4Wd - Can It Be Turned Off?

[Gavin71]

My wife has a rx300 and just wondering if you can switch off the 4wd? Closest it actually get to off road is going on the drive of a night! Would there be any mpg savings to be made from doing it?

[MartyCee]

My wife has a rx300 and just wondering if you can switch off the 4wd? Closest it actually get to off road is going on the drive of a night! Would there be any mpg savings to be made from doing it?

Unfortunately not, the 4X4 system on an RX300 is permenantly engaged. Yes, there would be huge fuel savings if that were possuble! :-( The alternative is to follow me into an RX450h, but then you'd have to weight the purchase costs against the fuel savings. In UK mpg terms my Hybrid is regularly giving 32-34 mpg, consistant 28 around the city & have seen as high as 37mpg on a few long runs. That said if you use all the performance all the time it is easy to get down to 24-25! ;-)

[Gavin71]

Unfortunately not, the 4X4 system on an RX300 is permenantly engaged. Yes, there would be huge fuel savings if that were possuble! :-( The alternative is to follow me into an RX450h, but then you'd have to weight the purchase costs against the fuel savings. In UK mpg terms my Hybrid is regularly giving 32-34 mpg, consistant 28 around the city & have seen as high as 37mpg on a few long runs. That said if you use all the performance all the time it is easy to get down to 24-25! ;-)

Cheers, to be honest the mileage she does (100-150 miles pw) doesn't warrant the outlay on a 400h. It's only used around town so averaging about 18mpg, she doesn't want to give up the comforts on the rx so think the best option re running costs is to look at lpg.

[Parthiban]

I'd imagine it might be possible, although not available in the UK, in Japan the RX was either FWD or 4WD, so dependent on the type of 4WD system being used it might be an option. However I'd guess that it's a very expensive option, and probably wouldn't make sense against the potential fuel savings.

You're right LPG is probably a better option to consider.

[ihpj]

I'd argue that economy savings would be negligable (FWD vs. AWD) as there would be only a slight wieght difference between the two; and given that the RX is a near 2-tonne vehicle, a few KG wont make much difference :)

It is what it is at the end of the day, enjoy the wafting ride :)

[Duncan Roberts]

My wife has a rx300 and just wondering if you can switch off the 4wd? Closest it actually get to off road is going on the drive of a night! Would there be any mpg savings to be made from doing it?

No: You have bought a 4wd car as it says on the box!

[Felix]

a few years ago, my missus had a FWD Japanese RX on LPG(we paid for the conversion) for two years before she got this 350.

it was a great car.

yours is a AWD M8.

Felix