That's because, in cold climates, wood is just not the ideal surface for your fingertips, since it stays cold to the touch much longer than leather, necessitating gloves, which tend to slip on a wood wheel. The package on our tester included leather trim for the interior, power-tilt steering wheel, a moon roof, that power rear lift gate I mentioned in the intro, HID (high-intensity discharge) headlamps, a roof rack, and wood trim on the wheel and shift knob.Īnd, actually, that last bit, though rich-looking, is a bit of negative if you live anywhere where all-wheel drive (you can also get the RX as a 2WD vehicle) is a genuine necessity. If this still isn't good enough for you and, perchance, you want leather seats for instance, then you have to add an option package (none of which start under about $3,000). Actually, there's even more, but you get the picture. Also: stability control, alarm/vehicle immobilizer, variable speed wipers, tire-pressure monitor, first-aid kit, dual-zone climate control, six-disc in-dash CD changer with eight speakers, eight-way power driver's seat, reclining (and sliding) rear seats that split 40/20/40, auto-dimming rearview mirror and exterior mirrors-the outside ones are heated as well-and carpeted floor mats. Besides that whole light show I mentioned in the intro, standard features include full-time all-wheel drive, full-size spare tire, dual front airbags, driver's knee airbag, front-passenger side bags, and side curtain airbags for the rear passengers. The Canadian-made RX330, meanwhile, is quite an impressive piece of work, with all of the basics and beyond well covered. What's the point? Patriotism isn't reducible to the badge on the hood of your car. And if you happen to be a shareholder in these carmakers, you also own some of that wealth. and still more who work in Alabama for Mercedes and in South Carolina for BMW. That's only half right-there are literally tens of thousands of Americans who work at Toyota, I bring this up because too often I hear from people who think that buying a Japanese car means not investing in America. Enough to make you want to buy something else? Darn good question.įrom The Driver's Seat | Should You Buy This Car? | Specs From The Driver's Seatīefore jumping right into the description of the RX330 cockpit, it's worth noting that this is the first Lexus vehicle made outside Japan (in Ontario, Canada) Toyota also makes vehicles in Georgetown, Ky., and Princeton, Ind. Which, by the way, actually does have some shortcomings. Any of the above are keener competition for the likes of the RX330. Both of those vehicles are fairly long in the tooth and show it, which is why Mercedes will bring out a new, larger crossover next year. To see that, just drive the splendid RX330 ($36,425 a whopping $45,828 the way our tester was equipped) back to back against the best from this category. That's a slight that too often has been Detroit's and Europe's way of dismissing their Japanese competitors (and a not-too-subtle form of anti-Japan sentiment) instead of facing facts: Lexus is making better pure luxury cars for the buck than any other company in the world. Don't even bet on Toyota, or in this case, Lexus, merely copying its competitors. ![]() Like the man said, don't bet on Toyota making a mistake. (Today the total worth of Toyota stock is about $110 billion, way more than that of all Big Three equities combined.) By the way, Japan's largest carmaker has already done that on profitability and on sheer dollar value. In worldwide auto sales, and will certainly overtakeĭivision in this country in very short order in fact, by 2010 Toyota may well be the world's largest carmaker, eclipsing even , a carmaker that might permanently overtake Superb construction, easy-to-use controls, smooth-as-butter rideīecause, as the North American head of another Japanese carmaker said to me recently, "We don't ever, ever bet on those guys making a mistake." Those guys being Lexus, the luxury arm of That's not to say I've been surprised-merely impressed. From the time I picked this vehicle up and hit the button on the key fob that automatically swung open the rear lift gate (hit another button on the gate to close it automatically), then left under serious power with a simple stomp of my right foot, I've been living a Lexus ad. ![]() And everything, everything, goes easily, comfortably, smoothly. Yes, it's night, and it's cold out, but inside variable-level (not simply on or off) seat heaters are keeping my aft side warm, and crisply lighted white gauges are displaying information to me as I comfortably negotiate this nasty, frosty eve.
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