Lexus RX test drive since 2008 SUV

The bad but frisky Cadillac SRX defeats high -quality, but lazy Lexus RX 350. Are the electors right?

Lexus is the most popular luxury brand in the USA, and the RX crossover is the most popular Lexus model. This car is created for those who have money. Lexus creates practical vehicles for people, with a garage for several exotic machines. This is a luxury model for the top of the middle class, which are used to spending a little more of their financial capabilities. This is a favorite car of those who were lucky for the second time to reboot their mansion before the credit market collapsed. This Lexus was also bought for old money, and his whole appearance seems to whisper: we are too cool for minivans.

Just imagine a profitable deal from the sale of a car, the initial price of which is slightly less than 40 thousand dollars. In normal times, that is, until 2008, Lexus sold more than 100,000 RX copies in the United States. And Lexus had the opportunity to overshadow their competitors, less reliable European crossovers due to large monetary injections.

Lexus RX 350 2010 model year is a completely new model of the third generation, which appeared after the options of the 1999 and 2004. It will continue to play a leading role in its segment and will remain the leader in Lexus sales. Perhaps large SUVs on the frame took this position in 2005, but crossovers are the youngest segment, as if they had just appeared.

This segment has become a new field of activity for Cadillac. Apart from the CTS model, the GM luxury car separated for a decade returned to life exclusively on the shoulders of its huge frame Escalade SUV. The rear -wheel drive SRX, created on the basis of Sigma, is classified as a crossover, but in fact we are more about a modern high universal with an option of all -wheel drive. This is a particle of the old STS-Cadillac, not the new CTS. In 2007, SRX sales amounted to one fifth of sales of the RX model.

After the model of the 2008 model year, which changed the image of the new company Cadillac, the appearance of the CTS 2008, it is time to turn to experts in luxury cars. So the new Cadillac SRX switches to the front -wheel drive, the platform of which includes many details borrowed from Epsilon II (Opel Insignia and Buick Lacrosse) and Theeta (Chevy Equinox/GMC Terran). The same platform will have Saab 9-4x (yes, it is still produced).

Cadillac challenged Lexus, and most of all this was expressed in design. While the RX 350 has smooth fuzzy outlines, SRX is characterized by sharp corners and a wedge -shaped form, all means playing the art and science of the Cadillac brand. From the vertical rectangular overlays on the headlights that end in the upper part of the front wings, to the LED rear lamps, the design of which is designed to revive the fins of the 1950s (then the rear wings were installed on the Cadillas models, as high as the lid of the lid of the trunk).

The fresh SRX profile looks nice that not only we, but also young motorists noticed. The obstacle to creating a sexy appearance of a bicrobial car is only the need to maintain a proper rear review.

The RX 350 salon cannot be called unforgettable, but it is characterized by unsurpassed luxury, accuracy and completeness. A new navigation control panel and audio system, which works better than the Idrive mouse, is arranged so that there are no fingerprints left on the screen. And the button on the steering wheel, which turns on the camera under the rear view mirror from the passenger, causes real delight.

The SRX salon, in which much remains of the CTS sedan, stands out with its appearance. The skin lined with the skin panel is shifted up to emphasize the metal edging of the front of the panel. A thin control handle on a turning point switch allows you to change information on the central display. It can show the time, average speed, the amount of fuel spent, fuel efficiency, fuel supply, odometer counter, speed, navigator screen, and also output information that reflects the speed limit on the main roads (including warnings on speed reduction before steep turns). Designers began to call this useful device theater. If you have a navigation system, then an integrated navigator in the CTS style will turn on the view of the rear chamber only when reversing moves.

The central display is also equipped with two lights located at the edges, they act as repeaters of the turn signals and flashed with green light when they are turned on. This is an insignificant detail, a pleasant trifle, bringing a little postmodern to the crossover. And, perhaps, this trifle will motivate a larger number of SRX drivers use turn signals.

And here is a stumbling block: Lexus deftly exceeds Caddy in quality, harmony and ending of the interior. Soft smooth skin RX is the pride of LS, but the skin in the SRX salon seems to be subordinated to the limitations of the price and probably costs a little cheaper than the CTS skin. SRX has a support for the lower back for both the driver and for the passenger, but the SRX shoulder roller needs to be moved manually, and it is intended only for the driver. In addition, when we put forward this roller, its size turned out to be less than the standard. On the wrong side, the skin (or, rather, leatherette) is not fixed with Velcro, which is why plastic sticks in places, which should not be visible. It should at least sew pieces of skin with each other.

The driver's chair Cadillac automatically moved back to the maximum possible distance as soon as we drowned the engine, and our attempts to return it to the place were in vain. The reason for this behavior, as found, was a poor -quality assembly of the guide seats, the connecting bolt simply jumped out.

The rear seat Lexus moves forward, back and leaning back. In Cadillac, the rear seat can only be thrown back, while the latch is on the back of the seat above the passengers shoulders, which is very inconvenient. In the RX salon there is much more space over the head, this is due to a thiner Lexus seat and an option in the form of a panoramic hatch in the Cadillac roof.

Lexus is able to heat and cool the front seats, and Caddy can only offer heating. Perhaps the difference in the price of these cars explains this circumstance (although Buick Lacrosse in full configuration, including cooling the front seats, costs less than 40 thousand dollars). The basic cost of the front -wheel drive SRX starts at $ 34 155. The Haldex equipment involves all -wheel drive and, accordingly, a slightly different standard equipment that increases the cost of all -wheel drive models to $ 40,230. SRX has several different configurations, and our test copy costs from $ 45,820 and is equipped with a pretty good A set of equipment. If you buy such a model with the cooling of the seats, it will cost only $ 1,295 dollars more. The basic value of the RX 350 is $ 39,075. Our car was generally $ 8,580 more expensive than Caddy.

Of course, we could choose two equally equipped cars or two cars for the same price. But the fact is that even if you take Cadillac with all possible equipment, it will not become deprived of its shortcomings and will not be more perfect than Lexus.

The RX 350 has better sound insulation, so the noise of the road is noticeably muffled and the irregularities of the coating are not felt so sharply. The 20-inch SRX wheels, which are included in the list of additional equipment, do not help. Lexus rides faster, its 3.5-liter V6 engine of only 10 horsepower is a powerful new 3-liter V6 engine with direct injection, which is equipped with CADILLAC, but the Lexus engine is 34 nm more, its engine is more environmentally friendly and more environmentally friendly and economical.

SRX is slightly longer and 57.6 kilograms are heavier than RX 350, and it is felt. Of the turns, Lexus accelerates faster, although Cadillac also tries, while its 3-liter engine growls pleasantly. The best engine for SRX, a 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 with direct injection, is produced in Australia and is intended exclusively for models with all-wheel drive and FE3 suspension. Such an engine can be ordered from the beginning of this fall, and it will undoubtedly increase the acceleration and cost of the car to the level of Lexus.

And to the key point of our comparison, we are brought by the tactics of lawyer Perry Mason. Remember how Mason unexpectedly found a witness and forced him/her to admit the murder? And how quickly they removed the accusations from his grateful customers?

From a trip to Cadillac'e you get more pleasure, go more fun on it.

While Lexus RX provides incredible grip on bends, Cadillac turns more cool, this is a crossover created to conquer a series of steep turns. Switch the much less at the Sport mode of the Sport mode, and the machine does not withstand low gears or behaves differently than in normal mode. Although the ECO mode is nevertheless disconnected.

The SRX six -speed automatic machine in a sports mode is kept in any selected gear, while the SACHS shock absorbers also change. The car is more rigid, but this quality is not excessively manifested, so Cadillac in this regard does not look like BMW X5. The steering wheel is responsive and informative and it moves faster than the numerous RX 350 steering wheel. Cadillac brakes are better and tougher than Lexus.

Simply put, the new Cadillac SRX goes the same way as it looks: passionately, fun, not merging with a mass of other cars. It is made in the spirit of the brand, despite the limitations of the budget, because of which the rough edges of the coatings stick out in some places. The Lexus RX 350 also goes accordingly to its form: its perfection is almost annoying. He is pleasant and comfortable, reliable and unobtrusive.

Those of you who appreciate Lexus's tireless desire for perfection may not understand what we were guided by in choosing the winner of the test. But those of you who know how high we appreciate the pleasure brought by the dynamics of movement will understand us. Cadillac SRX was advanced enough to forgive him for some flaws and give him an assessment higher than the Lexus RX 350, because this is the luxury crossover that we would like to look at and which we want to manage every day. If Cadillac'y managed to reach the level of perfection Lexus, the new SRX crossover would become invincible in the market.


First place: Cadillac SRX
Good dynamics combined with a pleasant ratio of driving and control overlap the shortcomings in terms of sophistication. It turns out that the style and reputation of Cadillac in this segment are triggered.

Second place: Lexus RX 350
This is the standard of perfection and luxury among luxury cars in the price category up to $ 60,000. You will remember how it looked after you, but you will immediately forget how you went on it.

Source: Motor Trend