2002 Lexus Rx300 Real World Mpg Figures?

Lexusdaft · August 29, 2012

Hi all, newbie here and I'm looking for a bit of info. I am selling my 99S GS300 and I have seen an RX300 I really like. Are there any owners on here who can tell me what mpg figures these produce in real world driving? My GS300 has poor mpg figures going by the manufacturers figures, however I have found it to be fantastic on fuel. I regularly genuinely achieve 38-39 on a long motorway run and average 30mpg which is way above the manufacturers figures. I note the RX300's official extra urban figures are 27.1 mpg and the average mpg is 22. Are these accurate or is anyone regularly achieving higher figures? Any help and replies will be greatly appreciated. All the best folks and I look forward to your replies.

ronnaybarkay · August 30, 2012

I have an app on my phone and record the data everytime I fill up and have done for the past year. The average for local short journeys is 16 - 18 mpg. The BEST I have had from motorway trips is 22.5.... And I assure you I have a very steady right foot. Cruising at 68 -70 mph and drive conservatively. A tank of fuel - around £65- 75 will do about 220 miles on local running around.

Dont be under any illusion. They are not good on fuel. But thats not why you want to buy one...

ronnaybarkay · August 30, 2012

and ours is a 53 plate with 57k on it. I hear the 350 is a little bit better?

ColinBarber · August 30, 2012

Managed 27 mpg on a motorway journeys in the series I RX300 when keeping to the speed limit. The series II is slightly better due to an extra cog in the gearbox and reworked engine but not much more. A 4-wheel drive system isn't fuel efficient, combined with the weight and shape of the RX and it isn't going to beat your GS

Boxbrownie · August 31, 2012

Commuting to and from work 13 miles each way on clear morning A&B roads and fairly busy A&B roads on the way home in the evening driven normally (ie 50% plodding with traffic 50% leaving it standing!) I get a genuine 23.7mpg on average, when taking a more liesurely country route home along 50% national limit windy roads I can get around 26mpg, on the same route drievn like a miser I can get 30mpg quite easily, but its such boring drive then!

On a recent trip to Devon from Essex on the M25, A303, A30, M3 route driven within the limits but normal driving conditions I got 27mpg.......so the vehcle need not be a gas guzzler all the time, just depends how and where you drive

Boxbrownie · August 31, 2012

I have an app on my phone and record the data everytime I fill up and have done for the past year. The average for local short journeys is 16 - 18 mpg. The BEST I have had from motorway trips is 22.5.... And I assure you I have a very steady right foot. Cruising at 68 -70 mph and drive conservatively. A tank of fuel - around £65- 75 will do about 220 miles on local running around.

Dont be under any illusion. They are not good on fuel. But thats not why you want to buy one...

Wow! I would seriously check out the machine because driven with a steady right foot you should be getting considerably more than those figures!

When I stopped a small air leak on my O2 sensor mating surface I gained another 2mpg straight away, you may have something slightly amiss somewhere there.

ronnaybarkay · September 1, 2012

I thought the figures were normal.... Ok. Have you any suggestions as to where to start looking first?

We take regular motorway and long A routes to the east coast and even the read out in the car only ever says 23. The car is laden with 2 kids n associated baggage however.... including the wife in that too!!

passman53 · September 2, 2012

I have a 2005 RX300-58,000 miles. Last weekend I went from the midlands to Selby for the day, a round trip of 306 miles. I brimmed the tank at the start and again on my return. The average was 29.3mpg, the computer said 31.5. This was mainly motorway and average speed was 63mph.

Considering the size and weight of the car I think this is fine. 22.5 at 68-70 with a light foot seems to indicate a problem.

Pete

Boxbrownie · September 4, 2012

I without fail always get more than 300 miles per tank, usually around 330......

Look for air leaks in vac lines, blocked air cleaner filter, even a blocked/restricted catalyst.......could be any one of the sensors giving the engine a false reading leading to over fueling.

First thing is to read the fault codes and see if its anything obvious, then its a process of elimination by a trusted engineer.

passman53 · September 4, 2012

Hello again,

We are perhaps going a little off the original topic ( if you're after economy stick to your GS), but I recently had a 60k service which included a change of plugs. I haven't got before and after figures but it seems to be going that little bit better(smoother) and according to the computer is better on fuel. Have you had the plugs/filters changed recently?

Pete

ronnaybarkay · September 5, 2012

The garage I bought from gave a "full" service a year ago when i bought the car. I cant say what exactly that included. Since then in a year we've only done 3500. The car is mainly the wife's. I have a diesel Vauxhall for work. When we got out as a family we always use the Lexus as the child seats are in. The daily school run is 1 mile each way x 4 trips p/day. She doesnt go very far in it at all, and I can probably assume that this has a lot to do with it. Probably a handful of miles per day if more than school trips. The nature of the roads mean its not particularly nice or safe to walk.... Plus when I drive it I can comment on my own driving style/ habits. Less so for hers... but I doubt as conservative and smooth!!! As we near the 60K mark I'll enquire at Lexus and see how much that service is and whats included.

Boxbrownie · September 6, 2012

Ouch.....yes those 4 miles a day in four trips will kill any kind of economy, the engine will never warm up even, let alone get to operating temperatures!

I hate to say it but those kind of trips are what electric and hybrid vehicles are perfect for.