2021 Lexus RX Consumer Reviews

Me and my wife bought this RX350 (base 2WD) 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 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 individual taste. 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 efficient front heating seats. 9. Under the trunk floor actual spare tire, not like European competition just repair kit. 10. Nicely equipped base model. 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 rpms to save gas, this makes Eco and Normal modes very lazy, Sport mode okay, keeping higher rpms 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 its 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 (brand new vehicle!) Where is Lexus quality control? It looks like someone who installed the trim in the factory did this damage. 11. Transmission is confused many times 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 loud beep signal when vehicle is locked from the key fob, you are never sure from the distance if vehicle is secured. 14. Tiny holes (perforation) on the seats makes it easy for crumbs to get stuck in 15. Not even an option to order heated rear seats. 16. Easy scratching high gloss interior surfaces. 17. 2018 Highlander getting the same engine. Think twice, and make your own decision before heading to store with your 50,000.