First Drive: 2010 Lexus RX

As a 26 year old male, I know I am certainly not in the RX demographic (primarily women). However, I have never understood the appeal of these "SUV's." The exterior design has always been ungainly and odd. There isn't that much cargo room inside as well. I just never understood why somebody would choose this over an ML or X5.

You took the words out of my mouth bro! I'm 26 and feel EXACTLY the same way as you. What really gets me is when I see a MALE driving one of them. I'm not even heterosexual and wouldn't be caught DEAD driving it! Now if a gay/bicurious guy isn't feeling it, it must be a total dud! That libido-killer for any MALE (not MAN) that gets stuck behind the wheel of this thing. I mean, seriously... do real men actually CHOOSE these things or do their wives have them so whipped that pu**y ass marshmallow cream puff RX's become magically 'appealing'. (LOL)

Don't even get me started on the Toyota Trans'venza'ite! It looks like a pre-op in transition LOL! We don't know what the current classification (sex) is. Toyota says car, the government says 'mid-size crossover SUV'. Maybe after 4 years and enough sales, he-she-it will get that much needed operation and simply become a Camry wagon or simply vanish into the Witness Protection Program to never be seen again! (LOL)

Correction: That MUST be a libido-killer for any MALE...

I agree with HS' comments above and add, in explanation, that Lexus are a triumph of marketing over engineering and a triumph of expectation management.

No doubt, the vehicles are solid performers at a good value, but what Lexus really excels at is making its customers feel like their expectations were exceeded. Take the RX for example, the people buying this most likely live in a suburban condo complex but very, very occasionally have a slight need for more cargo capacity than offered by, say the ES sedan. They also like the perceived security and performance of the SUV platform (in AWD and FWD configurations.

These people most likely will never need the 'extras' they are purchasing along with their RX, but like knowing they are there.

Case in point - next time you are skiing, take a look at the parking lot and note how many RX' you see - not many, I bet. Whereas you'll see many ML's, GL's, and X-5's - the more serious SUV's.

I was never a fan either, an this new one looks to similar to the current model. Im not a huge fan of this interior either, the current model has a better interior. Im 23 man, not a soccor mom or old couple so Im more for the big SUVs or sport sedans an coupes.

I always get a kick out of the women who try to act snobbish and say they drive a Lexus RX. Nobody is impressed that you are driving a tall station wagon built on a FWD Toyota Camry platform whose design styling could be best be described as "buggish." Plus you could have bought the RX's twin, the Highlander, and saved thousands.

nybimmer,

YOu state "Lexus really excels at is making its customers feel like their expectations were exceeded." Well, if they are "making there customers feel like their expectations are exceeded", than what's wrong with that? Doesn't everyone want their expectations to be exceeded? And if the "feel" like their expectations were exceeded, well then that customers "expectations were exceeded".

"the people buying this most likely live in a suburban condo complex but very, very occasionally have a slight need for more cargo capacity than offered by, say the ES sedan. They also like the perceived security and performance of the SUV platform (in AWD and FWD configurations. These people most likely will never need the 'extras' they are purchasing along with their RX, but like knowing they are there."

What a half-baked statement. What's the difference between a X3 and a BMW 3-series or a Mercedes ML and C-class then? Aren't they also just buying the SUV for as you say: "slight need for more cargo space", "perceived safety of a SUV"? Last time I checked none of these SUVs are made to go off-roading!

Lastly, as someone who knows many Lexus owners, my parent's being owners of 2, Lexus reputation isn't merely marketing. The cars are very well engineered. well engineered by you probably means "handling", "Performance", etc. But excellent engineering is much more. A Lexus' quietness, reliability, safety, etc. wouldn't be possible without excellent engineering.

That engineering has shown up in both of my parent's Lexus. A 1995 Lexus ES that they still own with 175K miles and has only had 1 starter motor replaced in 14 years and a 2000 LS400 with 120K miles which has had nothing replaced.

Wow, your parents drive really old cars.

FillorKill, maybe his parents drive old Lexus bulletproof-reliable cars to save money and to invest it in educating their children at Massachusetts Institute of Technology? Or to invest it into spinning their own business? Or to insulate their house and live more ecologically? Or to get rid of spending the entire life in huge debt (better known as "The American Way")? Who knows. Certainly assuming that sinking big bucks into car depreciation, maintenance and repairs should be the key priority of any human being is a narrow-minded approach, isn't it?

Downtoearth, maybe Skinny's parents have been saving up for that eye operation so that one day Skinny could read and go on Autospies and brag about having old cars. It's a miracle!

In all seriousness, I was just pointing out that his family drives old cars (a '95 and '00 are old in my book). To each their own, but I would be embarrassed if my family had a 14 year old car.

Nein, German cars are waaay cooler.

Looks like it's a new year, but with plenty of the same-old anti-Lexus nonsense.

No amount of marketing will create the success that the RX has had. If Lexus spent a billion dollars on an ad campaign for it, it would still fail if it wasn't what people wanted.

And those buying it likely don't do so in an effort to define themselves sexually either.

Answer, I don't know why you waste your time here. You're too smart and open-minded to keep posting here.

The new RX has had numerous reviews, and most, if not all of them, rave about the technology and ride feel of this vehicle.
The badge whores would have you think Lexus is putting a gun to people's heads to get them to choose it over other SUVs.

YAWN!!!!!!!

Typical Toyota Bland Styling.. Should appeal to the soccer moms who want to be in the "Going Green" social network.

what's up with a bunch of 23 24 years old not interested in RX? it is high unlikely that you will buy a 40k car in the first place anyway (unless you get a rich parents or own a company of some sort, then it is a different story)

Average luxury car buyers are all older than 40 years old. That includes BMW 3 series. it is perfectly normal for your teenagers to not understand any luxury cars until you are old and wealthy enough to buy one.

btw, that's one thing I dislike about a lot of comments here. a bunch of high school/college students, who has no income nor purchasing power, tend to comments on cars that they wouldn't buy in a foreseeable future. Calling a car is stupid or purposeless just because you are not their target audience is a stupid act.

Also, as a rule of thumb, you should not buy a car that cost more than half of your yearly income, especially during this depression session. You cash is better invested for things that will appreciate later on.

Don't make assumptions ghosthunter. I'm 26. My car is an '07 328xi coupe. When I bought it in Nov. 2006, it stickered for approxiametly $41.5k. That is in RX territory. I don't fit the demographic for an RX buyer (I'm not old, married, or a woman), but I still could have bought one instead of my Bimmer.

Are you really the biased idiot you portray yourself to be?

If the sheriff has been in town for ten years, would he really be considered new? Also truthpursuit, are you really rolling on the floor laughing your ass off? Seriously, who uses those expressions other than girls in 7th grade?

This crap is ugly interior does not look like a 40k+ car I would take the MDX any day over this and I like Lexus but this is a step backwards and it's small.

The interior is not cheap in any way if you see it in person. Also rememebr, Lexus has another 2 SUVs above this vehicle, GX and LX. An MDX is ok, but no way near the other offerings.

It's not nearly as bad as I thought in the show photos, but I still do think there's something deformed about the front end.

I was gonna say the same thing. The front proportions look wrong. I prefer the old one's front.

I agree and the headlights are too Camry-ish...

Oh come on, the RX has a very specific target demographic and it's not the "car enthusiast" but the "upwardly mobile female with kids". Here's a woman who wants to reward herself with a "brand name" car for all the work she's put into her job to get to where she currently is. No, she doesn't make the "big bucks" yet, but she makes enough to allow her to pay a little extra to indulge. The Lexus RX is that car. It's more practical than a sedan, more reliable than an ML (and much much cheaper), and also cheaper than an X5 as well. But, it's classier than a Highlander. Yes, the target audience is women. My mom and niece each have one, and they absolutely love it.

I'm pretty certain that given the price point, this RX is easily the number one choice among women shopping for a "family hauler" in that price range.

There are 3 RX's in my family. There are a couple in my neighborhood. There are dozens and dozens in my hometown. The Lexus bashers can rip it all they want but no one can deny that the RX has a very nice complete package. It does everything well and with ease. Its not a BMW, Benz or Range Rover, image wise, or (compared to BMW) driving wise, but Lexus' stands behind their products like no other. Case in point: I own an '03 GX which has had a few problems, probably because it was an early production vehicle of a brand new model, but at about 90,000 miles recently I noticed paint bubbling near the center of each wheel. Now this was not an area of the wheel subject to normal wear and tear, such as from curb rash etc. At first the dealer offered their 'standard' solution: repaint the 6 year old wheels and split the cost: $600 meaning $300 each. I said I was disappointed with that and with the fact that peeling wheels were not very Lexus like! The service rep. nicely said that he'd talk to the svc. mgr...Later that day he called me with a new offer: 4 brand new factory wheels at no charge, courtesy of Lexus not the dealer!! Now, honestly, what other manufacturer would do that?? Their cars may not stand out in many catagories, but the company: Toyota/Lexus, really is as good a company as there is out there......P.S...Should I have asked for a 5th wheel (the spare)?

Exactly what the article gets at. Lexus has continued to improve a product the best way they do it. BTW, you're pushing it with the fifth wheel ;)

most people feel sexually confident enough that they don't need a ferrari drop top to feel like a man.

the RX hybrid gets the job done. it has everything you'd want from a great family car in every category.

Not very attractive inside or out...I felt the same about the last one & continue to question how this thing demands the premium it does over an equally equipped Toyota.

The new RX is plain ugly(just like the old one). I would say in line with all the other garbage built by Toyota/Lexus.

Remember Star, at you not with you...