Test drive Lexus RX 1998 - 2003 SUV

Lexus RX300, Volkswagen Touareg V6 3.2

Lexus RX300
It has been produced since 2003.
It is equipped with two types of engines - gasoline V6, 3.0 and 3.3 l with a capacity of 150 and 169 kW, front or all -wheel drive, and automatic transmission.
Options for the Russian market - only with all -wheel drive and a 3.0 liter engine. Pneumatic suspension with regulation of road clearance in the trim levels R2 and R3.
Price - from $ 54 900 (equipment R1) to $ 63 400 (R3). The price in the specified configuration is $ 63,400.
Volkswagen Touareg V6 3.2
It has been produced since 2002.
Execution options: gasoline engines - V6 and V8, 3.2 and 4.2 liters, 162 and 228 kW; A five- and ten -cylinder turbodieseli - 2.5 and 5.0 liters, 128 and 228 kW. Constant four -wheel drive with a blocked interdose differential. A mechanical or automatic gearbox.
The configurations for the Russian market correspond to European.
Price - from 40,280 euros (2.5TDI, mechanical gearbox) up to 72,280 euros (V10TDI). With a full set of additional equipment available now - more than 85,000 euros. The price in this configuration is $ 59 870.
All -terrain vehicles are popular today. Even economical Europe pays more and more attention to these, at first glance irrational, cars. It doesn’t matter that before moving away from the asphalt, it is necessary to defeat several hundred kilometers of the highway, the increased consumption of gasoline does not play a role, expensive maintenance and spare parts are forgotten ... Most owners of these cars do not even imagine their abilities, and are not going to leave at all at all Roads. A sense of confidence and self -esteem, a spacious salon and all -conquest - that is why such cars are chosen. And marketers know this very well.
In the latest developments of Lexus and Volkswagen, there are no rudiments of orthodox all -terrain vehicles - a separate frame or dependent pendants. Their design is much closer to passenger cars: carrying body and independent pendants in a circle. Nevertheless, the potential capabilities of these machines are not so modest: thanks to pneumo elements in the suspension, Lexus can squat at 25 and rise to 30 mm. Volkswagen Tuareg has even more impressive suspension abilities - it is ready to lower the body to 55 and lift 85 mm (our car turned out to be standard springs).
Someone will argue that these all-terrain vehicles are not classmates. Look at the dimensions - Tuareg is only 14, wider by 83 and higher by 61 mm. Although it is difficult to believe in it - both at first glance, and with a more careful examination, Volkswagen seems much more. True, in the configuration with more powerful engines, it can compete in the upper class of all -terrain vehicles.
 
For the first time in a new class
If the Toyota, which owns the trademark of Lexus, an old and experienced player on the field of alternate vehicles of different types and sizes, then Volkswagen is a beginner. Do not remember the military Iltis ...
So, take a closer look. The appearance of Tuareg only at first glance resembles a strongly enlarged Passat option. His face, although rustic, is easily remembered. The bloated front wings, the characteristic massiveness of the body sidewalls, which have already ceased to be original, but still fashionable external mirrors with a turn indicators. Everything is simple and quite conservative. But still, the main difference is hidden inside. It is in a full handful gearbox. And what - 2.7! Looking ahead, let's say: we could not find obstacles requiring such a powerful thrust on wheels. However, probably, there are places where not so much effort is required as the minimum speed of overcoming - in this case there will be no excessive.
Lexus RX300 only resembles its predecessor of the same name. The style is the same, but the appearance has changed noticeably - it grew, first of all in the base and in length. The growth result is more than a spacious rear seat, by the way, not only with separate adjustment of the back, but also with sliding pillows. Actually, this is a completely new car with a completely new body. A feature of appearance is a strongly inclined back of the body. It conceals its size and gives the silhouette the dynamism unusual for all -terrain vehicles.
 
Sex on the beach
No, this is not what you might think about. But what can you do for the sake of a beautiful frame?
Our subjects crawl into golden sand. It just rained, and their movement on the beach does not promise any problems. But the summer sun does not know mercy, and dense, like asphalt, sand in front of his eyes turns into shaky and mobile dust. It is possible to leave the almost inconspicuous hollow on Tuareg only by the reasoning, resorting to extremely careful work with gas. It is almost impossible to refuse a reduced gear - it is almost impossible to control the slip.
Lexus in the same conditions behaves noticeably better - he touches confidently and albeit without great enthusiasm, but moves along small sand dunes. However, tires play a significant role here. The Lexus RS-A shuttered to the buzzing igl rides quite confidently, and the Volkswagen on close in terms of the dimension of Bridgeto-Turansa ER30 on the beach is helpless. But I had to dig out of the sand from the sand.
Mindful of tires, we went on Tuareg extremely neatly, overcoming the slightest obstacles only by the course. Lexus quite allowed to be creamy, getting into the air of clouds of sand, but after a triple passage on his own rut, sorry for the pun, as if dug. A flat bottom covered with plastic protection does not warn that the car is about to sit on the belly. The track became a couple of centimeters deeper, and we sailed. The suspension was already in a raised position and there was practically no end of the end of the end. Like hopes to get out without resorting to physical exercises.
A familiar sailor claimed that a two -ton anchor easily holds a ship of 10 thousand tons. This is probably true. Our attempts to dig up the car for three hours did not lead to a positive result. And even the support of the support group called by telephone rescued the desert captive with considerable difficulty.
But now we know about the jacks of Lexus and Volkswagen everything. You can change the wheel on the asphalt with their help, but it is useless to rely on them already stuck. The first is bad, the second is even worse. By the way, the reserve of Lexus is hidden from below under the floor of the trunk, and it is not easy to pull it out of there, and in the usual configuration, the Tuareg is equipped only with a sealant spray and, for demand, compact completing. Pass the side of the stone in the rut - you will not return back. If you do not go bankrupt in advance on the outer bracket and a full -sized spare wheel. Only 1100 euros.
In general, the concept of beach all -around is not offensive at all - both anti -boom systems and electronic locks are powerless before loose sand. But what does sex on the beach have to do with it .... And what else to call a three -hour vain work?
 
The device is heavier than air
The next day was in measurements and subjective assessments. The first surprise was waiting for us already on the scales. If Lexus was not enough until 1900 kg, then Volkswagen, being on the scales, pulled 2255 kg! Of those cars we had to deal with, only Chevrolet Tahoe weighed more. To tell you the truth, we even had doubts exactly the accuracy of the scales. But the factory data turned out to be not far from our measurements. In general, the fact that in the dynamics of acceleration Volkswagen Tuareg lost to Lexus -RX300, despite a more powerful engine, an impeccably running six -speed automatic and short gears, is not surprising. But overcoming steep climbs deservedly returned to him the championship. Both cars easily took a 50 percent slope from the place, and it was not necessary to use the reduced transmission of the Tuareg - even on this rise, it easily accelerates to the second gear. Lexus creeps into such a mountain without overclocking, but with a small margin.
Lexus leads on the road - the noise level and the comfort of the suspension outside of competition. It is as if specially created for our roads - cracks, chips, small potholes disappear somewhere between tires and a seat. Tuareg is not inclined to flatter our road workers - his pendants are rougher, able to cope with serious obstacles, but the smoothness of the course is not the same. Unfortunately, the Volkswagen inferior to the competitor in acoustic comfort - the noise of the engine at high speeds is annoying, and the transmission and tires also do not forget to remind themselves.
On a winding highway, it is more pleasant to control Lexus. But only to a certain limit. If you need to go really quickly, then the insufficient information of the steering wheel is also found, and not always the correct operation of the VSC course stability system - it overdo it at the exit from the turn and at the same time deeds when it is necessary to extinguish the already begun. Well, apparently, this is a fee for comfort and close to neutral rotation.
Tuareg does not go so at ease, but in a critical situation more reliable and predictable. And the intervention of electronics is not so intrusive. And on soil roads? Here Volkswagen is ahead. According to our dimensions, the road clearance of the Tuareg is 195 mm under the plastic protection of the motor compartment, more than 220 mm under the rest of the units, the angles of the entrance and the exit, more by 35 mm, the rear suspension stroke is noticeably better. Lexus has the lower point from the road in the normal position of the suspension - 170 mm (protective casing of the fuel tank). At the same time, a very flat bottom of the car is only a little higher. Even when the car rises on tiptoe, under it is 200 mm. It is necessary to go in this mode slowly, and not only because about 30 km/h Lexus automatically falls. Once on the Malomal pothole, you hear the knock of restraints of the hitch, especially noticeable against the background of almost absolute silence in the cabin.
 
JEWELRY WORK
How do general impressions of machines relate to driving qualities? They largely also depend on the perception of the car. And it, in turn, is from the interior and tactile comfort, in other words, sensations. A sonorous plastic click of a button, a small backlash in the climate installation switches, a slightly west cover of the glove compartment - and the charm of a magnificent, at first glance, the salon begins to leave. What is pleasant is difficult to describe in words, but easily feel. In this sense, comparison is not in favor of Volkswagen, although the design of its interior is on top. However, here, not without sin, the stylish instrument panel glitters in the sun, despite the special anti -glazing glass. It is impossible to find fault with the readability of Lexus devices hidden in deep wells.
Work on a modern expensive car can be compared with jewelry. To create a real masterpiece, a little successful design and high -quality assembly - attention requires attention to the most insignificant parts that can create the right mood to the owner of the machine.
 
FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES
Despite the formal similarity, the cars were so different that it can only be explained by a reference to cultural differences. It seems that the representatives of European civilization are simply not given to surpass Japanese engineers in attention to trifles. But the package configurations of Lexus in relation to potential customers seem even arrogant. For example, if the customer wants the audio system Mark Levinson, then he will have to get a roof religion, hatch and looking around the AFS headlights in the load. And if nature awarded a music lover with two -meter growth and every centimeter to the roof in the account? What about the aesthetes that want 18-inch wheels on the base machine R1? Or, conversely, 17-inch with pneumatic suspension for the fluid fluid of the course?
Here the Volkswagen approach impresses more - from the list of additional equipment you can choose everything you like. Even the hatch in the roof can be ordinary or with a solar battery. And tires to choose from. Not only in size 17, 18, 19 inches, 65, 60, 55 and 45 profiles (respectively, from 235 to 275 mm), but also by the brand and type of tread. Do not want the toothless Bridgrastone ER30, take Pirelli Scorpio A/T - you will find out why a reduced program is needed .... Although, of course, this approach is to gain 10 thousand euros above the base price nothing costs. But the buyer is always right, even if, from the point of view of Volkswagen engineers, a similar combination is nonsense. But the name of the brand sounds too ironic next to the price tag ...
 
 
SUMMARY
Lexus RX300
+ Spacious interior, adjustable rear seats, low noise, comfortable suspension, good acceleration dynamics, excellent quality of finishing materials.
- The minimum possibilities of individual configuration.
 
Volkswagen Touareg V6 3.2
+ A spacious interior, a successful combination of the engine and gearbox, high energy intensity of the suspension, reliable behavior in critical modes, the operation of the stabilization system, the presence of a reduced gear.
- mediocre suspension comfort, the quality of individual interior elements, the large mass of the car.
 
Anatoly Fomin. Photo: Alexander Batyr
 
 
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"