Test drive Lexus RX 1998 - 2003 SUV

Lexus is coming

The new RX300 was created to conquer Europe
 
The Japanese regard the novelty as the main weapon, which should help them win the sympathies of Europeans, as with the previous model we managed to earn the trust of the Americans. Until now, 68% of sales (and since 1998, when RX appeared, 525 thousand such cars were sold) accounted for just in the United States, and only 15% for Europe. Now everything should be different, they decided in the corporation, developing the model precisely under the standards of the Old World, which is significantly different from the one that comes to the new one. And the corresponding advertising slogan came up with: the new RX300 changes everything!
 
But we will not speak for the entire continent, but in Russia the premium brand Toyota Motor has strong positions. In any case, we have sold Lexus cars over the past year more than in eleven European countries combined. Moreover, on Russian roads you can find both - both continental and overseas - versions of RX. Of course, European modifications are officially supplied to us, which were offered to journalists on the blessed island of Sardinia.
 
Overhaul on the left
 
There are no words, Sardinia is beautiful, moreover, it is almost perfect for organizing international tests-drives: there are excellent tracks, and narrow, but with good coating, mountain serpentines, and goats of the trail for SUVs. It is without reason that more and more corporations are presenting new cars here (here in this issue of AI two reports from one island). One thing is bad - the manners of Italian drivers. They are distinguished, for example, such a feature. The Italian leaves from the secondary road to the main one always quickly, certainly protruding his nose - maybe they will miss, and stopping at the last moment. From the habit - scares. And not in vain. On the incredibly narrow path, where in order to settle with the oncoming car should be taken on the side of the road, one of the crews of our colleagues was not lucky - the driver could not dodge some fossil Fiat. He demolished him a bumper and headlight, but still ended up in the field where lambs grazed peacefully.
 
I would not mention this in a regrettable case, if he did not clearly illustrate the reliability of the structure. So, the driver of the Lexus RX300 rode, as he himself admitted, at a speed of 80 km/h. Ahead is a small rise, on the left is a fragment of an old stone fence, and not a single house around. Just because of this fence, where it is difficult to imagine the road (of course, no warning signs), and the old little car jumped up, who had practically no chance of a successful outcome. Only at the last moment the driver of the RX sharply turned the steering wheel to the right. If he had hesitated at least for a moment, the story could be much sadder, and the fiatic would have developed, as the satirist said, in half. And so - there were no injuries for people. But not for cars. Under the right wheels of the RX turned out to be a ditch from a half meter depth, blocked literally after a couple of meters with a concrete slab - a bridge. The front right wheel Lexus took on the main blow - such that the tire jumped off the disk, the wheels turned even more towards the turn, and then several metal racks with a thorny wire stretched between them were swept in the path of the SUV, as if, as if, as if Trostinki, until the car finally froze with roll of 30 degrees.
 
As a result, the incident: the left side of the RX300 received a long dent from contact with FIAT, the car lost lower protection, damaged the front right wing, bumper, wheel and, possibly, a stand. And - all! No, in any case, a hint of violation of the geometry of the body. It is not without reason that the manufacturer indicates an additional strengthening of the front suspension and that using high -strength steel, the hardness of the body has increased, although it does not indicate how much. But it is already clear: it has grown enough to protect the driver and passengers in such a situation by 100 percent. Moreover, none of the 9 pillows of safety worked: the on -board computer fully considered that this was useless. Moreover, Lexus eventually crawled back on the road where the tow truck stood! I can confidently say that not a single passenger car I knew would withstand such a crash test with the same, we can say - minimal, losses. But the RX300 cannot be attributed to the clan of true off -road attack aircraft. However, more on that later. In the meantime, since it was about the safety of the car, - about its other components.
 
The Lexus RX300 has a very effective and, no less important - correctly working in almost any road conditions, the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) exchange rate stability system. Personally, I never had a desire to turn it off: multi -channel ABS slows one or more wheels exactly when it should, without interfering with the driver, but insuring him from too risky maneuvers. Of course, there are systems for the distribution of brake efforts (EBD), Brake Assist and antiprop -based TRC.
 
In the most expensive configuration, the adaptive lighting system Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFS) is proposed. It would seem that just a few luxury cars began to be endowed with the ability to direct the light bundle towards the turn. But Lexus was the first to teach to look for the turn of the head headlights of the SUV. And his rear lights are now not simple, but consisting of LEDs. The point, of course, is not so much in the inconspicuous saving of fuel, expressed by a figure of 0.8%, but that the diodes light up 10 times faster than ordinary bulbs. The engineers calculated that this, for example, guarantees an additional 6 meters to the driver of the car walking behind, if the RX300 slows down at a speed of 100 km/h. Finally, among the airbags there is one special one that protects the driver's legs, which was not there before. And the side now have a larger volume.
 
It is important to go, not know
 
Why scare the potential owner with unnecessary information, if it is important for him to know what this or that innovation gives, and not how all this works? Apparently, guided by this consideration, the company representatives during the presentation focused on the consumer qualities of the RX300, very sparingly about technical details. However, it is difficult to get rid of car journalists, but we don’t know about, then we’ll try, for that, a test drive.
 
On the other hand, really: why think, if you can just enjoy the trip? You are struck by the noiselessness of the V6, the absence of the slightest vibrations - well, enough! It may not be necessary to remind that it rests on special pneumatic supports. But the fact that its power due to improving the intake and release systems increased by 3 hp, it may not be superfluous to say. If the reader is interested in why the 3-liter engine is delivered to the European market, and not a 3.3-liter, as in the USA, then I will say that the whole thing is the economy and conformity of the V6 3.0 standards of the Euro 4, which enter into Strength since 2005.
 
If it should be pressed on the accelerator pedal, the engine is able to please with a victorious growl, providing enviable dynamics and maximum speed. But still, in reaching sounds, especially if you turn off a high-class audio system, you may not get something. I will say what - the whistle of the wind at high speeds. The point is not only in excellent sound insulation, but also in the aerodynamics of the new body. Japanese engineers argue that another SUV with a frontal resistance coefficient CC \u003d 0.34 (and with pneumatic suspension, which a little later, CC \u003d 0.33) does not yet exist. By the way, they blew the new RX not only in their own pipe, but also in the one that was used to create the famous Japanese high -speed train. As a result, it was possible to reduce the noise from the wind by 5 decibels.
 
In a word, on a good RX300 highway in all respects - a 5 -door passenger station wagon. The steering wheel is convenient, although it is slightly tilted in vaen, from which I probably did not have enough longitudinal adjustment. It has 3 turns from the stop to the stop and is heavier with an increase in speed. And quickly, a new cheerful 5-speed automatic transmission, which has a Sport mode and the ability to switch the transmission manually, allows you to accelerate quickly. If the driver wishes that, it willingly allow you to twist the engine to the red zone at the tachometer arrow. But the algorithm for her work in a sporting mode seems unique. As explained to us, the machine selects not one transmission, but the gear range, depending on the conditions of movement. For example, the transmission recognizes whether the car moves uphill or under the hill. On the rise and when descent later, the following gear is turned on, thus providing in the first case more effective acceleration, and in the second - braking by the engine. Moreover, the on -board computer takes into account such a factor as the frequency of presses on the brake pedal. I liked this feature of the machine. But the fifth gear in Sport mode is practically absent, since it is able to provide only economical riding and maintaining cruising speed. Electronics believes that athletes it is like nothing. I managed to disperse the RX when the conditions were allowed, up to 180 km/h, and the number 4 was stubbornly on the central panel's board - the transfer number. And some power supply remained.
 
On mountain serpentines and off -road plots, it was fully possible to feel the difference between ordinary and new pneumatic pendants. It should be said that the spring, also improved in comparison with the RX300 known for the past generation, behaves quite decently: the rolls of the body in vihi do not scare at all, and comfort, at the same time, at a height. But an air pillow car (to be precise - on four, one on the wheel, pneumoballons) - this is something special. You do not immediately notice the difference, but when it becomes obvious, you come to the conclusion that, if possible, I would certainly purchase a car in pneumatics.
 
From my point of view, its main advantage is comfort in combination with adequate behavior at high speeds and in corners. When the body is lowered, of course, you feel better what is under the wheels, but in addition, they noticeably decrease already not too noticeable rolls. Which in the best way affects controllability. You can change the clearance on the go by pressing up or down to a small key on the central panel. In the right corner, a green indicator opposite the corresponding designation will immediately begin to flash on the tachometer dial. As soon as the team is executed, he will indicate this with even light. On the highway, lowering the ground can be reduced by a maximum of 15 mm. But even if the driver forgets this, the electronics after a set of 100 km/h will independently lower the body by 7.5 mm. In other conditions, a neutral position is maintained, and automatically and regardless of car loading. On the off -road, you can raise the body by 30 mm, thus increasing the road clearance from 185 neutral to 205 mm. By the way, I forgot to do this, remembering only when I hooked the soil with protection. Electronics in this case does not interfere. But it will not allow you to go with a highly raised body. There is also a mode of facilitating landing and landing, in which the machine squats 25 mm relative to a neutral position.
 
The only uncertained mystery to me was the all -wheel drive system. Engineers say that under normal conditions, torque is distributed between the front and rear wheels equally. But now there is no viscous factory in the central differential, they say to everyone, it is headed by electronics, slowing down one, two or three wheels at once, and passing the moment to the one that has the best adhesion to the soil. But now - as if transmitting, the developers do not say.
 
Well, let's try to check. The officially provided for the off -road plot, although it was not at all simple, seemed little. Yes, on a heavy bugrous path, RX behaved quite confidently, and if the power of the motor was redistributed, then it was impossible to feel it, although the clicking of ABS was heard more than once. To try to understand the limit of Lexus capabilities, I dared to go to the wild sandy beach. And very soon I realized that this car, of course, was not designed for difficult trials. I don’t know exactly what efforts the electronics made, but when RX began to link with all four wheels, I caught myself on the feeling that the computer was trying to brake almost all the wheels at once, and it may well go crazy. It seems only a miracle was only possible to tear out a car out of sand captivity. Back, forward, again back, then - sharply forward, and as soon as I crawled - I gently work with a gas pedal, - they escaped!
 
In general, the RX300 is not suitable for risky enterprises, but it gives comfort, speed and confidence not only on good roads, but also on a broken lane. I have no doubt that he will not bring in the rain or in ice. Yes, the car does not have a reduced row of gears and does not allow us to block differentials. But including due to the lack of these new generation RX systems, it became the easiest SUV in its class. And the definition of a parquet jeep in this case sounds rather a compliment.
 
Designed for success
 
Perhaps it's time to say at least a few words about appearance and interior. First of all, the new RX300 has become 160 mm longer and 30 mm wider than its predecessor, while the wheelbase increased by 100 mm. And the radius of the turn, please notice, remained the same - 5.7 meters.
 
The exterior is quite recognizable: a number of typical elements are left from the previous model - a grille of a radiator with characteristic vertical stripes, muscular wheel arches and an ascending window line, clean headlights, a large slope of the front racks, 17 and 18 -inch wheels. But the feed is thoroughly changed: there is a new rear stand and original lanterns.
 
Inside, as expected, it became even more luxurious. The front seats with tangible lateral support are very convenient, the adjustment range is quite sufficient, memory for two people. The only thing that seemed to me not successful is the location of the parking brake pedal: it is exactly above the left foot, and you inevitably hurt it. Here you have hello from America.
 
Behind the driver is quite comfortable, but only two can accommodate here, then there will be a convenient armrest between them, which can hardly be turned into an equally convenient seat. And the two rear seats themselves are designed in the same way as the front ones, the inclination of their backs is regulated. In addition, the seats move forward - back 120 mm. Of course, they can take shape together separately. Starting from the second level of configuration, the back door with an electric drive is proposed, which allows you to open it from a key fob or from the cabin. To close, you should press the button in the bottom of the door.
 
A very good audio system with the player of the CDs, it was developed for a reason that it was developed in conjunction with Yamaha. And the climate control is improved: it takes into account, for example, not only the temperature overboard and in the cabin, the sunlight, but also the thermal radiation of the engine. Moreover, the salon filter has a deodorizing effect, and the body from the inside is treated with a special composition containing antibacterial substances that prevent the occurrence of unpleasant odors.
 
Lexus marketing specialists believe that the main buyers of the RX300 (80%) will be men aged 40, with an annual income of about 150 thousand euros. The new RX, experts say, is designed for those who are not satisfied with either traditional cars or traditional SUVs. Those who consider the station wagons are old -fashioned, and minivans are too family. Most likely, a portrait of a Russian buyer will look a little different. According to AIA Sergey Psylyavtsev, the brand director of Toyota Motor LLC, the new RX300 will enter the Russian market simultaneously with the advent in European show rooms-already in May. If from April last year to January of the current more than two hundred RX now the previous generation was sold, then with the new model we expect to implement at least three hundred cars, ”he said. - As sales experience showed, RX300 is the most popular Lexus model in our market. The dealer network is also expanding. So, in the near future the center for the sale and maintenance of Lexus cars in St. Petersburg will open. It will become the third branded center in Russia.
 
As in other European countries, RX300 will be delivered to Russia in three trim levels. R1 ($ 54900) is xenon headlights with washer, tires 225/60 R17, all the described electronic systems, a leather salon, a radio with 8 speakers and a 6-disc, full electric package, heating the front seats, separate climate control. R2 ($ 59900) is also a pneumatic suspension, rain sensor, a salon backlight system during landing, an electric front door, tires 235/55 R18. R3 ($ 63400) also includes an intelligent AFS system, roof skirts, an electric hatch, an audio system with 11 speakers (Mark Levinson).
 
Oleg Osipov
Olbia - Moscow
 
Brief technical characteristics Lexus RX300
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 2995
The number of valves for the cylinder: 4
Power, l. With. at about./min.: 204/5600
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 283/4500
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p.: 9.0
Maximum speed, km/h: 200
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 12.2
Fuel tank volume, l.: 72
Dimensions, mm.: 4740x1845x1705
 

Source: "Automobile Izvestia"