Tall Driver For Rx400h

[CDR A]

Hi All,

I'm very interested in buying a RX400H but hesitate based on ergonomics. I'm 6'4" with 35" inseam. I can fit in the car with the seat fully lowered. I get the sense though that I'm looking down instead of through the windshield. My legs fit, but there's no real shifting room. My main concern is how this will play out over the years as opposed to a 30-minute test drive.

Are there any other tall drivers out there? Thanks!

CDR A

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Hi All,

I'm very interested in buying a RX400H but hesitate based on ergonomics. I'm 6'4" with 35" inseam. I can fit in the car with the seat fully lowered. I get the sense though that I'm looking down instead of through the windshield. My legs fit, but there's no real shifting room. My main concern is how this will play out over the years as opposed to a 30-minute test drive.

Are there any other tall drivers out there? Thanks!

CDR A

Morning CDR A,

And Welcome! 6'-5" here ... 35" inseam. I like long walks on the beach - Oh! wrong forum :P

Sorry, couldn't resist. But no problem here. Both my wife & I find the seating / lumbar support just fine, & we've made a trip back & forth between So Cal & the Flathead Valley MT a couple times ... once, straight thru - 19hours.

[Jim Clark]

A very tall friend (6'5"-6'6", long legs) sat in our 400h when we first got it. With the seat all the way back and down, his knees were up against the lower dash. He has that problem with many cars.

[NeoN]

Hi All,

I'm very interested in buying a RX400H but hesitate based on ergonomics. I'm 6'4" with 35" inseam. I can fit in the car with the seat fully lowered. I get the sense though that I'm looking down instead of through the windshield. My legs fit, but there's no real shifting room. My main concern is how this will play out over the years as opposed to a 30-minute test drive.

Are there any other tall drivers out there? Thanks!

CDR A

Morning CDR A,

And Welcome! 6'-5" here ... 35" inseam. I like long walks on the beach - Oh! wrong forum :P

Sorry, couldn't resist. But no problem here. Both my wife & I find the seating / lumbar support just fine, & we've made a trip back & forth between So Cal & the Flathead Valley MT a couple times ... once, straight thru - 19hours.

:lol:

[CDR A]

Thanks -- good feedback. I went to Carmax yesterday and sat in:

2007 BMW X3

2006 Lexus RX 330

2007 Acura RDX

Having recently test-driven the Lexus RX 400h, I decided to resample the X3 and RDX's drives. My impressions:

X3 -- roomy but right leg had to angle in some, sporty ride, pretty firm, had an early shift 1st to 2nd gear, don't care for the red LED electronics (reminds me of my first digital watches!), lots of options possibilities (this one had no Nav and leatherette), back seat was modest but worked, middle priced ($35k)

RX 330 -- felt cramped, earlier test ride of RX 400h was good, quiet, subdued, fine acceleration, smooth ride but transition from electric to gas engines felt clunky, body roll evident, electronics were acceptable, best storage, great back seats, priced highest ($37k for 06 400h)

RDX -- very roomy!, sporty ride, felt every bump, seats were very comfy but a little firm, loved electronics, good acceleration, same as X3 for back seat, almost all options pre-loaded (similar to Lexus), priced lowest ($29k)

I have two children (6 and 3) and am the occasional child carrier.

Overall, I felt the RX 400h (luxury, refinement, storage, green) and RDX (sport, electronics) were appropriately priced for what you get. I felt like the X3 was a good compromise for the features I like, but the price did not match value ($6k for roundel?) plus the one I looked at lacked Nav and leather seats! Yes, I know there are better deals to be made, but carmax prices are a good reference point for comparison.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

[RX400h]

Did you also compare fuel mileage? I would think that this is where the RX400h would really differentiate itself - that and acceleration with the RX400h being the fastest of the bunch with the RDX fairly close.

[Rick1947]

I'm 6'5", around a 34" inseam, 245 lbs on a light day. I couldn't fit comfortably behind the wheel of a Highlander (8-way power seat) but my RX400h is fine - the seat is adjusted all the way back, a few other tweaks. The wheel is all the way up. I drive it every day, no problems.

[chmod]

I'm 6'5", around a 34" inseam, 245 lbs on a light day. I couldn't fit comfortably behind the wheel of a Highlander (8-way power seat) but my RX400h is fine - the seat is adjusted all the way back, a few other tweaks. The wheel is all the way up. I drive it every day, no problems.

I'm only 6' 2" and weigh around 210. I find the seats to be really shallow, they hit me half way down the thigh. The seats are significantly more deep, and better all the way around, on Lexus' other high end cars. The 400 seats are just slightly better than 4-Runner seats.

I am amazed (but not saying you aren't OK with them) to read people posting as if they were premium, properly sized and the equal of Lexus other seats - they aren't even close.

NOTE: I am not refuting what you are claiming or somehow saying you are not telling it like it is - for you. I also like the car a bunch so this is not a criticism of the car overall.

But these seats compare poorly to other cars in the same price range. Ever sat in a Volvo XC-90 seat? No comparison.

regards,

chmod

[RX400h]

Without a doubt, no one vehicle has the best of everything, but to me, the RX400h makes up for its inadequacies in other ways. It's transmission, for instance is a step above almost every other luxury SUVs, I've sampled. Yes, it'd be nice to take the best feature of each and combine them into one, but I'm afraid that is not possible. Otherwise, I'd be installing a HUD unit ( like the one in my Corvette), oil temperature sensor, and tire pressure sensors in our RX!

[K.O.]

Interesting topic, I was JUST searching the internet to see if I could swap out seats (electric for manual) to correct my headroom issue.

I am 6' (but long-waisted) and DEFINITELY have a head-clearance & vision problem with my 2007 Lexus RX 400h.

Even with the seat lowered all the way down, I still must tilt the seat back ward to avoid brushing my head on headliner. The sunroof provides marginal relief, but not directly over my head (only if I tilt my head to the right). 

The biggest challenge is at stop lights; I must lean forward to see when the light changes from Red to Green.

Yes, legroom is fine.