ljc2007

We are VERY happy owners of a 2007 RX400h AWD with 18" wheels. My dealership's service department (Bellevue, WA) is courteous and helpful, and almost "Honest Abe" straight with me when repairs or warranty work is needed. I hope this is an appropriate place to describe my opinion on the 2010 & 2011 models of the RX hybrid, as I experienced these cars as "loaners". My Service Rep reminds me that my feedback will be more likely seen, online, than if I rely on telling him. I know, employees are listened too less than customers, that's life. FYI, I am a software quality assurance engineer (aka, bug detective, lol) and I previously owned a Toyota 4Runner and a Nissan 300ZX standard transmission, among other cars. Why I will not buy a new RX hybrid as the design stands today: 1) Not as much acceleration as my 2007. I am in love with my model year's hybrid-boosted power, as I am a 48 year old speed-freak (ex-ski instructor, equestrian endurance racer, white-water river guide). 2) No place to put a purse (other than an unusably small & dainty one, lol) anywhere except the passenger seat or the back seats. That little "cubby" under the oversized center console, is too small, too inaccessible, too out of reach, if you have a bad back and a shoulder that tends to pop out of socket, FORGET stuffing or tugging anything in/out of that purse cubby. The 2007 has that wonderful forward/backward adjustable center console, so that you can push it back far enough to even get a large tote bag to slide into the purse area in front of the console. And since this area is open from the top and both sides, the passenger can get things out of the tote bag without moving the bag! 3) The control mechanism (mouse roller ball and "click to select") for the computer system requires MORE "looking at the screen while driving" than my older 2007 touchscreen version does! With the touchscreen, I have memorized the locations on the 2007 screen where the next "button" I need, will display, and I can rest my thumb on the bottom of the touchscreen's plastic frame, keep my eyes on the road, and when my peripheral vision sees the next action "button" display, I already had my finger hovering over it. This takes NO time, and minimizes how often I have to directly glance at the screen. On the other hand, with the "mouse" type new interface,... I have to pull off the road and park to ensure that I'm moving the mouse pointer from wherever it HAD been, to where it now needs to go, and then try not to accidentally move the pointer while using a mouse button to "click/select" it. Lexus design team: please note that often a driver is on a long stretch of road or highway where there are NO safe pull-offs for many, many miles, and when the car is approaching a highway interchange in such a situation, and the driver needs to know if the upcoming interchange will allow a side-trip to a restaurant or gas station, the driver wants to be able to learn this BEFORE driving past the interchange and being stuck going 50 to 100 more miles before an opportunity to exit and reverse directions on the highway is reached. In addition, if my DH is driving, and I want to operate the computer system from the front passenger seat, it's almost impossible due to the physical location of the mouse/controller and the fact that it does NOT have a "thumb button" for the left hand use of a person sitting in the passenger seat. My 2007's touchscreen is equally reachable and usable from both front seats, which we prize greatly. 4) User Interface: In my last loaner (a 2011 RX hybrid) I sat in the service drive until I managed to pair my smartphone with the bluetooth, set the mirrors/seat/ergonomics as I wanted, and set a few destinations for the errand-filled day I had, before I drove off. (My service guy was swamped, and although he said "hang on, I'll be right back", he never came back in the 20+ minutes it took me to set things the way I needed them.) But it was NOT intuitive!!! Of course, due to theft, manuals are not kept in "loaners". I very much doubt most non-techie people could figure out how to do this. 5) The overly "forward" position of the front-seat headrests! My 2007 headrest is perfect, I like to drive with my head in contact with the headrest, yes. But I also, being female, often have my hair in a ponytail, chignon, clip, etc. The 2007 headrest does NOT push my head uncomfortably forward when I wear my hair "up". The 2010 & 2011 I've driving, make me feel like a turtle, even when my hair is NOT "up". This is painful, and a complete deal-breaker for me. FYI, I am 5'6.5" but short-torso'd. The headrests in most cars, contact the center-back of my head with the most "forward-bulging" part of the headrest. They can never be adjusted low enough to put this bulge at the back of my neck, and if I adjust them high then my head hits the metal posts of the headrest, not the cushion. I hope Lexus puts some thought into the stature of women who purchase/drive this car series. 6) The giant elephant of a center (between front seats) console! This is a deal-breaker, as I'd never be able to climb over it, to get into the drivers seat from another part of the car. Does this sound nuts?? Well, living first in Silicon Valley, and now in the Seattle area, I have to do that at least once per month. It has often been my experience, that sadly, compact car drivers park in the larger parking spaces. I often (80% of the time) cannot find a non-compact parking space for my 2007 RX400h. But, it's narrow enough to fit in compact spaces as long as my neighbors park their cars as centered as I do. But when I come back to my car after an errand, very often one of my parking "neighbors" has been replaced by a car parked within 10" of my driver's door panel (they have a non-suv, so their side mirror didn't conflict with mine, haha). Now, being fairly agile, but NOT a size 2, I find myself forced to consider other doors for getting into the driver's seat. I have had to use the passenger-side front door (relatively easy to slide my legs through the "purse slot" between the dash and the sliding center console in my 2007) to get my body into the driver's seat and leave) often. I have also (only twice, thank goodness), been forced to climb into my RX400h through the back hatch door!! I can take off my shoes so I don't mark up the leather upholstery, put down the backseat center armrest, and squeeze/slither feet-first between the backseats, then climb over the center console, and use my sea-kayaking skills to slide myself, feet first, into the driver's seat under the (thankfully raised) steering wheel. So, NOPE, NOT going to buy a new (or second) Lexus RX hybrid as long as that center console "elephant" exists. Even if Lexus' Design Team doesn't read this, hopefully it will be helpful for people considering buying. Oh, forgot to mention: 7) No plug-in for an iPod??? My 73 year old mother uses an iPod and plugs it into her car... come ON Lexus! Forcing us to use the cassette adapter for our iPod is ridiculous.