Lexus going it alone with the development of the 2009 Lexus RX.

Quick, cover up the secret of the current RX.

I didn't know the RX is a rebadged Hilander which is a rebadged Camry?

Just because cars share components doesn't mean they're "rebranded." Because then just about all cars are rebrands of other cars.

Hopefully the new RX will once again get a matching alloy spare wheel mounted inside the vehicle in a proper wheel well instead of being exposed to winter salt and slush as has been the case for the last few years.

the reason why they did that was so people didnt haven to reach down and pick up the spare out of the trunk. Its much more convenient to drop it from the bottom. Also, most lexus owners call for help in that type of situation.

LexusKindaGuy12, your argument is a rationalization of a stupid decision by Lexus. It is a lot easier to lift something out of a wheel well 2 feet off the ground than to lift something from the ground, especially after having to struggle to disengage the chain and hook in the winter cold, salt, and slush. Besides, an alloy wheel is not all that heavy anyway. Also, you may have to wait an hour or more for help to arrive.

Your perception of Lexus owners would indicate that their time is valuable so they would want the option of changing the flat tire themselves. Laast but not least, if an owner decides to keep his RX beyond the life of the original tires, having a matching alloy spare saves the cost of buying a fourth new tire and having it balanced properly because the best of the old tires can be used as a spare and only 3 new tires need to be purchased.

Lexus has heaped more maintenance upon customers because the mechanism for lowering the spare wheel that you favor requires periodic maintenance to counter the ravages of exposure to winter salt and slush.

Although it doesn't seem nice to expose the spare tire like that for a lexury SUV, BUT I always thought it was a better way to do so. So LexusKandaGuy12 has a point. Take this for example. What if you have load in your car, then you'll need to unload everything to get to the spare tire. Now you might ask, what about the rest of the cars (sedans, sport, etc...) they all have the tire in the trunk, and the answer is, maybe they should all have it to drop down from the bottom, but still have it covered so its kept clean.

Just because components are shared it doesn't mean it's rebadged. Usually you pay more for luxury. Otherwise, the Mercedes S-Class is a rebadged Chrysler 300C.

Basically the Lexus RX is the same as the Toyota Harrier, not the Highlander that is offered here in USA.

Yes when I went to malaysia I saw the harrier, and I thought it was a Lexus until I saw the badge.

saw one when I went to Myanmar too, its nuthing different. the highlander is called the kluger in japan.

Check out the Toyota Prado and the Lexus GX470. Its a conspiracy! This is why I DONT buy toyota.

http://www.budgetpanama.com/images/autos/toyota-prado-Std-Full-Big.jpg

http://www.aussiemotoring.com/pics/Toyota/prado-dash.jpg

My deboosts show that the truth hurts and some people just cant handle it.

BUCK

How is the 5 series a low quality car when it kicks your beloved GS' ass? What does that make the GS?

Quite the trolling already! The X5 handles almost like the 5er, doesnt mean its a rebadged 5 series! Remember not everyone is like Toyota and Lexus!

The X5 rides on a 5-Series platform.

Fact.

Is this something bad?

I have no problems with platform sharing, unlike every single German fan on this site that claims to have a problem with it when Japanese brands are involved, but when German brands are involved, there's "nothing wrong with it."

Well in BMW's case, its the same company sharing platforms, but in the japanese's case, its a luxury car sharing from a mass producer. In I dont have any problems with any of them anyway.

Actually, I know someone who isn't stupid (his IQ is 150) and he drives a Lexus GS. That therefore disproves your statement. What kind of people make false statements?

Why doesn't Lexus do a better job of styling the RX? The latest upscale Hyundai SUVs look a heck of a lot better than the RX with its strange, unclean, and complicated details.
Will, I believe the X5 does not share a platform with the 5 series. It's a unique chassis.

So many people talk about Lexus being a rebagged Toyota. But I wonder if they've asked themselves, what's wrong with Toyota?

Also lets remember this, the "mighty" Audi is nothing but a rebagged VW, or the Jaguar is nothing but a stinking Ford. As far as BMW and MB, they never had that big of a company to have different branches, so that's why they always remained BMW and MB.

So if we compare Toyota and VW, my goodness Toyota is no where to be matched, so I would definitly buy a rebagged Toyota then a rebagged VW, in turn I would pay for a rebagged Toyota than a BMW, MB, why? cause these are the parent companies just like VW, and they share similar technologies since they come from the same country, so if one is crap you see the rest being crap as well. But Toyota, the parent company, is a GREAT company and when they have a dedicated lexury brand, then no doubt about it will be even with hiegher quality. And this is nothing but the truth, and the sad truth to some unfortunatly. :-)

VWs are overpriced in North America. End of story.

VW is a different story in the US. sry I can get a good deal on an lx accord than a passat. i'd avoid the passat since recent ownership of one...

vws are a bargain? ok the rabbit is, but what about hyundai?

I like how Lexus fans defend their product, let that be an Acura and see how it gets trashed. The RX has alot to prove because honestly right know the MDX is so much better, looks, performance, size, tech you name it we got it.

Does Lexus have prestige?

Only in the USA, Im not bashing Lexus or anything, but Lexus is only 18 years old. So its not that much better than acura in this area...

PRESTIGE IS GREAT BUT WITHIN THE PASSION FOR PERFECTION, WHY IS ACURA MDX A BETTER VECHICLE? SOMETHING TO PONDER.
AND YES THE CAPS ARE INTENTIONAL
WHERE'S THE HEATED REAR SEATS

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz show 5.4 in their specs)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the (REPREHENSIBLE) Toyota/Lexus people.....

What does that coment have to do with this post many companies were effected by the revised ratings including Acura and Nissan. The only companies that gained were American car companies.