Overview & Reviews

Vehicle Skid Control (VSC), traction control and BrakeAssist safety technologies are now standard, as is water-repellant front door and sideview mirror glass. Lights front and rear are revised, and the grille has been changed to a simpler design with chrome accents and a larger Lexus badge. HID headlights and chrome-plated wheels are optional for 2001, the full-size spare is newly mounted to a matching alloy wheel and a larger 19.8-gallon fuel tank increases driving range. Inside, new cloth upholstery debuts and an all-black leather option is available. Chrome door handles and scuff plates emblazoned with the Lexus logo class up the joint, while an additional cupholder is available to rear-seat occupants. Optional for 2001 are a wood-trimmed steering wheel and wood trimmed shift knob. Two-level seat heaters are also available. A DVD-based navigation system is optional, with the contiguous U.S. mapped onto a single disc. Child seat-tether anchors and ISO-FIX bars have been added this year. Models with 4WD get prewiring for towing and a standard rear bumper protector. Four new colors round out the list of changes for 2001.

• Well-appointed interior, perfect road manners, smooth powertrain, purse holder.

• Allergic to major off-highway work, chintzy interior trim, dopey LCD screen in center of dash, feels more like a minivan than an SUV.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 76.00

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  Not sure but hopeful - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Genia - December 26 - 10:06 pm

  Bought the car around 60K miles; very nice looking interior and exterior. Very comfortable ride and heated seats still get hot at 179,000 miles. However, transmission had to be replaced last year since it would not go in rear drive. Lexus assisted a bit, perhaps because this is our third Lex. Still had a $3000 bill. Recent repairs $800 and now ABS axle broke so looking at another $1000 repair. Must say our 97 Lex Es300 has 300,000 miles and rides very nice still with only minor repairs. Our 05 Lex Es 330 is roomier but still ride was better in 97. Paint superior on all three cars. In the market for a newer car, just not sure if I should get another RX. A bit formal style vs. casual.

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  Great Vehicle - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By roo2 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Love the car. Excellent in winter.

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  Great car - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By kerifish - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This is a wonderful car! I really hesitated at the price, but, so far, it has been worth it. Gas mileage could be better in town, but highway mileage is reasonable for the performance and safety features. The Lexus dealers have been uniformly excellent-they have the best customer service of any dealer around. I chose the car for its reliability and safety ratings, but it is a blast to drive, especially on long trips, and was great in the snow last winter.

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  Great ride - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Julio Perez - October 8 - 2:00 am

  Once you take it home from the dealer, you know what a great ride this is. Quite, almost silent engine, handles very well. However, gas mileage will dissapoint. After 14K miles, not a single minor objection

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  2001 Lexus RX 300 - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Art - August 31 - 3:40 pm

  It is the most reliable car that Ive ever owned. It has handsome styling (which is why Lexus has not changed it much over the past 10 years) and gets great gas mileage. I get 20 in town and 25 on the highway. Its reliability is unsurpassed. It handles well and has all the space one would need for hobbies, kids, etc. We purchased it new and still enjoy driving it. We will buy another new one soon - but we are keeping the 2001. We will probably hand it down to our grandchildren.

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  Great Car - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By T J Monaghan - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Has the advantage of an SUV, all wheel drive, sitting up higher which improves visability,etc. without compromising ride and luxury. Slightly higher center of gravity does not effect stability.

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  not a real suv - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By no off road vehicle - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Not a real off road SUV,not enough power .If you like a sedan , this would be a good one.

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  Not a Lexus Toyota Fan Anymore - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By Joe - June 9 - 10:20 pm

  My well-maintained 01 RX 300 just died at 115K miles with a bad transmission. Estimated cost to repair is in the many thousands. After over 10 years of owning Toyotas (an 88 Camry, a 95 ES 300 and then the 01 RX 300), Ive changed from a die-hard fan to a never-again disbeliever. Couldnt believe my eyes when the RX just died the way it did. This after following the factory maintenance schedule and taking good care of it.

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  Love this car - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By drbalboa - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I sold my 99 RX300 thinking that a BMW X5 was the perfect car. While the performance was outstanding, it made me drive too fast. I missed the RX quiet, creature comforts, 12 CD changer and quality (tho I never had a problem with the X5 in the year I had it I bought a 2001 RX with a Navigation system (which I love and use), heated seats, & Xenons, I added X5 Michelins and chrome mags. Now it handles nearly as good as the BMW X5 did. And Instead of 16mpg I am getting 21 (on regular gas). In short, I love this car, and it was alot cheaper.

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  Big problems at 89,000 but loved my little RX300 - 2001 Lexus RX 300
  By milomadison - March 11 - 12:39 am

  I loved this car and miss it but it wasnt worth the problems we ended up having at only 87,000 miles. Especially after paying what we did. Transmission issues a known problem I see now. We bought it used in 2005 with only 41k miles on it from a Lexus dealer in CA and it was certified (which means nothing). We loved it until this year, the transmission went out, which Lexus agreed to put in a refurbished tranny and we had to pay the labor $1500.00. Then the battery went and then we started having lights go on, the traction control light would not go off, then the driver window would get stuck! You would think a higher end car would be built better!