2006 Lexus RX350 Reviews

Lexus RX has been a huge success for the upmarket Japanese marque since its launch in Australia in April 2003. More a high riding station wagon than a 4WD it has mild to medium off-road ability in its AWD versions, though very few owners ever take advantage of it. The introduction of the fourth generation RX series in

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.Lexus cars are about comfort and refinement and the Lexus RX SUV leans very much in that direction and well away from the rugged off-road nature of its big brother the LandCruiser-based Lexus LX Series.The Lexus RX350 has significantly less ground clearance than the typical crossover. Which gives it road holding almost on par with that of a sedan or station wagon. While the Lexus RX350 does have all-wheel drive and can travel on dirt roads, forest trails and the like, taking it to the beach could leave it beached on its belly.Interior room is good for two adults and three junior travellers, but three adults in the back seats starts to stretch their friendship. It goes without saying that the choice of materials and the quality of fit and finish of cabin is immaculate in all models, and has been taken to even higher levels over the years. Boot space is reasonable considering the steep slope of the rear window, but most SUVs of this size give you more versatility when it comes to carrying boxy items. The rear seat has a handy 40/20/40 split to give you loading options.Australian buyers weren’t offered the chance to buy the first-generation Lexus RX300 as it was only sold in the USA. The second generation went on sale in this country in April 2003 as the RX330 (the numbers refer to the engine size in decilitres in most models, more about that later) and was a hit pretty well from the start.The third generation Lexus was introduced in February 2009 and, with a moderate facelift and the introduction of several new variants remains on sale today. The gen-three was virtually all-new, being longer and wider in the body than its predecessors and sitting on a longer wheelbase and wider track. The new model was designed to provide more interior space and even higher levels of interior comfort than before. It truly is a luxury wagon and the great majority of buyers use it that way.The twin-cam petrol engine V6 has a capacity of 3.0 litres in the 330 and 3.5 litres in the RX350. The third generation cars have noticeably lower fuel consumption without any loss of performance. The petrol engine was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission until the arrival of the all-new 2009 model saw it lifted to six-speed unit, which partly explains its lower fuel use.An interesting model is the petrol-electric hybrid RX. Sold since October 2006, it uses a 3.3-litre engine and an electric motor in combination. The hybrid’s model name breaks with convention by being tagged RX400h, that’s because Lexus reckons it has the performance that would be offered by a 4.0-litre petrol engine.A mid-life upgrade in July 2012 saw the introduction of an RX 2WD, four-cylinder model badged RX 270. Until then all RXs used 4WD and a V6 engine. The lighter weight of the 2WD model (which drives through the front wheels) means there is less loss in performance than you might expect. Naturally, it’s still a rarity on the used market but if you never plan any unsealed road driving its lower price may make it worth a wait.Lexus dealers are mainly in metropolitan areas of capital cities and major regional and country locations. Should you need work done in other areas some top Toyota mechanics have been trained in Lexus work. Service and repair costs are about average for an SUV in this upmarket class and we have heard of no real complaints about cost or availability of routine spare parts. Insurance charges don’t seem to vary significantly between major companies, but it may be worth shopping around.WHAT TO LOOK FORVery high build quality means that troubles are rare, but these are relatively complex machines and we highly recommend a professional inspection after you've completed yours to the best of your ability. If you find body damage indicating off-road use, a rarity, it’s most likely to be on the bumper corners, under the sill panels and in the form of scratches on the doors. Unless the price is right we suggest going for another RX instead.Look for a smoking exhaust on a high-mileage engine. It will be at its worst when the engine is worked hard. Check the automatic transmission is all but unnoticed in its actions unless you’re accelerating hard. Look over the interior and boot carefully because the RX is popular in the Mums’ taxi cohort.CAR BUYING TIPFaded paint on any vehicle, particularly those with strong colours, is likely to indicate it hasn’t been garaged very often. This can be hard on the interior as well as the body. 

Lexus has won a place alongside the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the minds of prestige car buyers who believe it to be a worthy alternative to the European establishment.The RX was an important plank in the Lexus platform given the growing popularity of crossover wagons in this country. It began with the five-seater RX330 in 2003, and stepped up with the RX350 in 2006.The changes made to the RX in 2006 made it better placed to attack the Mercedes-Benz ML and the BMW X5, regarded as its main rivals. For starters the V6 engine was increased in capacity from 3.3 to 3.5 litres, the outcome being 18 percent more power and four percent more torque. In a nutshell, that means more get up and go when needed, and better towing performance.Backing up to the V6 was a five-speed auto with touch-change manual shifting feeding into the permanent all-wheel drive system. Underneath it had full independent suspension and disc brakes all round. Even in base form the RX350 had a swag of standard gear, pretty much everything could want or expect in a car of its standing.Inside there was leather trim, heated front seats, auto climate controlled air-con, cruise, power windows and mirrors, a six-speaker CD sound system, and blue-tooth phone connection. Outside it had alloy wheels, fog lights, roof racks, and a rear spoiler.The RX350 is not the vehicle you'd choose if you wanted to go bush in a big way, but it is the sort of wagon you'd be happy to drive around town and on the odd excursion beyond the city limits.Its uprated engine gave it noticeably better performance without sacrificing any of the smoothness for which it had been renowned.Some thought the suspension too soft and less responsive than its rivals, but its ride was comfortable and it handled well enough.IN THE SHOPReliability in service is largely determined by the initial design work and the build precision, and in those areas Toyota has excelled. There's no question that the RX350 is well designed and put together, and as a result, little appears to go wrong with them. The most important thing is to ensure any prospective purchase has been serviced correctly, so check for a service record. Make the usual visual checks for crash repairs and walk away if it's suspected a car has been in a crash.IN A CRASHANCAP doesn't have a rating for the RX350, but its almost identical predecessor was rated at four stars out of five. There was a comprehensive array of safety gear in the RX350. It began with front, head and side airbags, and continued with ABS braking, and electronic stability and traction control systems.UNDER THE PUMPBig, heavy, all-wheel drive; they're not the ingredients to deliver fuel economy. Toyota claimed the RX350 would do 10.8 L/100 km, meanwhile CarsGuide's road tester returned 11.1 L/100 km.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $74,800 to $84,100Engine: 3.5-litre V6; 203 kW/342 NmTransmission: 5-speed auto, AWDEconomy: 10.8 L/100 kmBody: 4-door wagonVariants: Sports, LuxurySafety: 4-star ANCAP.VERDICTA great choice when you want a wagon that looks down on its neighbours.

The Japanese luxury brand is also doing well with the second-generation IS sedan it is using to attack the benchmark 3-Series from BMW.It has lifted sales from 2232 to 2849 vehicles in a year-to-date comparison to the end of May.It is also hammering hard with a string of petrol-electric hybrids.We have already seen the GS450h hybrid sports sedan and there will be an LS600h flagship before the end of the year to set the high-water mark.Lexus also has a hybrid RX all-wheel-drive coming in October, building from the update earlier this year to its luxury RX350.We decided to spend some time in the updated RX, a regular petrol version, before the hybrid model arrives.The RX350 is a significant and worthwhile improvement for the RX. It goes a little harder, is a little greener, has more equipment and comes with a funky and useful rear-view camera that even dictates bump-free parking.The dashboard display can be used to play DVDs while the car is parked, which takes the misery out of waiting for trains, buses, planes or the school bell.The RX also has an active light system that points around corners and, typically for the class, Bluetooth phone connection.Lexus believes the latest changes to the RX give it extra ammunition to fire at the Mercedes ML and BMW X5 it targets as its prime rivals, even though sales this year are down."That is mainly because of the runout of the RX330. We got no supplies in January," head of Lexus Australia Scott Grant says. "We're selling at about the same rate as last year."We have to fight for supply because the car is still in demand internationally. It's somewhere between 200 and 300 cars a month -- pretty good for us."The RX is similar to the rest of the Lexus family because there is only one mechanical package and two grades of luxury gear.The 350 has an updated 3.5-litre V6 with 18 per cent more power and 4 per cent more torque than the previous model. It is claimed to be the most powerful six-cylinder AWD in its class, with 203kW.It has permanent AWD and a five-speed auto gearbox, with touch-change manual shift, fully independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes.Safety also means a full set of front and side-curtain airbags, and even the basic RX gets everything from automatic aircon to a sunroof and CD sound.The RX is still only a five-seater. There are no plans for a seven-seater, but Grant says that is fine with buyers."They are happy with five seats. They are mostly families with a couple of kids and are fairly active. They do light off-road driving to the snow or the beach and maybe some camping.""It is fairly standard middle Australia, but maybe with a bit more income."The RX is similar to a lot of the new AWD wagons, including the Ford Territory now dominating the business in Australia.But the Lexus is a lot more car-like than most of its rivals, and that has helped it to resist the slump in the class.There are signs some customers are coming back to the heavyweight 4WDs, with Toyota LandCruiser sales lifting in June, but the business is still tough.ON THE ROADThe RX has always been an AWD favourite with the CARSguide team, but not because it can do LandCruiser-style expedition work.It is a nice city drive that is also great for weekend getaways.It is more like a high-rider car than most of its luxury AWD rivals, and that includes the BMW X5 and Mercedes ML.Some people believe it is too soft, or too gentle, but it works for most day-to-day tripping and has enough grip and go for easy weekend work.The 350 is the same, but better, than the previous RX and the extra power from the larger engine is welcome.Other changes are relatively minor, but worth checking against the Nissan Murano, which we believe is the RX's real rival.Owners might like to brag about the strength of their RX against an M5 or X5, but the dollar deal says the Murano is a realistic choice with a $25,000 price break. Honda also has itsMD-X lurking in the background.The latest RX is noticeably quicker than before, as you would expect with an 18 per cent power hike, but still just as refined.The engine is great for overtaking, and responds well when you move to the manual change in the five-speed. It is as smooth as an auto, but more fun if you take total control.Fuel economy is good at 11.2 litres/100km, a figure that drops a lot when freeway cruising.The suspension is still a bit soft for our taste, and not as responsive to the wheel as an X5, but rides smoothly. It gets around corners well enough, but is not a sports car.The cabin is as well finished as that in any Lexus, and we like the rear-view camera. It's not just a nappy for nervous parents who worry about children in the driveway, but gives a real parking benefit with lines on the screen that show where the RX is going and how much clearance you have to the surrounding scenery.The DVD player is also great, and we spent a lazy half-hour watching music videos while waiting for a friend to complete their shopping.The headlamps are good but not great.The RX is easy to manoeuvre, very quiet inside and there are enough toys to keep anyone occupied.It is typical Lexus stuff, doing the basics well, but adding plenty of icing.That is what gives it an advantage over the Murano, which is just as nice to drive but not nearly as well finished.The Nissan has a big price advantage, and is bigger inside, but the Lexus is a nicer car and creates a nicer world.It is also softer and more female-friendly than an X5 or ML, though Lexus -- despite the hybrid hype -- still does not have the bragging rights of the German brands.So it's more of the same, but better, with the promise of the RX400h to add some hybrid impact before the end of the year.THE BOTTOM LINEA cruisy AWD for families who like to ride high but really just want a luxury wagon.81/100