Test Drive Lexus RX 1998 - 2003 SUV

New wave

The Luxus RX 300 luxury SUV market appeared relatively recently. In February 1997, the SLV Concept (Sport Luxury Vehicle) was shown at the Chicago Motor Show, in March, he was assigned the name - the Japanese is strange, but quite adequate for Lexus products (in the homeland called Toyota Harrier). The serial release has begun in 1998.

Let the Japanese threatened a little, but they performed strongly. In my opinion, RX 300 is the best of the SUVs of the new wave.

Here he, Lexus RX 300 1999 of the model year - stands in front of me. From the concept of two years ago, externally practically does not differ: the side mirrors have increased, the decorative rear anti-collar disappeared, the vertical rods in the radiator grille. And in the front bumper, rosters appeared on the edges - to improve the cooling of the brake mechanisms.

The size of the RX 300 is slightly longer and wider than the Grand Cherokee, but does not look cumbersome. Supported, tightened and at the same time noble-elegant, he looks great on the road, perfectly fits into the man-made landscape of a rich urban or suburban area. Smooth aerodynamic circuits provide a resistance coefficient of 0.36 - an indicator for an SUV unheard.

The complex optics of the head light, covered together with the fog-tumors, the common smooth fairing, looks promising. On the rear door - an equally impressive combination of lighting. By the way, the door rises so highly that, even having height for two meters, you can easily approach the car closely - you will not hit your head.

The main difference between the RX 300 from traditional SUVs - carrying the body (like a car). Such machines appeared before, but, perhaps, it is from the RX 300 that the beginning of the era of hybrids should be born.

The car is built on the LEXUS ES 300 sedan platform, belonging to the bottom, but luxury class. Power unit - 3 l 24-valve 220-strong Motor V6 plus automatic 4-speed box. The engine has an adjustable intake and graduation path and - for the first time on an SUV - variable depending on the load of the gas distribution phase. It is quite difficult, but without these technical solutions, the motor would be weak for such a car (1676 kg in the front-wheel drive, and without a small two tons with a full drive).

The drive is a permanent, reduced row in the transmission. There is an inter-axis viscous coupling, in normal conditions, the distribution torque is equally equal, and - as an option - the rear differential of increased friction.

You get to the driver's place with amazing ease. In the passenger car usually sit down from top to bottom, dropping on the seat. The SUV accounts for the bottom up. And here is a natural lateral movement, and ready.

Landing is slightly more vertical than in a regular passenger car, but quite comfortable. Overview forward is ideal, you will not call - there are quite wide racks. All buttons and switches work canceled, and they are logical - except the box of the box, which from his usual place went far ahead, so that it has to be stretching. Do not matter - they use it infrequently, again the place between the seats was noticeably added.

I liked the dashboard - with the exception of the liquid crystal display (it is necessary to complain about something). It shows data on the modes of operation of the climate system, the music installation, as well as the readings of the onboard computer. The data is read bad, and the display itself is like the sling of slot machines. In fact, it is intended for the navigation system, which should soon appear - maybe with the map of the area the display will look different.

Another controversial moment in the design of the torpedo is a lying from a natural nut, framing the vertical console. Yes, with some feathers from above. However, some like some.

But what does not cause objections, so this is music from Nakamichi (optional) - with a receiver, tape recorder, changer on six CDs in the glove compartment, seven speakers and a 230-watt amplifier.

And - naturally - skin, automatically darkening mirrors, heated seats, electrical adjustments with memory, in general - suite.

The cabin is spacious - four. You can accommodate and fist, but then it is better not to delay the ride. The larger lower part of the doorways would facilitate access to the rear seats. You can get a set in the second row with comfort - the chairs move forward-back by 120 mm, and the tilt of their backs can be changed. Pillows could be more authentic ...

The engine with its duties copes worthy. Overclocking from the spot is more than confident (8.8 seconds to 96 km / h for the all-wheel drive version and 8.5 - for the front-wheel drive), no wonder 80% of the torque (maximum - 300 nm) is already provided by 1600 revolutions. At cruising speed, 110 km / hour turns are held within three thousand. The engine does not object to their addition, however, sharp accelerations at high speed (for example, when overtaking) is not the strongest damn it - despite the fact that the tachometer is digitized to 8000 rpm. The work of the box - without comments (if you do not pay attention to easy stubbling when switching from the second transfer to the third).

The motor on the move is practically not heard, as, however, and aerodynamic noise (if not to open the hatch). Engine silent contributes to its propellants of supports - active, with electronic control.

On a good coating of RX 300 literally steals on the road, pits and irregularities badly swallows (of course, a truly off-road LX 470 looks more convincing in this sense) completely independent suspension, Makpherson on the subframes in front and rear. In general, it is rather tough (from the LEXUS cars involuntarily expect something to be softer) - on the washing board of the body vibration is quite tangible.

But at the height of handling (taking into account the rather big dimensions of the car). It is no worse than a passenger one - no valve inherent in most SUVs, no in mom. On the good coating of the RX 300, the course is superbly held - that in a straight line, which is in turns. If the speed is selected for rotation turns out to be a large, the front axle is smoothly and predictably begins to leave the outside, but the rear always remains on the spot.

Surprisingly, but about the same machine behaves both on a dirt road, and on gravel - turns can be passed on unexpectedly high speed. Rx 300 is not knocked down from the course no bumps and bumps.

The slowdown in the standard modes is very confident and predictable, but the brake pedal is overcome - the extraordinary intermittent braking of the extregnated would be not easy. However, the designers fully laid this duty on the ABS - made it untouched. Probably correctly - this is the most automakers ...

The appearance of the optics was not deceptive, the lighting of the road at night - above all silence.

Bridgestone Dueler H / T tires, in which RX 300 wage, is a successful compromise: they are not noisy on the highway, and at the same time allow you to move off without feet. Road clearance in 195 mm gives a car the opportunity to overcome the roadside ditch and get to the field to the nearest locker.

This off-road is the lot of other machines. The habitat of the RX 300 is a city, suburb, a concentration ... if only under the wheels there were at least some kind of road. On a broken coating, even the front-wheel drive version of the RX 300 behaves better than a passenger car, and the all-wheel drive ... especially in the snow or in the rain. However, the car was installed on the car, the protection of the radiator and the gas tank, and all the vulnerable surfaces are painted with high-resistance to chips - just in case ...

The creators of the RX 300 came correctly: they made a fairly large luxury off-road car for urban conditions (in which it is mainly and operated). Very competently caught (or created?) Trend. After all, this situation has developed not only in the United States - in Japan, Harrier does not drive on dirt too. She is there at all.


Text: John Smith
Photo: Automedia.

Competitors
The main enemy Lexus RX 300 in the US market is Mercedes ML 320. Machines are comparable at a price ($ 35,000 per Mercedes and $ 33.500 per LEXUS in almost the same basic equipment), the main size (Mercedes is slightly roomier), engine power (Lexus is slightly ahead).

On the off-road qualities of ML 320, it is certainly ahead of a competitor (however, in fact, neither one nor another from the road moves), but much harder (frame) and somewhat voracious. The Mercedes brand's image works on the German, although Lexus is also quite prestigious in the USA.

Match sales on available data is difficult. ML 320 went to the market before, from September 1997 to August 1998, about 50,000 M-class cars were sold (the share of ML 320 in this volume is unknown). RX 300 entered salons in March 1998. At December 1998 (inclusive) sold 48,000 cars. Looks like Lexus is not inferior ...

Who drives on RX 300? According to POLK, which has already been engaged in automotive statistics for 77 years, - mostly people are very secured and ease. More than 40% of the RX 300 buyers are among those whose family annual income exceeds $ 125.000. Another 44% have an annual income from $ 50,000 to $ 125.000. The most numerous age groups of owners are from 45 to 54 years (33.3%) and from 35 to 44 years (28.8%).

And further. Most of the RX 300 buyers before this went not on a truck or an SUV, but on the luxury passenger car, many - on the ES 300.
  

A source: Magazine Motor [№3 / 1999]