Test drive Lexus RX 1998 - 2003 SUV

Centaur in Japanese armor

The virtual world of ancient Greek myths was inhabited by many strange creatures. Among them, centaurs were distinguished - half -boom -shedshadi, differing from the rest of the heroes and bisexual gods with the original beauty, inhuman strength, renunciation and quick wits.
THE BEAUTY
The first thing that catches your eye when meeting with Lexus RX 300 is its unique appearance. You look at it with anfas or a profile - a jeep. You look behind and a little from the side - a typical minivan. And in any case, its forms seem the most reasonable and suitable for each type of machine. Getting guess, what is the trick is useless. You just need to pay tribute to the designers of Toyota. Although the autopilot can offer such a version - unlike frame jeeps, Lexus has a supporting body. And experimenting with the body is still easier than with hinged details. At least the direct competitor - Mercedes M -class - feels some incompleteness in the appearance. And here everything is in place.
Owners argue that the appearance corresponds to the content - RX 300 and jeep, and family reference, and prestigious, fashionable limousine. You are aware of the last statement, only being inside. Prestigion is, first of all, a high -quality interior decoration, for which real leather and wood were used. A tree, maybe (and most likely), not the present, but the designers did not overload the interior with inserts from an expensive lining - they withstood the style of strict and elegant.
Fashion, she, of course, is the enemy of the people, but not in this case. Firstly, this applies to the location of the automatic transmission handle. She fits very well into the ledge on the front console. It seems in place, but not like everyone else. Secondly, this is a blind black instrument shield that comes to life with the engine and constantly shines the driver with a pleasant light, which Russian traffic rules are defined as lunar-white. Eyes do not get tired, and just very beautiful on a black background.
Strength and abuse
Lexus RX 300 was developed for the American market. Hence some inconsistency of the engine and speed capabilities of the car. Judge for yourself: under the hood there is a V-shaped six, which easily produces 223 horses at 5800 fractions. And at the same time, the car simply does not travel more than 180 km/h - there is an electronic limiter. Why do Americans love such large engines at pathological fear of high speeds? Moreover, the car can clearly be larger - kikstart easily turns on with impatiently pressing the gas pedal and easily disperses Lexus to 100 km/h in less than 9 seconds. Not every sedan can boast of such characteristics.
Again, electronics will take care of high speeds about your safety. The suspension stiffness control system practically does not allow the side rolls of the body in steep turns. The difference will be well understood by the one who went a lot to the first Grand Cherokee, who swayed on turns, like reeds in the wind. In Lexus, this trouble is completely absent, and the car stands on the road as a glove.
Sinners, made an attempt on an empty and dusty highway to brake at a speed of 180 km/h, ready to pick up the steering wheel at the moment when the car goes to the yuz. Even at first they helped her with a steering wheel a little. It wasn't there! In the bowels of the RX, something crushed, earned, and the car stopped smoothly and neatly. Again, electronics intervened, it is wrong - it ruined the whole test.
Sushfulness
Most of the owners of the Lexus RX 300 to the question of what do you like best in this car? Without hesitation, they answer: display! And only then they blush, realizing that it is not so proud of being so proud of what carries in the car only an information function. Although it is this part that appeals to the gaze of everyone who is the first time in the womb of the car. First of all, the image quality is amazing - like a decent TV. This liquid crystal display clearly reproduces all the information, regardless of the lighting, and even if it is directly lit by the sun. And the laid information includes: a triple -computer that considers everything - fuel consumption, estimated time on the road, the remainder of the fuel in the tank and something else - did not have time to consider. It shows the temperature overboard and the current time ready to remind you of something important. Not to mention information about setting up the climate control and managing the audio system - in order to understand all possible buttons and handles, you must obviously go to special courses.
Not all gold
The main principle of autopilot: cars are good and very good. But this does not mean that even in the best car there are no some minuses. So a person is arranged - he always wants more than he has. In the Lexus RX 300 we would like to have:
- A little smaller radius of the turn. At the place where Mercedes unfolds the first time, Lexus requires three visits;
- A wider range of seats adjusting - it is difficult to choose the most relaxed position of the body when the hands are extended and the body is slightly littered. By the way, it would be nice to regulate the steering wheel not only in the vertical, but also in the horizontal plane;
- brushes on the front headlights - after all, a luxury car;
- You can open windows and hatch from the remote control control panel. But you can close it back only when the key is in the ignition.
But centaurs were also not entirely pleasant to many heroes of ancient Greek myths. Although this did not prevent them from going down in history and being reproduced in marble and bronze for future generations.

The autopilot thanks the Intercontinental Autotrading, (095) 955-2440, for the car provided for the test.

Who else
In our country, Lexus is a sign of the unusual taste of the owner. Deviation from the norm (the norm is, of course, Mercedes). So, to obtain a more objective picture, it is worth seeing how his business in America is, where the attitude towards him is less biased. So, in America, over almost the entire last summer, Lexus RX overtook the Mercedes jeep ML320 in sales. Only now representatives of the two firms explained this fact in different ways
Lexus RX on average by two thousand dollars is cheaper than a Mercedes, and the buyer is very, very attracted by such an savings with no less comfort, ”Toyota was delighted.
The point is another, ”the Germans explained - the buyers, of course, do not compare Mercedes and Lexus. Just the demand for the ML320 is very great, you can even say, agitated. The plant does not have time to fulfill orders, and the line is stretched for almost a year. Such a long time does not suit some buyers, they make a choice in favor of Lexus. In short, the buyers of Lexus are just those who do not like to wait.
Go figure out who is right. In any case, Lexus RX has already managed to win the title on the American continent the most attractive in the sector of luxurious SUVs, as well as a prize with a somewhat strange name for the greatest satisfaction delivered to customers. But on the other hand, ML is called the best novelty of the year. It also sounds good. In addition, the Time magazine wrote about the Mercedes that he established new standards in the sector of luxurious SUVs. True, it is written about Lexus RX 300 in the same half that he raised the bar of the requirements for luxurious SUVs even higher
 
Model/Modification Lexus RX 300
Toyota Motor Co. manufacturer Ltd
The country-producing Japan
BODY
Type station wagon
Number of doors/places 5/5-8
ENGINE
Basin type with multi -point
injection
The location in front is transversely
Working volume (cubic cub) 2995
Number/location of cylinders 6/V-shaped
Cylinder diameter x Piston stroke (mm) 87.5x83.0
Compression degree 10.5: 1
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 164 (223) at 5800
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 301 at 4400
The number of valves per cylinder 4
TRANSMISSION
The permanent drive is full with the Torsen Interssex differential
Automatic four -speed gearbox
SUSPENSION
Front independent spring on triangular levers
The rear independent spring, with longitudinal and transverse levers, a reptile stabilizer
STEERING
Type gear-rake, hydraulic wrap
Min. Diameter of turn (m) 12.2
Brakes
Front disk ventilated
The rear disk solid
ABS is four -channel
Wheels
Tire size 225/70 r16
6.5JX16 'discs, alloy
Dimensions/Opam/Weight
Length/width/height (mm) 4575/1815/1670
Wheel base (mm) 2615
The track front/back (mm) 1565/1550
Clearance (mm) 297
The volume of the fuel tank (L) 65
Mass, dry (kg) 1830
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 180
Acceleration to 97 km/h (sec.) 8.8
Economy
Fuel consumption (l/100 km):
Highway 10.7
City 12.4
Mixed cycle 11.6
$ 55,000 molten price in Moscow
Nikolai Kachurin, Dmitry Novokreshhenov (photo)
 

Source: "Autopilot"