The 2016 Lexus RX
Discussion
I have been driving my Lexus RX400h for 6.5 years now and covered 80,000 miles. My usage pattern has changed a lot in the last 12 months, meaning that 20,000 of those miles have been done in the last 12 months. It is my first hybrid, but my third RX in 10 years. The idea of hybrids and EVs has really grown on me.
We need to change our cars around as the oldest member of the fleet is inefficient, costly and not very reliable. Therefore my wife has had her eyes on taking the Lexus from me, and me getting something else. The problem for me has been what to replace it with. The procrastination has done my wife's head in! I have looked at quite a few cars:
Tesla Model S
Loved it. It is great to drive, but quite a high price vehicle. The availability of superchargers on my regular routes is pretty much non-existing though. I really have tried to justify it with man maths, and it has been a close call, but just could not do it.
BMW 6 Series GT
Nice car to look at, well specced and reasonably quick. However, it felt very unrefined after driving a hybrid. The diesel rattle, suppressed as it may be, is still very intrusive to me. I test drove it in heavy traffic in London, and the stop-start function really grated on me. OK, you can switch if off, but that wipes out the benefit.
Mitsubishi PHEV
I really liked this,, and the new model due out in October looks great. Wifey and child had it pegged as an old man's car though, so I agreed that if the next 10 PHEVs we saw on the road were all driven by senior citizens, then I would not get one. Guess what? They all were, so I have been held to my word. Shame, as they are cracking cars and I love the EV side of them.
BMW i3
I have not got to drive one, but they look very smart to me. Too small for us though.
Renault Zoe
This was given brief consideration, but the range limitation alone made it impractical. The quality of materials was described by the Boss in somewhat unkind terms, as being the same substance used to make McDonald's drink holders.
Jaguar XF and XJ
Great as used cars, but still diesels at the end of the day. We live in West Yorkshire, and like the BMW, there is 'snow anxiety' attached to the prospect of RWD cars. Snow = no go. Something that a lot of the above cars would not suffer (and I expect a Tesla 85D would be a hoot in the snow!).]
So....I have been stuck. It may not be imaginative, but I have put a deposit down on the all new RX450h which looks seriously nice to me, and abit more stylish than its predecessor.
For me, the RX represents a car that is good to own. It is the right size for multipurpose use, refined for motorway use and long days, well equipped and built for spending time in the cabin, great for carrying 1 person or 5, a briefcase or a fridge. It is all wheel drive when it needs to be, doing great in the snow on pure electric drive. Economy may not be fantastic, but my old one has regularly delivered nearly 35 mpg which is not half bad for a car of its size, weight and performance. So, there we go. I am taking the plunge again and looking forward to seeing what advancements in battery and ICE engine are going to deliver in the coming years.
We need to change our cars around as the oldest member of the fleet is inefficient, costly and not very reliable. Therefore my wife has had her eyes on taking the Lexus from me, and me getting something else. The problem for me has been what to replace it with. The procrastination has done my wife's head in! I have looked at quite a few cars:
Tesla Model S
Loved it. It is great to drive, but quite a high price vehicle. The availability of superchargers on my regular routes is pretty much non-existing though. I really have tried to justify it with man maths, and it has been a close call, but just could not do it.
BMW 6 Series GT
Nice car to look at, well specced and reasonably quick. However, it felt very unrefined after driving a hybrid. The diesel rattle, suppressed as it may be, is still very intrusive to me. I test drove it in heavy traffic in London, and the stop-start function really grated on me. OK, you can switch if off, but that wipes out the benefit.
Mitsubishi PHEV
I really liked this,, and the new model due out in October looks great. Wifey and child had it pegged as an old man's car though, so I agreed that if the next 10 PHEVs we saw on the road were all driven by senior citizens, then I would not get one. Guess what? They all were, so I have been held to my word. Shame, as they are cracking cars and I love the EV side of them.
BMW i3
I have not got to drive one, but they look very smart to me. Too small for us though.
Renault Zoe
This was given brief consideration, but the range limitation alone made it impractical. The quality of materials was described by the Boss in somewhat unkind terms, as being the same substance used to make McDonald's drink holders.
Jaguar XF and XJ
Great as used cars, but still diesels at the end of the day. We live in West Yorkshire, and like the BMW, there is 'snow anxiety' attached to the prospect of RWD cars. Snow = no go. Something that a lot of the above cars would not suffer (and I expect a Tesla 85D would be a hoot in the snow!).]
So....I have been stuck. It may not be imaginative, but I have put a deposit down on the all new RX450h which looks seriously nice to me, and abit more stylish than its predecessor.
For me, the RX represents a car that is good to own. It is the right size for multipurpose use, refined for motorway use and long days, well equipped and built for spending time in the cabin, great for carrying 1 person or 5, a briefcase or a fridge. It is all wheel drive when it needs to be, doing great in the snow on pure electric drive. Economy may not be fantastic, but my old one has regularly delivered nearly 35 mpg which is not half bad for a car of its size, weight and performance. So, there we go. I am taking the plunge again and looking forward to seeing what advancements in battery and ICE engine are going to deliver in the coming years.
Given the options I would swap our pretty much brand new IS300H for a Model S without a second thought. The hybrid drive in the IS is good but it represents the past and out dated technology. In the last 6 months even my wife is now in full agreement our next car should a Model S. It'll be by far the most expensive car we've bought, but it's abilities justify its higher price.
Why waste money on the past when you can have the future right now?
Why waste money on the past when you can have the future right now?
Good question. Well, I do love the Model S. It is a great car and it is a close call. However, I am buying privately and won't see the tax benefits that a company purchase would. In the spec I like (85D), it would cost £20,000 more than the all new Lexus RX. Though you could say that the petrol-hybrid is 'dated technology' compared to the Tesla, it has its own host of clever new tech, especially in the saftety side.
However, the biggest thing for me is that I know the lifestyle I lead and the old RX has been a superb fit in every respect. For the Tesla, I would have to change my behaviour patterns to adapt. A small thing in some ways, but the Supercharger network just does not seem accessible to me. The other great unknown is the depreciation on the Tesla. There is little to go on at the moment. If new electric cars are launched it may become old 'new tech' very quickly, whereas perhaps with the Lexus brand it is 'new old tech'. All said, I will be watching the Tesla story unfold with great interest, and if the infrastructure improves enough to make the proposotion viable, it may go to pole position.
However, the biggest thing for me is that I know the lifestyle I lead and the old RX has been a superb fit in every respect. For the Tesla, I would have to change my behaviour patterns to adapt. A small thing in some ways, but the Supercharger network just does not seem accessible to me. The other great unknown is the depreciation on the Tesla. There is little to go on at the moment. If new electric cars are launched it may become old 'new tech' very quickly, whereas perhaps with the Lexus brand it is 'new old tech'. All said, I will be watching the Tesla story unfold with great interest, and if the infrastructure improves enough to make the proposotion viable, it may go to pole position.
Do you drive more than 250 miles in a day?
If not, the supercharger situation isn't an issue!
Remember you can charge at 1000's of other normal non supercharger stations throughout the UK.
Also, have you taken a look at some of the other PHEV's? The panamera? Mercedes also have a few options.
If not, the supercharger situation isn't an issue!
Remember you can charge at 1000's of other normal non supercharger stations throughout the UK.
Also, have you taken a look at some of the other PHEV's? The panamera? Mercedes also have a few options.
I've done nearly 4000 miles in my Leaf in 6 months. Just last weekend did 340 miles round trip. Charging really isn't a issue with the number of rapid chargers around now. With a Model S due to greater range I probably would only need to rapid charge on trips > 250 miles - once in a year??. Rest of the time it'll be charged at home. Yes you have to plan more, but I cannot see my self buying another car with a petrol engine in every again!! I certainly wouldn't even dream about spending £50K on a RX when for the same price I could get a Model S.
But everyone is different, Toyota/Lexus have done a great job leading the push for EVs, but time/technology is changing fast...I cannot wait to see what's coming done the line from Nissan/Tesla/GM in regards to the next generation of EVs...the 2.0 cars if you like
Just bear in mind technology will get better but a Model S is already one of the best cars ever made, that isn't going to change due to other cars coming out.
But everyone is different, Toyota/Lexus have done a great job leading the push for EVs, but time/technology is changing fast...I cannot wait to see what's coming done the line from Nissan/Tesla/GM in regards to the next generation of EVs...the 2.0 cars if you like
Just bear in mind technology will get better but a Model S is already one of the best cars ever made, that isn't going to change due to other cars coming out.
TUS373 said:
Mitsubishi PHEV
I really liked this,, and the new model due out in October looks great. Wifey and child had it pegged as an old man's car though, so I agreed that if the next 10 PHEVs we saw on the road were all driven by senior citizens, then I would not get one. Guess what? They all were, so I have been held to my word. Shame, as they are cracking cars and I love the EV side of them.
You didn't buy an outlander because you think it looks like an old man's car, but you don't mind driving a Lexus! I really liked this,, and the new model due out in October looks great. Wifey and child had it pegged as an old man's car though, so I agreed that if the next 10 PHEVs we saw on the road were all driven by senior citizens, then I would not get one. Guess what? They all were, so I have been held to my word. Shame, as they are cracking cars and I love the EV side of them.
Phunk said:
Do you drive more than 250 miles in a day?
If not, the supercharger situation isn't an issue!
Remember you can charge at 1000's of other normal non supercharger stations throughout the UK.
Also, have you taken a look at some of the other PHEV's? The panamera? Mercedes also have a few options.
Not a fan of the Panamera. Probably good, but just not me. Likewise, I am not a Merc or Volvo fan. Probably good too, but the styling of the inside of modern Mercs just seems awkward to me.If not, the supercharger situation isn't an issue!
Remember you can charge at 1000's of other normal non supercharger stations throughout the UK.
Also, have you taken a look at some of the other PHEV's? The panamera? Mercedes also have a few options.
With respect to Tesla S, like I have said, I love them! Just not convinced that my lifestyle and usage patterns fit with that kind d car.I do some high mileage on some days and just want to get home. I am also curious why their servicing is £450 a pop when the servicing needs should be pretty simple compared to a petrol hybrid that has an ICE in addition to the motors.
Well, I can see where the OP is coming from. I have seen, and sat in, the new RX, and it is seriously lovely. The exterior is divisive, but after a while you "get it" and after that, the ML, Q7 and X5 look stodgy and conservative - which is ironic since the Lexus is meant to be the old man's car!
I still have a petrol RX300 which I bought new in 2003 and it is so good I have never managed to make the case for replacing it even with the hybrid. I also have an i3 which is in my view a fantastic town car but not for the op's driving needs.
What about waiting for the Tesla model X , although range is still probably an issue ? The RX is right up there for me , pity they don't do a plug in though - witth your needs I would be tempted by the new Volvo xc90 plug in hybrid.
What about waiting for the Tesla model X , although range is still probably an issue ? The RX is right up there for me , pity they don't do a plug in though - witth your needs I would be tempted by the new Volvo xc90 plug in hybrid.
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