2001LexusRX 300Lexus RX 3002001 Lexus RX 300 FWDSport UtilityWagonFWDKyusha, JapanVehicle Skid Control (VSC), traction control and Brake Assist safety technologies are now standard, as is water-repellant front door and side-view mirror glass. Lights front and rear are revised, and the grille has been changed to a simpler design with chrome accents and a larger Lexus badge. HID headlights and chrome-plated wheels are optional for 2001, the full-size spare is newly mounted to a matching alloy wheel and a larger 19.8-gallon fuel tank increases driving range. Inside, new cloth upholstery debuts and an all-black leather option is available. Chrome door handles and scuff plates emblazoned with the Lexus logo class up the joint, while an additional cupholder is available to rear seat occupants. Optional for 2001 are a wood-rimmed steering wheel and wood trimmed shift knob. Two-level seat heaters are also available. A DVD-based navigation system is optional, with the contiguous U.S. mapped onto a single disc. Child seat-tether anchors and ISO-FIX bars have been added thisWell-appointed interior, perfect road manners, smooth powertrain, purse holder.Allergic to major off-highway work, chintzy interior trim, dopey LCD screen in center of dash, feels more like a minivan than an SUV.Lexus was the first automaker to offer a true, car-based luxury SUV, and consumers have rewarded the company by making the RX 300 the best-selling Lexus in the land. Touted upon introduction as a "new breed of SUV," the RX 300 is supposed to offer the style, versatility, and poor-weather traction of a four-wheel-drive sport-ute without negatively affecting ride, fuel economy, or ease of entry/exit. We would deem the mission a success. Rather than employ a conventional body-on-frame design, Lexus built the RX 300 on a unibody platform that shares more than a passing resemblance with the Toyota Camry. With dimensions similar to those of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the RX 300 can be classified a midsize SUV, thanks to a maximum cargo capacity measurement of 75 cubic feet. Powering the RX 300 is a smooth-revving 3.0-liter V6 producing 220 horsepower and 222 foot-pounds of torque. Eighty percent of peak torque is available as low as 1,600 rpm, which translates into spirited acceleration around town. The front-wheel-drive version sprints from rest to 60 mph in just 8.5 seconds, according to Lexus. Equipped with a silky four-speed automatic transmission and riding on a four-wheel independent suspension sprung with MacPherson struts at each corner, the RX 300 drives just like a lighter, marginally more nimble minivan. With a large, rakish windshield and goofy front quarter windows, the view from the driver's seat imparts the same feel as a Toyota Sienna. Unlike the Sienna, the RX 300 can be had with your choice of front-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive. Not only does the FWD version perform better and get better fuel economy, but it benefits from standard electronic traction control to improve poor weather performance. Four-wheelers include a viscous center differential that directs torque to the wheels with the most traction whenever slippage occurs. For 2001, Lexus has added Vehicle Skid Control (VSC -- a stability control system) and Brake Assist (which applies full braking pressure in panic situations quicker than your feet can) as standard equipment on all RX 300s. The RX 300 tackles daily driver tasks quite well. The softly sprung suspension soaks up road irregularities, the steering is light and linear, and the brakes are quite strong. However, when it comes to serious work, whether on or off the road, the Lexus proves ill equipped. It lacks a low-range transfer case for anything more than light off-roading, and maximum towing capacity is 3,500 pounds, which is 3,000 pounds less than a 4x4 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8. Don't expect to canyon carve, either, as the tires fold over and the suspension lets the body roll excessively when the RX is pushed hard in turns. Inside, the RX 300 is spacious and comfortable up front; less so on the low-mounted rear bench. The optional leather package includes cowhide on the seating surfaces and headrests, and the stuff actually feels like leather instead of vinyl. Dashboard materials and instruments feel substantial, and are obviously shared with a number of other Toyota products. Our primary gripe with the interior has to do with the gimmicky LCD screen mounted in the center of the dash. Audio and climate control functions partially rely on information displayed here, and because the screen is so large, the knobs and buttons for the stereo and HVAC are squashed and small. It is distracting and ergonomically inferior to proper switchgear, and we hate it. With its long list of luxury and safety features (side airbags are standard in the RX 300) Lexus is able to offer a lot of car (in the guise of a truck) for a reasonable amount of money. While we wouldn't recommend the RX to anyone with serious off-road aspirations, it fulfills its intended mission of giving semi-affluent buyers a vehicle with the look and function of an SUV without the annoying truck-like ride and handling common to the class. Ford ExplorerInfiniti QX4Jeep Grand CherokeeMercedes-Benz M-Class450,000670,0004Unlimited6UnlimitedNANANA63 litersV6220 hp @ 5800 rpm222 ft-lbs. @ 4400 rpm75 cu.ft.NA3500 lbs.180.1 in.71.5 in.65.7 in.3692 lbs.103.1 in.41.3 ft.7.7 in.39.5 in.39.2 in.NANANANA40.7 in.36.4 in.5StandardStandardNot AvailableStandardNot AvailableNot AvailableStandardRating = GoodRating = Very GoodNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested17.2 gal.19 mpg / 23 mpg327 mi. / 396 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$29,450$33,9057.35%$545N/A2% of the Base MSRPFWD (4A): 3L V6 DOHC SMPI 24-valve engine with variable valve timing, (requires premium unleaded fuel); 4-speed electronic automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter; 80 amp alternator; driver's selectable multi-mode transmission oil cooler; front-wheel drive, 3.08 axle ratio; stainless steel exhaust; traction control, vehicle skid control; front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, gas-pressurized front shocks, rear independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, rear coil springs, gas-pressurized rear shocks; rack-and-pinion power steering with engine speed-sensing assist; 4-wheel antilock disc brakes with brake assist; 19.8 gal. capacity fuel tank; front and rear mud flaps, side impact bars; liftback rear cargo door; trailer harness; front and rear colored bumpers; colored bodyside cladding; clearcoat lower accent two-tone paint; aero-composite halogen fully auto headlamps with daytime running lights; additional exterior lights includefront projector-type fog/driving lights; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored heated folding outside mirrors; 16" x 6.5" silver alloy wheels; P225/70SR16 BSW M&S tires; full-size alloy spare wheel; air conditioning with climate control, rear heat ducts; premium AM/FM stereo radio, seek-scan feature, cassette player, CD changer pre-wiring, 7 speakers, amplifier, theft deterrent, power retractable diversity antenna; cruise control; power door locks with 2-stage unlock, remote keyless entry, child-safety rear door locks, remote fuel door release; cell phone pre-wiring, 3 power accessory outlets, front lighter element(s), driver's foot rest, retained accessory power, smokers' package, first aid kit; instrumentation display includes tachometer, water temperature gauge, in-dash clock, exterior temp, trip computer, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, battery, key in ignition, low fuel, low washer fluid, bulb failure, door ajar; driver's and passenger's frontairbags, driver's and front passenger's seat-mounted side airbags; ignition disable, panic alarm, security system; water repellant front door windows, deep tinted windows, power front and rear windows with front and rear 1-touch down function, fixed 1/4 vent windows; variable-speed intermittent front windshield wipers, sun visor strip, fixed interval rear wiper, rear window defroster; seating capacity of 5, front bucket seats with adjustable tilt headrests, driver and passenger armrests, driver's seat includes 8-way power adjustment, power 2-way lumbar support, passenger's seat includes 4-way power adjustment; 60/40 folding split-bench rear reclining seat with adjustable headrests, center armrest; height-adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners; cloth seats, cloth door trim insert, full cloth headliner, full carpet floor covering with carpeted floor mats, genuine wood dashboard insert, leather-wrapped gearshift knob, genuine wood door panel insert; interior lights include domelight with fade, front reading lights, door curb lights, illuminated entry; leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt adjustment; dual illuminated vanity mirrors, dual auxiliary visors; day/night rearview mirror; partial floor console, mini overhead console with storage, locking glove box with light, front and rear cupholders, instrument panel covered bin, 2 seatback storage pockets, driver's and passenger's door bins, rear door bins; carpeted cargo floor, cargo cover, cargo tie downs, cargo light, concealed cargo storage; chrome grille, black side window moldings, black front windshield molding, black rear window molding and body-colored door handles.
AWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of BASE FWD (4A) equipment): Full-time all wheel drive, 3.29 axle ratio and body-colored front and rear mud flaps.