Buying an RX450h - 2 questions for owners

[taffie999]

I'm considering buying a Lexus RX 450h (having tried a Toyota Highlander - good but not refined enough for me). I has an LS 400 for some years so I really like the Lexus marque. I am looking at 2019 or newer. I have two questions though:

1. I have read that the ride can be choppy and the roads are pretty poor in my area. Is it worth seeking out a car with the Adaptive Variable Suspension? Does it make any appreciable difference to the ride comfort?

2. They call the gearbox a cvt. whereas I know with the Highlander it was an ecvt, which was a planetary system with no belts. Is the RX gearbox the same, or does it have a belt?

thanks in advance. 

 

[PDM]

33 minutes ago, taffie999 said:

I'm considering buying a Lexus RX 450h (having tried a Toyota Highlander - good but not refined enough for me). I has an LS 400 for some years so I really like the Lexus marque. I am looking at 2019 or newer. I have two questions though:

1. I have read that the ride can be choppy and the roads are pretty poor in my area. Is it worth seeking out a car with the Adaptive Variable Suspension? Does it make any appreciable difference to the ride comfort?

2. They call the gearbox a cvt. whereas I know with the Highlander it was an ecvt, which was a planetary system with no belts. Is the RX gearbox the same, or does it have a belt?

thanks in advance. 

 

Hugh,

I have a 2021 RX with AVS (not air, just adaptive dampers).  I think it rides well.  I do notice in sport s+ mode that the suspension is stiffer.  Have not spent much time in one without AVS, so cannot compare and contrast.  I believe on the F-sport you can additionally get something called "roll skyhook control" with an active anti-roll bar.

Have a look here:

https://mag.lexus.co.uk/2020-lexus-rx/

The gearbox is also a planetary e-cvt in the RX.

Paul

 

[Spock66]

58 minutes ago, taffie999 said:

1. I have read that the ride can be choppy and the roads are pretty poor in my area. Is it worth seeking out a car with the Adaptive Variable Suspension? Does it make any appreciable difference to the ride comfort?

Yes the ride is choppy, AVS is more of a sports feature ie should be less body roll when cornering hard and less front dipping when braking hard.  I don't believe it makes much difference in terms of ride comfort and there are only two user settings you can choose.

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, taffie999 said:

Is it worth seeking out a car with the Adaptive Variable Suspension? Does it make any appreciable difference to the ride comfort?

In addition to the two user modes (normal and sport) and stiffening the suspension as you go into a corner to stop body roll, the AVS is constantly varying the damping force to reduce road unevenness being transferred into the cabin but how effective it is is very dependant on the specific road surface.

Ride comfort is very subjective and almost pointless asking for other people's opinion. I'd recommend you test drive a couple of vehicles to see how you like it, one with and one without AVS.

[talaipwros]

I consider the ride one of the RX's strongest points.