Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Unhappy in the ATL - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Peter Billings - May 20 - 3:22 am

  I have owned a 2002 1st generation RX300. Bought it as a CPO and loved it. Smooth, tight, solid in everyway. It had good road feel. This new 2017 4th generation is none of those things. Even though my wife bought this car for the luxury and comfort of Lexus, it only partially delivers on that. The feel of the steering feels so disengaged from the road. My 2011 Genesis had complaints about its electric steering but it is orders of magnitude better. The 12" Navigation works but it is a mess. Steep learning curve and it is difficult to manage while driving. You really need to pull over or futz with it at stop lights. But the biggest issue is the lousy buzzing feel we get through the pedal and floor board of the driver. Mostly when the engine is under load. Lexus is being very cagy about this. Sometimes there is an admission of the problem, and other times, you get an answer of "this is normal". Its either an exhaust issue, tranny issue, or engine mount issue. This is at least the consensus on clublexus.com (be sure to read the over 60 page thread on this topic before you buy this car.) I wish I had.

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  RX 350 RIP - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By AdamB - June 1 - 2:59 pm

  This is a rant from a frustrated 2007 owner. Sorry!.....I rented the 2017 RX350 for a couple of days while my 2007 RX 350 was in the shop. Ugh, I did try to maintain a positive attitude about this vehicle, but there was very little I liked about it. Yes, the outside styling is ugly, period, (I was embarrassed to be seen in it) but this time I got a good hands-on look at the interior. Where do I start? I totally dislike the huge cumbersome floor console between the front seats. My 2007 has space there. I can reach to the floor of the passenger side if I need to. The analog clock is annoying. Why put a shiny reflective rim around it, light up the hatch marks in the dark, but the hands remain unlit. You cant see the time during the day if the outside light is wrong for the clock, and at night, the hatch marks, although lit up, ...everyone knows where 1,2,3 is on a clock, but its the HANDS you need to see for the time and they are not luminescent. They are of shiny plastic. The things I see clearly in my older version are what are important to me - temperature (I am a farmer) and time. In this thing, I cannot read the displays behind the steering wheel unless I put on glasses that I cannot wear while driving! The trims are transformer-like and gaudy. Shiny silver plastic on some, dull grey plastic on others. And it looks like it was a kit assembled. The steering wheel has multiple parts that look cheap and has a dry cheap feel. My older version, aaaahhhh, so comfortable to the touch, clean, elegant yet sporty, rosewood and wonderful stitched leather that you find in a car twice the price. Perfect Japanese efficient elegance. The interior of this new version looks like a cheap Nissan, or an older american car when they used to add this and that, this gaudiness and that gaudiness, thinking it was "luxury" when it was only cheap looking gew gaw. This new version is noiser than my 2007. When stopped to make a turn across traffic, Id keep thinking there was a window cracked open when a car whizzed by. Perhaps its the added little window sections by the rear view mirrors? Then there is that huge thing sticking up in the center of the dash. Ugly. You cant get rid of it. It makes for a nice map if you need that (but, who doesnt use Google Maps now?) but otherwise, if you use the radio, that pay radio station is there in big text whether you want it or not and you have to take the attention off the road to cycle past it. And again, the metallic trim does not help, only clutters an already cluttered looking interior. Trying to use the mouse to get around that menu is horrible. Skips around and it takes many tries to land on the desired icon. Visibility in my 2007 is not great. Visibility in this 2017 is noticeably worse. Why havent they put in a double visor? Its been years and years now, and still no double visor? And, my coffee holder, to the left of the steering wheel, is GONE. The radio and air buttons below the dash are tiny and unreadable. I would have to memorize them in order to utilize them while driving.The style of this console looks like that of an old car of the 70s, cluttered, hard to read. Whether its old or young eyes looking at the console information, it should be VERY easy to read. For safety sake, for heavens sake. Shiny plastic, dull plastic, too many parts piled upon one another. Such an added expense IMO yet such a loss of elegance and style. The engine is probably more powerful than mine, yet, it has the exact same choke/dead zones when changing gears. We also have a Toyota Tundra that accelerates beautifully and does not have those annoying swallows when you want to accelerate. And, BTW, the dash is totally readable. I think its a 2011. I could go on and on but for what? The car I had once wanted to drive for the rest of my life is gone. RIP RX 350. My 2007 is near 250000 miles, costing my plenty of money now for repairs, as I still havent found a decent replacement. That perfect Japanese efficient elegance, is it gone forever?

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  Lexus, please FIX drone noise and vibration issue! - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By viwami77 - November 11 - 2:04 pm

  GOOD: Sharp design and nice looking inside and out. Quality interior materials. No squeaking noises. Roomy interior, luxury feel. Good base stereo. BAD: Second year in production, and common issue with annoying drone noise + vibration still not fixed! Hard to believe!!! Transition is set for maximum mpg and hardly forcing higher gears / lower rpms causing drone noise and vibration coming from inadequately designed exhaust system while slow incline on higher gear/lower rpms. Dealer said: it is normal characteristic of the new RXs. 2016 and 2017 are affected, no fix until now (end of January 2018). Illogical entertainment system, very confusing to navigate, not intuitive at all. No manual on/off controls for AC. Slow throttle respond. Slow acceleration. Slow rear gate. Heavy doors. Voice recognition does not understand me most of the time. Too soft power-steering, feels like a driver has no 100% control. Too soft suspension (my is 2WD not F-Sport model) feels unstable in curves. Transition shifting is strange, sometimes is not sure what gear should choose. Definitely not what I expected form Lexus and 50,000.00. Our other cars: 2011 Outback 2.5 is quiet and smooth like years ago while dealer delivery, and absolutely outstanding 2017 F-Pace diesel - pleasure and fun to drive with no single issue. If you just need a machine to move you from point A to B, than RX is for you, but if you are "car person" and having enjoyment while driving....look elsewhere!

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  A big disappointment - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By David Smith - January 4 - 6:15 pm

  This is the second RX we have owned. We purchased this RX 350 all wheel drive new in Oct 2016 and wish we had our money back. The first one, many years ago, was really good. This one is a big disappointment. The Info system is just terrible. Voice recognition does not work, not at all, no matter how much training you do. The car seems to be less quite than in the past. Shifting is just strange from time to time. No trouble with it, but just not worth the money with all its faults. I recommend you look elsewhere.

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  Excessive noise and vibration - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By KenK - March 5 - 1:36 pm

  Wish I had read all those posting on this matter before I purchase this car, go to club lexus website and read all about this problem. I just purchased this last week and realize this problem after the purchase. Cant believe Lexus is allowing this to pass QC.

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  Probably my last Lexus - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Longtime Lexus Owner - December 20 - 11:52 am

  Been a Lexus owner since 2003. This one measure up in so many ways, but the noise, drone, and vibration though the pedals, steering wheel and center console are terrible. Lexus tells me thats the nature of this model. My Chevy truck is a dream to drive compared to this one.

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  noise in low speed - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By mike - June 9 - 7:25 am

  this rx350 has been in shop three time in less than 6000 miles viberates or grinding noise mostly on take off . hesitates when you give gas.they donot have fix. lexus will not stay number one if this is what they putting out.

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  To start or not to start - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By Annie Keenan - May 28 - 2:22 am

  There is a technical glitch with this model that Lexus hasn’t come up with a fix for. Periodically, about 4 times a month, the car won’t start when first turned over. A message appears that states “ Braking power low. Pull off the road. Check owners manual”. Lexus says to keep trying, push the petal harder and the car will start on the second, third or fourth try. They claim the car is functioning normally. My other Rx’s never had this problem. Be prepared to face this surprise each morning!

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  Expected way MORE from Lexus! - 2017 Lexus RX 350
  By waldograph - February 15 - 1:09 pm

  Me and my wife bought this RX350 almost a year ago, and she drives it 75% of the time. We are in our early 40s,our first luxury vehicle, previously owned: Isuzu, 2 Hondas, Toyota, Mazda, and 2 Subarus. Recently we took a road trip from Chicago – Miami ( 3,000 mile R/T). Vehicle currently has 15,000 miles and after I read all the mixed reviews I decided to help the undecided. Except for 2 free scheduled maintenances (5,000 and 10,000) car was never in service for any issues. Exterior design: you will either love it or hate it, no comments here, it is a matter of opinion. The good: 1. Luxury interior design with quality and soft materials. 2. Very roomy and quiet cabin, with absolutely no “plastic” squeaking. 3. Comfortable ride, not too soft, not too firm. 4. Very quiet up/down window operation. 5. Lots of room in the back seat. 6. Adjustable rear seats. 7. Great basic speakers. 8. Very convenient front heating seats. 9. Under the trunk floor actual spare tire, not like European competition just repair kit. The bad: 1. Grinding (drone) noise while slow take off around 1,500-2,000 rpm. Reported to Dealer during scheduled maintenance and the answer was: vehicle is operating normally. 2. Transmission forcing higher gears / lower rpm’s to save gas, this makes Eco and Normal modes annoying, Sport mode okay, keeping higher rpm’s and lower gears makes the drive a pleasure. 3. While idle, lots of vibrations of steering wheel, gear shifter and center console. 4. Throttle response is very, very slow (measured 0.6s). 5. When I start the car during cold months, it makes constant, a loud knocking “diesel like” sound in the engine, disappearing as vehicle warms up. Complained during 10,000 maintenance, and technician takes me to another brand new RX350. We started it and it sound like mine. He explained that high pressure fuel pump in the engine when it’s cold makes this type of sound and this is normal...? 6. Using the infotainment is very difficult, and screen menus are not intuitive at all. 7. Never know if AC is on or off, no indicator light or “old fashion” basic on/off switch. To check if AC is on or off you must go thru complicated 4 menu screens...unbelievable! AC compressor defaults to on, even when its 10F outside. 8. Trip odometers switches are hidden on the left side behind steering wheel. Even when stopped it is hard to locate and re-set trip odometer. 9. The front passenger door needs heavy force to close. I oiled it and closing is a bit smoother. 10. On the passenger side the chrome window trim has about 6 dents which we discovered the next day after we purchased. It looks like someone who installed the trim in the factory did this damage. 11. Transmission is confusing sometimes and not sure what to do, hesitates when you give gas. When you add gas the throttle slowly responds and you ends up with one of two: rabbit jump, or turtle motion! 12. Automatic rear hatch closing or opening very, very slow.13. No beep signal when vehicle is locked from the key fob, you are never sure from the distance if vehicle is secured. 14. Tiny holes on the seats makes it easy for crumbs to get stuck in 15. Not even an option to order heated rear seats. Think, and make your own decision before heading to store with your 50,000.