today for everything but towing, and in time I think they"ll find a way around that. As a matter of fact I think the only car that still has a full frame is the Lincoln Towncar (which is why they are so commonly made into limos)/Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis which is on its way out. As far as trucks, the big pickups/SUVs (F150s, Tahoes & Suburbans) etc. Explorers, the 4 Runner/GX470 and the LandCruiser/LX470. Almost everything is unibody.