Musings about my next car

[m4rkw]

Slightly off-topic but I'm musing over what car I'll likely buy next, assuming that the world hasn't gone fully electric by the time my RX dies.

I'd like to stick with Lexus but would also consider Toyotas, maybe even a Honda Accord. I'm not really a fan of the SUV body style, it's a big lumbering inefficient thing and the only benefit you get for all that burnt fuel is lots of boot space and slightly more comfort getting in and out.

So my next car I want to be a car-shaped car (i.e. saloon), decent power but not over the top (LS would be lovely but I can't afford all that fuel). So I'm thinking GS or IS, GS is probably comfier right? But also more thirsty and no manual option. Not sure if I want a manual or not really, I'm lazy and drive in traffic a lot, but manuals are fun too. GS looks like it might have slightly more boot space than an IS but probably not by a lot.

It's rather depressing when I consider that my RX returns around 30mpg with a gutless 160hp engine tugging a massive SUV around, and a 3L GS 300 making 245hp would be really zippy and return very similar fuel economy.

Boot space is still a consideration but only for holidays so I'm thinking roof rails and a big roof box and I can take it off when not holidaying.  I don't tend to spend more than about 7k on a car so would be looking at 2005-2010 year range which tbh I think is still the sweet spot for overall cost per mile anyway. Hybrids are an option for a bit more fuel economy but not really sure if it's a false economy at that kind of age because a single Battery incident would more than wipe out any fuel savings on the difference between 30 and 35mpg.

[m4rkw]

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12091970

Looks so nice. Cooled seats I bet are amazing on a hot day. Pretty much the same fuel economy as my RX but probably 10x the driving fun.

[Spacewagon52]

If you are getting 30 mpg out of your RX300 you are doing brilliantly. Can’t remember but are you on LPG?

[m4rkw]

1 hour ago, Spacewagon52 said:

If you are getting 30 mpg out of your RX300 you are doing brilliantly. Can’t remember but are you on LPG?

Nope but it's a Harrier rather than a regular RX, so 4 cylinder 2.4L 2AZ-FE engine. Pretty gutless for the size of the car at only 160hp so constantly revving high especially up steep hills, but returns pretty decent economy. Up in scotland where I'm averaging 50mph a lot of the time even with the hills and mountain passes I'm doing better than 30mpg, haven't measured actual mpg but after about 1500 miles the range computer is showing about 40 miles more range than it does when I'm in London. 

[olliesgrandad]

Well as a defector (at present) to Subaru I am pleasantly surprised as the car has all the attributes of an SUV without the height. 

Very comfortable with much better controls for the infotainment system than Lexus. 

As for venturing mildly off rod and  narrow lane exploring it is wonderful. 

A trip to Exmoor last week took me down a lane that would have stopped my RX from even contemplating. 

Likewise I realised how good a proper 4x4 is when a Toyota followed me into a parking area and grounded its sills. 

On that day I achieved over 38mpg tankful to tankful. 

As for holiday luggage the roof rails are standard so just a matter of fitting whatever contraption you require on them. In the States a one bedroom roof tent is a popular addition. 

Just a shame that Subaru dealers are so scarce. Mind you I think they are probably close to Lexus for reliability especially as Toyota own 20% of Fuji Heavy Industries. 

Oh and my Subaru has a 5 year warranty (new ones apparently don't). 

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, olliesgrandad said:

Well as a defector (at present) to Subaru I am pleasantly surprised as the car has all the attributes of an SUV without the height. 

Very comfortable with much better controls for the infotainment system than Lexus. 

As for venturing mildly off rod and  narrow lane exploring it is wonderful. 

A trip to Exmoor last week took me down a lane that would have stopped my RX from even contemplating. 

Likewise I realised how good a proper 4x4 is when a Toyota followed me into a parking area and grounded its sills. 

On that day I achieved over 38mpg tankful to tankful. 

As for holiday luggage the roof rails are standard so just a matter of fitting whatever contraption you require on them. In the States a one bedroom roof tent is a popular addition. 

Just a shame that Subaru dealers are so scarce. Mind you I think they are probably close to Lexus for reliability especially as Toyota own 20% of Fuji Heavy Industries. 

Oh and my Subaru has a 5 year warranty (new ones apparently don't). 

Well Les, your account reminds me of the old adverts for Marlboro cigarettes, all the advantages but no downsides, unless of course you haven't smoked/driven them long enough for them to become evident. 😎

[olliesgrandad]

There are of course downsides. The car has a strange 'bandit locking, system which needs dealer intervention to turn off. The interior is more' robust ' than plush. There is no spare wheel(I know that some Lexus don't have them). However a jack and wheel brace are supplied. Service costs are around the same as Lexus. There are some very complex security features which include a hidden keypad which I have left well alone. The tailgate goes up much higher than the RX which means I don't hit my head anymore, but it is manual not electric so my wife has to stretch to pull it down. I think that at the end of the day there are a lot of similarities with the Toyota brand as Toyota is involved with Subaru. The UK is a really small market for Subaru as most XVs are sold in the US and Australia as Crosstrek. 

[Barry14UK]

There is a sense of pleasure in surveying the market and considering your next ride.  I am not contemplating parting with my RX for two or three years time but when I do so, I will include all electric models.  As I passed my local Skoda dealer yesterday,  I took the opportunity to have a close look and sit in the Enyak model which was in an attractive 'Artic Ice' (very pale metallic silver green.)  I liked the the shape and overall dimensions but noted there was no spare wheel, not even a space saver.  I was told the tyres were filled with a sealant, which is OK if the nail or whatever is in the tread rather than the side wall.  However once punctured a tyre was scrap!  The salesman said some people had bought a spare wheel but this just takes up room in a pretty average size boot. Inside the car was functional and although it had the larger 80 Battery pack, it was several levels down so lacked many of the electric features HUD and sunshine roof etc.  These could be added by moving up trim or various packages.  I liked the large central screen although this looked like it had been stuck on as an afterthought just like on other marques nowadays.  This is an inferior design to my 3rd gen Lexus where the screen is shielded and looks properly integrated.  Unfortunately, I found the seats hard and nowhere near as comfortable as on my RX.  There was plenty of room in both the front and the rear.  Generally speaking, I found the interior to be more utilitarian than my  RX  which I was glad to get into for the drive home.  There is no doubt that Skoda has improved enormously over the last 15 or so years but they are not a premium car even where some the higher trims are equipped with goodies found on more up market marques. 

There are quite a number of other offerings available now or before long to consider.  I would like to experience an all electric Lexus SUV of NX size.

For me a BEV vehicle would make sense with my solar panels providing power for my short journeys and only very occasionally needing a top up when making a long journey.  Hopefully, this would also reduce service cost over the RX 

[Zotto]

With your premises I would consider a Lexus ES 300h. Besides it has been announced a light restyling for 2022.

[Barry14UK]

Thank you for your suggestion Luigi but back and knee probs mean I will go with another suv when the time comes.  I also like the higher driving position an SUV provides. With all the major players producing suv full electric models or in the process of doing so, I would have thought that Lexus would have been further down the road than they are.  I don't think they can just develop a Hydrogen range which will takes ages to set up and become accepted as an alternative, without losing a useful market share.

So interesting to see what new models are becoming available and importantly how these perform and how reliable BEV models prove to be.

 

 

[Spacewagon52]

1 minute ago, Barry14UK said:

Thank you for your suggestion Luigi but back and knee probs mean I will go with another suv when the time comes.  I also like the higher driving position an SUV provides. With all the major players producing suv full electric models or in the process of doing so, I would have thought that Lexus would have been further down the road than they are.  I don't think they can just develop a Hydrogen range which will takes ages to set up and become accepted as an alternative, without losing a useful market share.

So interesting to see what new models are becoming available and importantly how these perform and how reliable BEV models prove to be.

 

 

The best compromise would be a PHEV - interesting to see what peeps make of the new NX.

[DanD]

On 8/31/2021 at 7:38 AM, m4rkw said:

Slightly off-topic but I'm musing over what car I'll likely buy next, assuming that the world hasn't gone fully electric by the time my RX dies.

I'd like to stick with Lexus but would also consider Toyotas, maybe even a Honda Accord. I'm not really a fan of the SUV body style, it's a big lumbering inefficient thing and the only benefit you get for all that burnt fuel is lots of boot space and slightly more comfort getting in and out.

So my next car I want to be a car-shaped car (i.e. saloon), decent power but not over the top (LS would be lovely but I can't afford all that fuel). So I'm thinking GS or IS, GS is probably comfier right? But also more thirsty and no manual option. Not sure if I want a manual or not really, I'm lazy and drive in traffic a lot, but manuals are fun too. GS looks like it might have slightly more boot space than an IS but probably not by a lot.

It's rather depressing when I consider that my RX returns around 30mpg with a gutless 160hp engine tugging a massive SUV around, and a 3L GS 300 making 245hp would be really zippy and return very similar fuel economy.

Boot space is still a consideration but only for holidays so I'm thinking roof rails and a big roof box and I can take it off when not holidaying.  I don't tend to spend more than about 7k on a car so would be looking at 2005-2010 year range which tbh I think is still the sweet spot for overall cost per mile anyway. Hybrids are an option for a bit more fuel economy but not really sure if it's a false economy at that kind of age because a single battery incident would more than wipe out any fuel savings on the difference between 30 and 35mpg.

A bit late to the party, but have you considered a Honda Legend? -= You get a lot of car for your money and a V6 would be cheaper to run than a V8

[Barry14UK]

Interesting suggestion.  It was never a car that sold in great numbers and I wonder if current models are readily available or have to be specially imported from Japan.  This seems to be a late model 

Personally, I prefer the shape of an earlier model as advertised in this link and being an old fashioned guy might have taken a look at it but for my dodgy back, better suited to an suv. https://www.gumtree.com/p/honda/2009-honda-legend-fsh-lpg-great-condition/1414693991

[DanD]

Yes, this is the previous model is the one I was thinking about:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=so533ny&make=Honda&model=Legend&include-delivery-option=on&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

The one above was not sold in the UK.

A SUV I did consider before getting my first Lexus was the Nissan Murano (pre 2008 facelift).

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=relevance&postcode=so533ny&radius=1500&make=NISSAN&model=MURANO&include-delivery-option=on&year-to=2008

https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/murano/4x4/used-review/n521