2004 Lexus RX330 Preview

[NFS4]

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=5683&sid=181&n=157

Lookin' good Love the interior

 

[Spac3d]

This info was posted a couple weeks ago in the Lexus forums.

NFS4 is getting slow on posting news

I love the interior too.

Spac3d

 

[zCypher]

Originally posted by: Spac3d
This info was posted a couple weeks ago in the Lexus forums.

NFS4 is getting slow on posting news

I love the interior too.

Spac3d

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Spac3d
This info was posted a couple weeks ago in the Lexus forums.

NFS4 is getting slow on posting news

I love the interior too.

Spac3d

This is a NEW preview. I have even posted info on the RX330 here in the past few weeks, but this is a NEW preview from The Car Connection.

 

[NFS4]

Another NEW preview:

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=reviews&loc_code=index&content_code=04983410

 

[vi edit]

Saw the article in Car & Driver. Very nice. Has soom cool options with it too. The "kneel" option and side turning headlamps are unique to say the least.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Saw the article in Car & Driver. Very nice. Has soom cool options with it too. The "kneel" option and side turning headlamps are unique to say the least.

Don't forget the power liftgate There have been many times when I've had a hand full of crap and wish I could open the liftgate automatically.

 

[Static911]

I saw it on the road when they were doing a commerical shoot about two weeks ago; it layed rubber on the ground.

I will be having more information and taking a crap load of pictures of it on February 6.

Ethan

 

[ElFenix]

it looks better but the thing is still a fugly station wagon. i wonder how much that severe backward rake on the liftgate cuts out of the cargo space? or is that just an illusion of the fugly bodywork back there?

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
it looks better but the thing is still a fugly station wagon. i wonder how much that severe backward rake on the liftgate cuts out of the cargo space? or is that just an illusion of the fugly bodywork back there?

It actually has MORE cargo room than the RX300. It's 6 inches longer (3+ inch wheelbase stretch) so that adds to cargo and passenger space. Only the Pilot and MDX have more cargo capacity in this segment.

If you think that it is ugly, what do YOU consider to be something good looking in this crossover category?

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ElFenix
it looks better but the thing is still a fugly station wagon. i wonder how much that severe backward rake on the liftgate cuts out of the cargo space? or is that just an illusion of the fugly bodywork back there?

It actually has MORE cargo room than the RX300. It's 6 inches longer (3+ inch wheelbase stretch) so that adds to cargo and passenger space.

If you think that it is ugly, what do YOU consider to be something good looking in this crossover category?

i'd still like to know how much they could have gained with a square end.

did i say anything in the so-called "crossover" category of fugly station wagons was good looking?

 

[RossMAN]

It does look slightly beefier/brawnier than it's predessor but it still looks better than the Acura MDX.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
It does look slightly beefier/brawnier than it's predessor but it still looks better than the Acura MDX.

that is true, the MDX is particularly fugly (if i didn't know any better i'd say it was a pontiac)

 

[NFS4]

Actually, I was wrong. The RX330 has MORE MAX cargo capacity than the MDX, but less than the Pilot:

The biggest spatial gains are in the cargo bay, where the RX 330 offers 38.3 cubic feet of capacity with the backseat in use (compared with the RX 300's 30.7) and 84.7 cubes with the 40/20/40 rear seats folded. Note that 84.7 is conspicuously close to the MDX's max cargo capacity of 82, a number we're sure that company engineers wanted to meet or exceed; the MDX still wins with the second-row seats up with its total of 49.7 cubic feet.

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/83157/article.html

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Actually, I was wrong.

i guess thats why you have the disclaimer there, ace

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: RossMAN
It does look slightly beefier/brawnier than it's predessor but it still looks better than the Acura MDX.

that is true, the MDX is particularly fugly (if i didn't know any better i'd say it was a pontiac)

Yeah, the MDX is pretty rank. I actually like the plainer looks of the Pilot better than it's expensive rip-off cousin.

i'd still like to know how much they could have gained with a square end.

Going with a square rear-end would have not made it an "RX." The RX300's basic shape is left intact with the RX330 and it's easily recognizable as an "RX."

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: RossMAN
It does look slightly beefier/brawnier than it's predessor but it still looks better than the Acura MDX.

that is true, the MDX is particularly fugly (if i didn't know any better i'd say it was a pontiac)

Yeah, the MDX is pretty rank. I actually like the plainer looks of the Pilot better than it's expensive rip-off cousin.

I also prefer the plainer looks of the Honda Pilot vs MDX, not to mention it's cargo room and $ price $

 

[y2kc]

girl car.

 

[Doggiedog]

As an MDX owner I resent those comments

I personally liked the older RX. The new RX's butt looks like...butt.

I still don't know why you guys are comparing the MDX to the RX. They are not really targetted at the same audience. It should be compared to a QX4, X5, Touraeg, etc. For all that space in the RX, why isn't there a third row? The Sequoia and GX470 are more comparable to the MDX than the RX.

My Fugly Rank MDX with 5000K HIDs. :Q

My former wheels.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: y2kc
girl car.

No the beetle is a girl car this is a girl SUV.

And the Tacoma is a girl truck:Q

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
As an MDX owner I resent those comments

I personally liked the older RX. The new RX's butt looks like...butt.

I still don't know why you guys are comparing the MDX to the RX. They are not really targetted at the same audience. It should be compared to a QX4, X5, Touraeg, etc. For all that space in the RX, why isn't there a third row? The Sequoia and GX470 are more comparable to the MDX than the RX.

My Fugly Rank MDX with 5000K HIDs. :Q

My former wheels.

- The MDX is one of the DIRECT competitors for the RX330.
- The MDX is a softroader JUST like the RX330.
- The MDX is based on the Odyssey which is in turn based on the Accord
- The RX330 is based on the Camry

Dimensions

LengthxWidthxHeight
wheelbase
curb weight
Front Leg Room
Rear Leg Room

Lexus RX330:
186.1 x 72.6 x 66.1 in
106.9 in
4100 lbs
40.7 in
36.4 in


Acura MDX:
188 x 77 x 68 in
106.3 in
4500 lbs
41 in
37.8 in

The front and rear legroom figures are for the '03 RX300. The '04 RX330 is larger in those dimensions.

They seem pretty evenly matched to me

 

[Doggiedog]

NFS4, you should know better than to just quote dimensions and weights and say they are competitors to each other. If the RX is a direct competitor to the MDX, then it must also be a direct competitor to the GX470 too.

GX470
188.2 x 74.0 x 74.6
109.8
4,675lbs
41.8"
36.8"

Engine type regardless since the MDX has 260HP to the GX's 235HP.

As an owner, I would never cross shop the RX because it does not fit more than 5 people. The SUVs to cross shop would be the GX, ML, Pilot, Expedition, Envoy SLT, Sequoia, Montero.

If I were cross shopping an RX, I would look at the Touareg, X5, Highlander, QX4, FX35/45, Murano, Pathfinder, Aviator, Envoy.

Some people might lump in the MDX because it is in the price range but I don't agree. They are two distinctly different types of vehicles. I would say the MDX is akin to a glorified minivan while the RX is a glorified station wagon.

Being a prior Lexus owner, I definitely agree that the interior of the RX is much better than the MDX. I would say the MDX is about 75% the luxury of the RX but it isn't bad. And if it weren't for the dealer mark up on the MDX, there wouldn't be an argument over how much better the RX's interior is over the MDX's at the same price range.

If I only needed a 5 seater, the RX would definitely be at the head of the list and the MDX would be out because the interior isn't as nice. But then again, if I only needed a 5 seater, I'd get a nice sports sedan instead of an SUV.

I'm sure you read them but loses to the new GX470 by one point and beats the RX here.

 

[NFS4]

The SUVs to cross shop would be the GX, ML, Pilot, Expedition, Envoy SLT, Sequoia, Montero.

The problem is, the Expedition, Envoy SLT, and Sequoia are much larger vehicles than the MDX with MUCH better 3rd row accomodations. Just b/c the MDX has three rows of seats doesn't make it a competitors to those other big utes. It's small wheelbase is the main reason why 3rd row accomodations aren't the greatest. I mean heck, the wheelbase is smaller than the RX330. The Explorer/Moutaineer would be more of a competitor to the MDX than an Expedition or Sequoia. Just like the Explorer/Mountaineer, the third row seats are more of a checkbox feature/penalty box for children instead of actually being useful like on the Sequoia, Expedition, and Envoy XL.

As for the Pilot, everybody and their grandma compares it to the Highlander. Heck, even the last link you posted has the MDX going up against the RX.

 

[rh71]

I just can't get over the bubble shape. The MDX is the worst like it. Still this model is an improvement over the RX300 exterior.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Damn you post alot of news threads.