In a sense yes, but the Camry still sells really well. In the shopping mall analogy it is the equivalent of the booming mall in the rapidly growing suburbs of a sunbelt city. For example, a mall kind of near me, Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, TX near Dallas. It was still going strong before the pandemic and has in fact recently expanded to include an attached hotel. In fact Frisco would not be what it is be today without the mall.
I've said it before, I'll say it again...Road Guy Rob delivers some of the best content on TH-cam. This was so interesting! And that bonus clip at the end...I remember that commercial! LMAO
The only reason why Ford is heading away from Sedan models is profit margins. They make more profit from a SUV than a Sedan. The demand for Sedans isn't going anywhere. Some companies may choose to exit the segment merely because it is a few hundred dollars more for them to make a SUV, but they can sell it for several thousands more. It is a good business decision, but bad for consumers.
I fundamentally disagree. The market shifted long before Ford made the decision to stop making sedans. In fact, a huge influence of that decision was the Ford 500. A car that was designed *after* Ford started producing crossover vehicles. Ford even tried to make it a flagship model by using it in NASCAR.
I don't know how youtube picks the couple of ads they show, but they must think I'm a middle-aged woman with weight and breast issues. Great video Rob.
@Rugar 22 you should watch the ads for people like Rob (the guy in the video) he may make his living off of the content he puts out for us to watch. Don't get me wrong I hate the ads and I am not a big fan of TH-cam making money but the content some of the creators put out is worth watching a 30 second ad for junk you wouldn't ever buy.
I think you're looking at this backwards, Rob. The crossover is a return to the car's original shape. The sedan, with its low ground clearance and isolated cargo compartment, was only an aberration in the overall vehicular timeline.
There's at least a midground. The Hatchback which are fucking great if you like to have more of an aggressive driving experience without the boomer era trunk.
@@MessyPointedBlob Yup, hatchbacks, SUVs, wagons, coupes they all serve a desire or need, I honestly see no reason why a sedan should make out the main part of the motorpool, sedans are an inherently compromized design and I am glad we are seeing it being phased out.
I wish they’d bring back the station wagon, like, the Country Squire with the extra seats in the back and the wide bench seats in the middle and front. We made a cross country camping road trip in 1967. We carried our stuff up top and in a small utility trailer that Dad had converted into a mobile kitchen/restroom/shower area. 3-4 could sleep in the car, the rest in the canvas army tent. Good times!
Lexus/Toyota makes some crazy cars. Like that Prius used as a cab that has 600,000 miles on it still in use. I'd love to get a bigger Lexus than my CT200h like a LX600 or Landcruiser and see just how durable they are.
Exactly!! I needed to haul some stuff this past summer so I bought a 2000 RX300 AWD from Craigslist for $2000. It had 237,000 miles. It's loaded and clean. No mechanical issues. Evwrything works. It's not fast, doesn't handle well and gets 21MPG. But it is comfortable, lots of room and super reliable. And now 6 months later, I'm using it more than my BMW sedan. Now I know why SUVs and cross-overs are so popular!!
It's funny for you to say that one model is to blame for sedans going away, when the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 were both way more popular, and have both pretty much permanently secured their own market bases.
Road Guy Rob rocks! These are outstanding. Well produced/shot/edited, great storytelling and each topic a fascinating dive into the world of transportation. Extra kudos for paying close attention to audio quality--recording in voice memos and synching with the video. Makes all the world of difference. Keep these up Road Guy Rob. Each of these has the feel of a mini master class.
Me: Mum can we get David Freiburger Mum: No we have David Freiburger at home The David Freiburger at home: Road Guy Rob for real though another great video
My family owns a total of 2 Toyotas. The switches for the windows have two positions. You press lightly and it clicks into places for just manual window rolling. If you press all the way it clicks into a deeper groove and auto rolls to the bottom. Same parallel for rolling up by pulling up.
Your channel needs to get more views. It's channels like this with your well-spoken narrative, clever editing skills, and specific topics that need more attention than they're given. I'm sick of all of these hot-shot, young, in-your-face, loudmouth, fast-editing vloggers getting all the views, all the revenue, and the attention they don't deserve. Most of them didn't earn it or truly appreciate it. Honest guys like you need more viewership and some ad revenue to help progress your channel. Every time when I watch any of your videos, I'm instantly engaged. Nothing about them is boring in any way. Please continue to post videos when possible. Don't change anything either. Just keep doing what you're doing and the dedicated few of us will continue to watch. Thank you.
Lexus RX 300, the car for breaking hard at yellow lights. I always thought these looked pretty cool, very few cars came with tasteful mirror window tint finish like they did, the only other one I can think of is the Ford ranger splash without the stepside. Thanks for the videos, cheers!
391,729 miles and 16 years of ownership my wife's 1999 RX300 and the exhaust valve burnt. We bought it in 2008 with 125k for $9k so she got her moneys worth. I'm almost finished replacing the valve for another 391k. Seriously though she loves her RX300 but I'm telling her it's time to let go and look for another SUV. I'm really liking the 2023 Mazda CX5 no turbo for better fuel economy on regular gas.
My mother has a Mazda CX-5 that I borrowed while my RX300 had some work done. I got quite comfortable with the Mazda. But when I got my repaired Lexus back... I remembered how special it is. Visibility, comfortable cushy seats.. MPG is the downside.
I had a 2000 Subaru Forester and let me tell you that was the most spacious small car ever. It was like entirely square but yet tiny so parking it was great, it was good at off-roaring, and the trunk was massive. I hauled around various big things in it. I fit some things in my Forester that friends with trucks or SUVs couldn’t haul and the trunk could fit more than my mom’s 2020 Subaru Outback. Great little car. It rusted to death and now I have one of the last big American sedans made, a Fire Crown Victoria. Huge interior but can’t fit as much as my Forester and is a pain in the ass to park.
Watching this video sitting in my 20 year old Lexus RX330 AWD with heated seats that still work and ice cold A/C that still pumps in summer. I powder coated the rims black. Put CARPLAY in it. It’s my beater car to take grocery shopping or the bad part of town. The body and interior are perfect. 43,875 miles on it. Maintained at a Lexus dealership till 2 years ago when I got it. Love this truck. Reliable and comfortable.
Interesting only 7% of SUV drivers actually take it off road. I wonder what percentage of pickup drivers actually use the bed of the truck with any consistency. Americans don't buy cars for utility, they buy it for the way it makes them feel (feeling of safety with SUV drivers, and feeling of superiority and toughness with pickups).
Just bought one to replace my problematic Audi Cabriolet for the winter. Right now, I'm calling it my winter beater, but if it proves reliable, I'm going to put a little effort into bringing it back to 100%. Can't go wrong for 2,800 bucks. I've always liked their styling since they were introduced.
What a great video. My ex wife had to have one of these. Champagne colored with the gold emblem package. I won it in the divorce with 40k miles on it. To my dismay I learned it had a severe oil sludge problem and Lexus refused to fix it.
I used to have 99 es300 and I'm still a big fan today. Timeless look with awesome pearl white, quiet, sports car doors, silky smooth and quite powerful, soft and spacious, also the car is way more fuel efficient on highway (30+ mpg while going 72mph). And also the car is very reliable and very low maintenance cost. Well there are some cons for sure. Turning radius is ridiculously large base on long wheel base. it has 4 speed auto which is not problematic until you hit 80 mph, you will find the car is over 3000 rpm (my 2001 corolla only hits 2700 while doing 80, where my corolla has 4 speed also but only half horses and displacement). Oh wait, the cup holders are absolutely terrible (I see this problem still holds with rx from the same year👻 I believe RX300 is better since it has shorter wheel base, more room and more stability, but they are overall great cars, and they should be a legend.
I HATED HATED HATED this thing when it came out and I was teenager. SUV's were supposed to be boxy and off road capable, think 4 Runners, box "hardbody" Pathfinders, Tahoe, Suburbans, those were "real" SUV's in my teenage mind. As I've aged, I've done a complete 180 on this car, it was pretty damn radical, from its avante garde styling to its FWD Camry mechanical layout, it was "the future". IMO this is the last really "risky" design Toyota released(except maybe the 1st gen Scion Xb)
That rattling noise is the sway bar links and bushings. My 2000 Camry started making that noise a few months ago. $40 in parts and about an hour and a half of my time and the car drives like new again.
Now we are starting to have Crossover trucks too. I have and love my 2019 Honda Ridgeline. I definitely want to check out what else comes onto the market over the next 5-8 years.
I've always liked the Ridgeline concept. They don't seem to sell extremely well though because they don't have enough "truck like" looks to them. It's ultimately the reason why I chose a Tacoma instead. If Honda ever updates the Ridgeline to give it the proper "truck like" appearance, I would consider buying one. I know there's some people that like them, but they certainly aren't "popular" by any means, and I think it's mainly because they look kinda goofy.
I own a 2009 3rd gen RX. Bought it from a senior guy who owned it for 10 years since new. At first, it did handle just like a big, top heavy SUV/Truck, and had all the same characteristics as this one, to a lesser extent. Then I replaced the front sub frame bushings, all the shocks, and put new tires on it. That made it drive like a sports car in comparison.
I bought one for less than 1000$ Best car ever. Reliable, tires are not huge, so not expensive. The only downside is the fuel consumption. It can get qute expensive if you step on it a bit too much. But hey, for the price, I wont complain. I rode in many SUVs that were ten times the price and not half as comfortable
I remember back in 2003 buying a brand new 2004 Lexus rx330 and loved it. I remember that it was excellent in the snow and would cut right through it. At the time I had 2 kids and it worked out good but then 2 more kids later, had to get another vehicle. But we kept the Lexus for about 5 years or so. Very reliable and dependable crossover suv.
Haha, my '99 RX300 is the exact same color and maybe even spec lol! Shows 200k but has more like 275-280k since some ding dong rolled it back to sell it in 2016. Best $1200 I ever spent on a car, it's just so dang comfy and trouble-free! It made it from Phoenix AZ to Northern NJ with basically no issues either, completely overloaded with stuff and a roof box full of stuff too. I bought it on a whim to not spend $3000 on a uhaul rental, and was going to dump it when I got to NJ, but I think I'll be keeping it for a long time to come.
Subaru also beat Toyota to the crossover, and was the first brand to fully embrace the crossover. Though, without Toyota or Honda, crossovers would just be weird things, for weird Subaru owners.
Crossovers serve a segment of the population that are less confident drivers that want an easy to drive car that sits higher, which happens to be about 51%.
I love this car! Got it from my grandma when she stopped driving. It only had 40,000 miles on it 3 years ago. The only down side is it has no turn radius 😆. Other than that this thing is everything! I'm a gardener this truck hauls all of my plant, soil, and mulch demands. It's also high quality! The interior is so well made. Way better than my bmw 3 series interior that is peeling😒. When this truck finally does die I will buy a later model of the RX.
I see the point you are trying to make. However, it wasn't Lexus that decided the value/profit proposition for Ford, GM, or FCA which led them to make the choice not to develop any more cars. And, while it is only relevant to North America, most of the world still manufactures and sells cars that people drive successfully.
Hate to point out that sedans have "gone away" because the American companies cannot compete and gave up. The Camry, Corolla, Civic still sell in huge numbers. Tesla's Model 3 sold >160000 last year in the US alone. Sedans are fine but Ford, GM and Chevy gave up because they just couldn't compete. I think this whole SUV thing is propaganda to hide their failures. A compelling sedan will always sell well.
The EPA says 14 city, 18 highway, but I know it's better than that. The only time I measured it was with a trailer, and even then, it was comfortably in the double digits.
They are slowly fading away. At some point they will be gone since the development costs aren’t worth it. I don’t know anyone that has bought a new sedan in the past five years. The body on frame SUV segment is coming back and unibody SUVs are doing better than ever. Pickups are selling really well. Even the minivan segment is doing better than sedans. Sedans are an all around worthless vehicle.
very true I think. We had a 1999 Rav4 actually , with a manual transmission. Perhaps the most solid vehicle we have ever owned. Not a single time in 5 years did we ever return to a garage other than for oil changes. It was actually a big mistake to sell that one......
Problem with sedans today is everyone tries so hard to be sporty no everyone wants a BMW 3 series handling sedan there’s a reason the Lexus ES still sells incredibly well.
First time I rode in a friend's RX300 on a journey of 200 miles, I was impressed how silent and car-like it felt. I owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 at the time which had a comfortable ride but still felt like a tall SUV. The Lexus went round corners like a car.
Actually the shocks are a fair point. I have a high mileage Ford Escape. It will never handle like a car, it's tall and short, but I got new shocks put on this summer and it's like a brand new car!
My dad had the 2001 model of that car and it was in the family until 2018 with over 200,000 miles on it. It had a decent amount of issues before we sold it to Carfaxs
You have a big potential to do car reviews. You can basically stick with toyota honda Lexus scion acura and such jp brands. Already liked before watching
I have a 2014 RX 350 and I would never let go of this vehicle. Great video but I think you left out one major fact. If you do your regular maintenance their should not be any issues with the RX. Practically bulletproof. 😂
4:33 the Cayenne was on the drawing board before this came out. About 96-97ish. The cayenne itself started a even bigger revolution. Except the Cayenne actually goes off road. The RX just speed bumps 😂
Sedans are going away,. because car buyers want PRACTICAL, COMFORTABLE and FUEL EFFICIENT. Crossovers deliver just that. That's why they sell like crazy. Pickups will definitely crash once gas prices skyrocket again. So, if Ford and GM are getting rid of sedans, it's because they see sales dropping. Who will discontinue something that sells. It's a matter of time until other companies follow suit.
I don't think the compact and sub-compact sedans will be going anywhere anytime soon, though. There will always be single people living alone who don't need all the storage a crossover has. Take me for example. My 2019 Hyundai Accent SE has more than enough storage for my needs.
And ya have all four Auto windows. Great cars and ride kinda like a Benz. Seats are kinda firm though. Mpg is fantastic though for a 192 inch sedan. They’re great cars tbh seats fold down as well.
I have a 2002 BA falcon wagon, and it child the 2004 Territory (which was based on the BA engine, transmission and platform). The territory is 500 kg heavier though. So the BA gets 7.8 litres per 100 km, and the Territory gets 12.0 - 13.0 litres per 100 km, so I can definately see how the extra weight adds to fuel consumption, and the higher stance means greater wind area to fight against.
US emissions regulations against station wagons killed the station wagon because the truck based Station wagons (SUVs) did not have to pass the same emissions rules as cars. Truck based SUVs took over for the starved-to-death station wagons, the car based SUV killed off the sedan.
I have that same shudder noise in mine. I've replaced the suspension and the noise is still there. I think something in there is just loose or it's the brake caliper that is loose.
This is the beginning of the end of fun cars. A few remain, but crossovers are the death knell for whatever coupes and hot sedans the first wave of SUVs didn’t wipe out.
As someone who works for a Lexus store the RX330 would have also been pretty cool for the time. They drive nice, the are comfortable and will rust out before the engine even starts dying.
Now watch this exact thing happen with pickups. The Honda Ridgeline is already stealing sales from the midsize AND full-size truck segments. I can personally attest, because I find the better fuel economy, cargo space, & ride comfort superior in the unibody Ridgeline to real body-on-frame trucks, and look, now other auto-makers are responding with trucklets like the Ford Maverick & Hyndai Santa Cruz. Car-pickups are coming.
i live in Pittburg Area ,, and Everyone has a Suv and A truck ,,, ( and No one Goes off road , they say its For the Snow , we get 2-3 Times a year that a Car could dive in )
This is one of those things that really angers me. How are we simultaneously in a climate crisis yet all these car companies that claim to want to be green are forcing large heavy vehicles down our throats. Don't get me wrong SUVs have their place but just not for everyone. Every person does not need a f*ing crossover when they could have a hatchback or wagon that carries just as much stuff but isn't a huge ugly beast.
My family has had two of these, they definitely don't feel top-heavy new but man when those shocks go they go. One of them only has 80k to this day and that one handles great, almost like a new Buick encore.
What really happened was that the Honda CR-V, Lexus RX300, Mercedes-Benz ML320 and Toyota RAV4 all became very popular from circa 1996 on. But the real capper was the arrival of the Porsche Cayenne in 2002, which established true high-end crossovers as vehicles more well-heeled drivers were willing to boy, accelerating the demise of sedans.
Hello Rob, I think this was a well put together and very informative video. Around 7:00 you mention the suspension being worn out. I just got a 2001 RX300 with 155k on it. How would I know if the suspension is worn and how big of a problem is that? Could I get it fixed? I'm new to cars so I appreciate any advice.
![[2001 Toyota Camry Review] Regular Car? Pffffft... You mean, AWESOME CAR!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2KUQ8dnoLEY/mqdefault.jpg)
I can't believe I live in an era where buying a Camry would make me something of a contrarian.
I didn't think that could be true, but after looking it up. Crossovers: 40%, sedans: ~25% of new car sales.
In a sense yes, but the Camry still sells really well. In the shopping mall analogy it is the equivalent of the booming mall in the rapidly growing suburbs of a sunbelt city. For example, a mall kind of near me, Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, TX near Dallas. It was still going strong before the pandemic and has in fact recently expanded to include an attached hotel. In fact Frisco would not be what it is be today without the mall.
Agree. Bought a new Camry despite the trend being SUV's. What a sharp ride compared to all these boring cookie-cutter crossovers.
I've said it before, I'll say it again...Road Guy Rob delivers some of the best content on TH-cam. This was so interesting! And that bonus clip at the end...I remember that commercial! LMAO
I love this channel! Makes me happy and keeps me entertained during lockdown!
Doug DeMuro is way better
He's a genius.
I just got my wife the 2003 RX 300 and she love it. It rides good and very spacious.
The only reason why Ford is heading away from Sedan models is profit margins. They make more profit from a SUV than a Sedan. The demand for Sedans isn't going anywhere. Some companies may choose to exit the segment merely because it is a few hundred dollars more for them to make a SUV, but they can sell it for several thousands more. It is a good business decision, but bad for consumers.
I fundamentally disagree. The market shifted long before Ford made the decision to stop making sedans. In fact, a huge influence of that decision was the Ford 500. A car that was designed *after* Ford started producing crossover vehicles. Ford even tried to make it a flagship model by using it in NASCAR.
I don't know how youtube picks the couple of ads they show, but they must think I'm a middle-aged woman with weight and breast issues. Great video Rob.
@Rugar 22 you should watch the ads for people like Rob (the guy in the video) he may make his living off of the content he puts out for us to watch. Don't get me wrong I hate the ads and I am not a big fan of TH-cam making money but the content some of the creators put out is worth watching a 30 second ad for junk you wouldn't ever buy.
I think you're looking at this backwards, Rob. The crossover is a return to the car's original shape. The sedan, with its low ground clearance and isolated cargo compartment, was only an aberration in the overall vehicular timeline.
I hate this so much, but I see exactly what you mean
There's at least a midground. The Hatchback which are fucking great if you like to have more of an aggressive driving experience without the boomer era trunk.
@@MessyPointedBlob Yup, hatchbacks, SUVs, wagons, coupes they all serve a desire or need, I honestly see no reason why a sedan should make out the main part of the motorpool, sedans are an inherently compromized design and I am glad we are seeing it being phased out.
Are you talking about the very first vehicles here like model t etc. I guess in a way these were the original SUVs!
I wish they’d bring back the station wagon, like, the Country Squire with the extra seats in the back and the wide bench seats in the middle and front. We made a cross country camping road trip in 1967. We carried our stuff up top and in a small utility trailer that Dad had converted into a mobile kitchen/restroom/shower area. 3-4 could sleep in the car, the rest in the canvas army tent. Good times!
My RX300 has over 315,000 miles on it. Very reliable
😦
Lexus/Toyota makes some crazy cars. Like that Prius used as a cab that has 600,000 miles on it still in use. I'd love to get a bigger Lexus than my CT200h like a LX600 or Landcruiser and see just how durable they are.
You still have it?
@@kingofsludge7262 yes. Now has 329,000 miles
@@magsteel9891 wonderful! I love mine
Exactly!! I needed to haul some stuff this past summer so I bought a 2000 RX300 AWD from Craigslist for $2000. It had 237,000 miles. It's loaded and clean. No mechanical issues. Evwrything works. It's not fast, doesn't handle well and gets 21MPG. But it is comfortable, lots of room and super reliable. And now 6 months later, I'm using it more than my BMW sedan. Now I know why SUVs and cross-overs are so popular!!
my wifes daily a 2003 rx300 ,its the only rig that moved during snow storm , it worked flawlessly ,my versa w trac control couldnt get out of driveway
My wife's parents had this car and it ran for 15 or 16 years before they replaced it. It was the favorite car they ever had.
Oh
Rob: Loves Lexus
Also Rob: Hates Lexus
Very true, my dad has one and it runs like dream.
What do you do for a living Rob, are you an Engineer?
He's a road guy.
@Tribulation Saints Europe if you've watched more than one video of Rob, you'll know that he knows what he's talking about. He does this for a living.
He works(ed?) in public radio and then went back to school for urban planning.
It's funny for you to say that one model is to blame for sedans going away, when the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 were both way more popular, and have both pretty much permanently secured their own market bases.
Great video. Fun fact. The Pontiac Vibe is really a Toyota Matrix.
Fun Fact, the Buick Regal is an Opel Astra
Fun fact: the Geo/Chevy
Prism is really a Toyota Corolla.
Road Guy Rob rocks! These are outstanding. Well produced/shot/edited, great storytelling and each topic a fascinating dive into the world of transportation. Extra kudos for paying close attention to audio quality--recording in voice memos and synching with the video. Makes all the world of difference. Keep these up Road Guy Rob. Each of these has the feel of a mini master class.
I had a 2001 Rx. I loved this suv.
Best car I have ever owned. Loaded, quiet, smooth, beautiful
Congrats! Suggestions: Ramp meters systems.
Me: Mum can we get David Freiburger
Mum: No we have David Freiburger at home
The David Freiburger at home: Road Guy Rob
for real though another great video
Mom^ there fixed it for you since this is an American video.
Wow, I love this comment, hahaha
And then the RAV4 changed the SUV market forever. Permanently making them more sport than utlilty.
7:16 Is that a LS400 I see waiting at the light?
Is that Matt Farah's Million Mile Lexus?
My family owns a total of 2 Toyotas. The switches for the windows have two positions. You press lightly and it clicks into places for just manual window rolling. If you press all the way it clicks into a deeper groove and auto rolls to the bottom. Same parallel for rolling up by pulling up.
Excellent, another Road Guy Rob upload! Everything from cars to traffic engineering, all in one place. Great work.
Your channel needs to get more views. It's channels like this with your well-spoken narrative, clever editing skills, and specific topics that need more attention than they're given. I'm sick of all of these hot-shot, young, in-your-face, loudmouth, fast-editing vloggers getting all the views, all the revenue, and the attention they don't deserve. Most of them didn't earn it or truly appreciate it. Honest guys like you need more viewership and some ad revenue to help progress your channel. Every time when I watch any of your videos, I'm instantly engaged. Nothing about them is boring in any way. Please continue to post videos when possible. Don't change anything either. Just keep doing what you're doing and the dedicated few of us will continue to watch. Thank you.
He needs to start the videos by opening boxes. That seems to get a lot of views.
As somebody with an RX you perfectly described the driving experience lmao
Lexus RX 300, the car for breaking hard at yellow lights. I always thought these looked pretty cool, very few cars came with tasteful mirror window tint finish like they did, the only other one I can think of is the Ford ranger splash without the stepside. Thanks for the videos, cheers!
391,729 miles and 16 years of ownership my wife's 1999 RX300 and the exhaust valve burnt. We bought it in 2008 with 125k for $9k so she got her moneys worth. I'm almost finished replacing the valve for another 391k. Seriously though she loves her RX300 but I'm telling her it's time to let go and look for another SUV. I'm really liking the 2023 Mazda CX5 no turbo for better fuel economy on regular gas.
My mother has a Mazda CX-5 that I borrowed while my RX300 had some work done.
I got quite comfortable with the Mazda. But when I got my repaired Lexus back...
I remembered how special it is.
Visibility, comfortable cushy seats..
MPG is the downside.
I had a 2000 Subaru Forester and let me tell you that was the most spacious small car ever. It was like entirely square but yet tiny so parking it was great, it was good at off-roaring, and the trunk was massive. I hauled around various big things in it. I fit some things in my Forester that friends with trucks or SUVs couldn’t haul and the trunk could fit more than my mom’s 2020 Subaru Outback. Great little car. It rusted to death and now I have one of the last big American sedans made, a Fire Crown Victoria. Huge interior but can’t fit as much as my Forester and is a pain in the ass to park.
Why am I just discovering this channel now!? I've subscribed. Now, let me binge all your past videos. Great content kind sir.
Watching this video sitting in my 20 year old Lexus RX330 AWD with heated seats that still work and ice cold A/C that still pumps in summer. I powder coated the rims black. Put CARPLAY in it. It’s my beater car to take grocery shopping or the bad part of town. The body and interior are perfect. 43,875 miles on it. Maintained at a Lexus dealership till 2 years ago when I got it. Love this truck. Reliable and comfortable.
Interesting only 7% of SUV drivers actually take it off road. I wonder what percentage of pickup drivers actually use the bed of the truck with any consistency. Americans don't buy cars for utility, they buy it for the way it makes them feel (feeling of safety with SUV drivers, and feeling of superiority and toughness with pickups).
Just bought one to replace my problematic Audi Cabriolet for the winter. Right now, I'm calling it my winter beater, but if it proves reliable, I'm going to put a little effort into bringing it back to 100%. Can't go wrong for 2,800 bucks.
I've always liked their styling since they were introduced.
What a great video. My ex wife had to have one of these. Champagne colored with the gold emblem package. I won it in the divorce with 40k miles on it. To my dismay I learned it had a severe oil sludge problem and Lexus refused to fix it.
This is technically based of the Toyota Harrier that was based of a Toyota Sedan, then it was lexified
I used to have 99 es300 and I'm still a big fan today. Timeless look with awesome pearl white, quiet, sports car doors, silky smooth and quite powerful, soft and spacious, also the car is way more fuel efficient on highway (30+ mpg while going 72mph). And also the car is very reliable and very low maintenance cost.
Well there are some cons for sure. Turning radius is ridiculously large base on long wheel base. it has 4 speed auto which is not problematic until you hit 80 mph, you will find the car is over 3000 rpm (my 2001 corolla only hits 2700 while doing 80, where my corolla has 4 speed also but only half horses and displacement). Oh wait, the cup holders are absolutely terrible (I see this problem still holds with rx from the same year👻
I believe RX300 is better since it has shorter wheel base, more room and more stability, but they are overall great cars, and they should be a legend.
I HATED HATED HATED this thing when it came out and I was teenager. SUV's were supposed to be boxy and off road capable, think 4 Runners, box "hardbody" Pathfinders, Tahoe, Suburbans, those were "real" SUV's in my teenage mind. As I've aged, I've done a complete 180 on this car, it was pretty damn radical, from its avante garde styling to its FWD Camry mechanical layout, it was "the future". IMO this is the last really "risky" design Toyota released(except maybe the 1st gen Scion Xb)
That rattling noise is the sway bar links and bushings. My 2000 Camry started making that noise a few months ago. $40 in parts and about an hour and a half of my time and the car drives like new again.
Now we are starting to have Crossover trucks too.
I have and love my 2019 Honda Ridgeline. I definitely want to check out what else comes onto the market over the next 5-8 years.
I've always liked the Ridgeline concept. They don't seem to sell extremely well though because they don't have enough "truck like" looks to them. It's ultimately the reason why I chose a Tacoma instead. If Honda ever updates the Ridgeline to give it the proper "truck like" appearance, I would consider buying one. I know there's some people that like them, but they certainly aren't "popular" by any means, and I think it's mainly because they look kinda goofy.
You should do more car reviews, these are super interesting!
I own a 2009 3rd gen RX. Bought it from a senior guy who owned it for 10 years since new.
At first, it did handle just like a big, top heavy SUV/Truck, and had all the same characteristics as this one, to a lesser extent.
Then I replaced the front sub frame bushings, all the shocks, and put new tires on it. That made it drive like a sports car in comparison.
i have two rx too! i just did a video on my 14 rx
One thing you didn't mention is the BMW X5. That SAV (Sport Activity Vehicle) more or less sparked the crossover craze.
I'm putting stiffer shocks in mine. Should fix the roll and dive issue.
I got one these a few years ago with only 60k miles on it. It has been a dream
Hit the direction again on the window when you want it too stop.
I bought one for less than 1000$
Best car ever. Reliable, tires are not huge, so not expensive. The only downside is the fuel consumption. It can get qute expensive if you step on it a bit too much.
But hey, for the price, I wont complain. I rode in many SUVs that were ten times the price and not half as comfortable
I remember back in 2003 buying a brand new 2004 Lexus rx330 and loved it. I remember that it was excellent in the snow and would cut right through it. At the time I had 2 kids and it worked out good but then 2 more kids later, had to get another vehicle. But we kept the Lexus for about 5 years or so. Very reliable and dependable crossover suv.
Haha, my '99 RX300 is the exact same color and maybe even spec lol! Shows 200k but has more like 275-280k since some ding dong rolled it back to sell it in 2016. Best $1200 I ever spent on a car, it's just so dang comfy and trouble-free! It made it from Phoenix AZ to Northern NJ with basically no issues either, completely overloaded with stuff and a roof box full of stuff too. I bought it on a whim to not spend $3000 on a uhaul rental, and was going to dump it when I got to NJ, but I think I'll be keeping it for a long time to come.
5:35 There just weren't options. Minivans‽ The Astro/Safari twins?
Sienna, Freestar, Aerostar, Grand Caravan, Town and Country, Venture etc
I miss your videos Road Guy Rob!The RX300 and the LS400 were the first lexus cars I've ever seen.
Subaru also beat Toyota to the crossover, and was the first brand to fully embrace the crossover. Though, without Toyota or Honda, crossovers would just be weird things, for weird Subaru owners.
LMAO weird things for weird Subaru owners!!!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Crossovers serve a segment of the population that are less confident drivers that want an easy to drive car that sits higher, which happens to be about 51%.
if you hold the window button rather than one touch, you can control the up and down
I have this car and you just got a sub. First video of yours I've seen, well executed sir.
I love this car! Got it from my grandma when she stopped driving. It only had 40,000 miles on it 3 years ago. The only down side is it has no turn radius 😆. Other than that this thing is everything! I'm a gardener this truck hauls all of my plant, soil, and mulch demands. It's also high quality! The interior is so well made. Way better than my bmw 3 series interior that is peeling😒. When this truck finally does die I will buy a later model of the RX.
My ‘04 RX330 has 43,875 on it! Lol. Owned by an older woman who traded it in for a Hyundai 2 years ago. Maintained by a Lexus dealership.
I see the point you are trying to make. However, it wasn't Lexus that decided the value/profit proposition for Ford, GM, or FCA which led them to make the choice not to develop any more cars. And, while it is only relevant to North America, most of the world still manufactures and sells cars that people drive successfully.
Hate to point out that sedans have "gone away" because the American companies cannot compete and gave up. The Camry, Corolla, Civic still sell in huge numbers. Tesla's Model 3 sold >160000 last year in the US alone. Sedans are fine but Ford, GM and Chevy gave up because they just couldn't compete. I think this whole SUV thing is propaganda to hide their failures. A compelling sedan will always sell well.
I don't know about fuel economy... I had one and got an average of 15mpg city and maybe 20mpg highway.
Jeez, I have a Suburban from around that time with the 5.3 and it gets that or better.
@@Tracert-mc1hu I know... It's sad. It was great in the snow though! Which made it worth it.
@@Tracert-mc1hu The Suburban got single digits, your not fooling anyone.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q Look it up buddy, I got 14.9 with a trailer, granted it was open highway with cruise on 55.
The EPA says 14 city, 18 highway, but I know it's better than that. The only time I measured it was with a trailer, and even then, it was comfortably in the double digits.
Sedans may not sell as well as crossobers/SUVS, but sedans aren't going anywhere.
They are slowly fading away. At some point they will be gone since the development costs aren’t worth it. I don’t know anyone that has bought a new sedan in the past five years. The body on frame SUV segment is coming back and unibody SUVs are doing better than ever. Pickups are selling really well. Even the minivan segment is doing better than sedans. Sedans are an all around worthless vehicle.
Whoa that commercial with the crash test dummy triggered my memory...I forgot about that one.
What a coincidence, I Was thinking of you posting yesterday,
Please make a documentary on reliable vehicles and highways.
Much of this has much to do with the bogus CAFE standards pushed by the EPA
very true I think. We had a 1999 Rav4 actually , with a manual transmission. Perhaps the most solid vehicle we have ever owned. Not a single time in 5 years did we ever return to a garage other than for oil changes. It was actually a big mistake to sell that one......
I love your content Rob. Keep it up!
Problem with sedans today is everyone tries so hard to be sporty no everyone wants a BMW 3 series handling sedan there’s a reason the Lexus ES still sells incredibly well.
First time I rode in a friend's RX300 on a journey of 200 miles, I was impressed how silent and car-like it felt. I owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 at the time which had a comfortable ride but still felt like a tall SUV. The Lexus went round corners like a car.
Actually the shocks are a fair point. I have a high mileage Ford Escape. It will never handle like a car, it's tall and short, but I got new shocks put on this summer and it's like a brand new car!
My dad had the 2001 model of that car and it was in the family until 2018 with over 200,000 miles on it. It had a decent amount of issues before we sold it to Carfaxs
I'm glad I bought my SUV when I did. It's gotten me to work on time every time, even in 2 feet of snow.
My 1997 toyota corolla had auto opening windows. It worked really well actually!
You have a big potential to do car reviews. You can basically stick with toyota honda Lexus scion acura and such jp brands. Already liked before watching
I have a 2014 RX 350 and I would never let go of this vehicle. Great video but I think you left out one major fact. If you do your regular maintenance their should not be any issues with the RX. Practically bulletproof. 😂
4:33 the Cayenne was on the drawing board before this came out. About 96-97ish. The cayenne itself started a even bigger revolution. Except the Cayenne actually goes off road. The RX just speed bumps 😂
I got a tan one of theses and I love it.
Wow you're back!
What do you think about the race to the top of vehicles getting taller, does it make driving more dangerous? Less efficient?
Sedans are going away,. because car buyers want PRACTICAL, COMFORTABLE and FUEL EFFICIENT. Crossovers deliver just that. That's why they sell like crazy. Pickups will definitely crash once gas prices skyrocket again. So, if Ford and GM are getting rid of sedans, it's because they see sales dropping. Who will discontinue something that sells. It's a matter of time until other companies follow suit.
They’re were so many of these rx’s sold that it is probably one of the more common early 2000’s to late 90’s car I c
I don't think the compact and sub-compact sedans will be going anywhere anytime soon, though. There will always be single people living alone who don't need all the storage a crossover has. Take me for example. My 2019 Hyundai Accent SE has more than enough storage for my needs.
Not that I was really ever a huge fan of sedans, but one thing's for sure, crossovers are gross however you look at it
I *own* a 2013 VW Passet SEL TDI and love it. The VW Atlas looks real appealing, though, but is still out of my price range and necessity.
And ya have all four Auto windows. Great cars and ride kinda like a Benz. Seats are kinda firm though. Mpg is fantastic though for a 192 inch sedan. They’re great cars tbh seats fold down as well.
I have a 2002 BA falcon wagon, and it child the 2004 Territory (which was based on the BA engine, transmission and platform). The territory is 500 kg heavier though. So the BA gets 7.8 litres per 100 km, and the Territory gets 12.0 - 13.0 litres per 100 km, so I can definately see how the extra weight adds to fuel consumption, and the higher stance means greater wind area to fight against.
Totally agree. This thing also replaced the suburban mom station wagon almost completely
US emissions regulations against station wagons killed the station wagon because the truck based Station wagons (SUVs) did not have to pass the same emissions rules as cars.
Truck based SUVs took over for the starved-to-death station wagons, the car based SUV killed off the sedan.
My '97 Mazda MPV did morph into a minivan but check this year out it was a SUV if you ask me.
tbh i like when people drive them! save gas and makes me feel safer
My RX300 is 22 years old, bloody nice car. Like a pair of old slippers.
I have that same shudder noise in mine. I've replaced the suspension and the noise is still there. I think something in there is just loose or it's the brake caliper that is loose.
This is the beginning of the end of fun cars. A few remain, but crossovers are the death knell for whatever coupes and hot sedans the first wave of SUVs didn’t wipe out.
As someone who works for a Lexus store the RX330 would have also been pretty cool for the time. They drive nice, the are comfortable and will rust out before the engine even starts dying.
Now, you cannot even get a brand new full-size SUV for under $50,000.
Sure you can! Just buy used lol.
Now watch this exact thing happen with pickups.
The Honda Ridgeline is already stealing sales from the midsize AND full-size truck segments. I can personally attest, because I find the better fuel economy, cargo space, & ride comfort superior in the unibody Ridgeline to real body-on-frame trucks, and look, now other auto-makers are responding with trucklets like the Ford Maverick & Hyndai Santa Cruz.
Car-pickups are coming.
Just looking around where I live, sedans, coupes, and compacts still seem to be the usual
YES!!! NEW CONTENT!!
I currently own the RX in your video.
This guy is really really good.
I don't blame auto makers, they just follow trends. I blame the people who needlessly buy ugly crossovers for the death of the domestic sedan.
i live in Pittburg Area ,, and Everyone has a Suv and A truck ,,, ( and No one Goes off road , they say its For the Snow , we get 2-3 Times a year that a Car could dive in )
This is one of those things that really angers me. How are we simultaneously in a climate crisis yet all these car companies that claim to want to be green are forcing large heavy vehicles down our throats. Don't get me wrong SUVs have their place but just not for everyone. Every person does not need a f*ing crossover when they could have a hatchback or wagon that carries just as much stuff but isn't a huge ugly beast.
My family has had two of these, they definitely don't feel top-heavy new but man when those shocks go they go. One of them only has 80k to this day and that one handles great, almost like a new Buick encore.
What really happened was that the Honda CR-V, Lexus RX300, Mercedes-Benz ML320 and Toyota RAV4 all became very popular from circa 1996 on. But the real capper was the arrival of the Porsche Cayenne in 2002, which established true high-end crossovers as vehicles more well-heeled drivers were willing to boy, accelerating the demise of sedans.
Hello Rob, I think this was a well put together and very informative video. Around 7:00 you mention the suspension being worn out. I just got a 2001 RX300 with 155k on it. How would I know if the suspension is worn and how big of a problem is that? Could I get it fixed? I'm new to cars so I appreciate any advice.