2008 Lexus RX 350 Consumer Reviews

Good car, except for the rattle

Written by: Mary on 11/02/2009

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

I have had my Lexus for over a year now, and it is a great vehicle. Very powerful, nice looking, and nice interior. But I just started hearing a rattle on the passenger side window that is very annoying. At first it seemed like it was just on bumpy roads, but now it's getting worse. I am going to ask the dealer about it. Other than that a very nice car.

Favorite Features

Love the HID headlights. They light up the whole road! Wipers, heated seats, everything.

Suggested Improvements

That darn rattle!

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Poor Design, Horrible resale value

Written by: Tony on 04/18/2009

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Purchased the FWD 08 RX350 in NOV 08 with 16,000 miles it was certified pre- owned. I like all the bells and whistles that it came with, such as the telescoping steering wheel and leather seats just to name a few. I drove it from SC to TX and the drive was excellent, nice and quiet. I do not like the front design, it looks too feminine and also the so claimed re sale value is terrible. I tried to trade it in and was sadly informed that I would be 10k upside down if i traded it in with 27,400miles in excellent condition. Although it is a nice vehicle it does not hold its value.

Favorite Features

Powered lift gate, leather seats, memory settings, fold down seats and cover for cargo.

Suggested Improvements

Redesign to appeal to male drivers. 2010 still looks girly. More horse power 340+ all windows tinted at standard options.

4 out 9 people found this review helpful

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Last Lexus: a Lemon?

Written by: Last Lexus on 03/22/2009

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Rather than detail all my Lexus woes, which the dealership has tried and sometimes succeeded in fixing, I can just say that this 2008 RX350 is the noisiest car I have had. There is a persistent rattle in the rear passenger window that looks like it is caused by a faulty window assembly. The bumper rattles when turning. The car has been through a bit -- as a car in NYC is wont to be -- but the quality problems have been very disappointing for a car with a stellar reputation.

Favorite Features

It starts in all kinds of weather and has a very stable ride.

Suggested Improvements

The navigation is difficult to use, the trim on the doors is not very well finished.

1 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Third Rx and improving

Written by: Bob on 09/19/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

This Rx is the third I've purchased since 1999. I must admit Lexus got me hooked. I particularly enjoy the sports tuned suspension with the low- profile tires and increased horsepower. The gas mileage is exceptionally well I routinely averaged 27 miles to the gallon on the highway. One experiment on Route 80 from Lake Erie to Jersey border with cruise control set at 65, I actually received 31 miles per gallon.

Favorite Features

Powwow rear door, automatic side view backup mirrors, all-around quality and dependability.

Suggested Improvements

Would like to see an iPod connection to radio. Wind noise from real windows being partially open.

10 out 11 people found this review helpful

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RX350 Needs Work

Written by: uforgetaboutit on 07/30/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

This is our 3rd RX out of 4. Good ride and features,interior. Navi console impressive but difficult. If you want navigation get a Nuvi or Tom-Tom and save yourself $2k. Backup camera & Bluetooth good features but no IPod or MP3 input (BTW what's with the tape player). Lock-out during driving sucks... give us a break big brother! Maps and POI are out of date... maybe 2005 maps best guess. Update are extra service charge. Ride is rough. Tires loud, interior noise very high (road, engine). Overall comfort for 4 OK but don't drive too far without a break. We get 21-23 mpg not bad. Lawnmower engine but it's perky. Price value more like $30K instead of $40K. Might be our last RX after lease

Favorite Features

Backup camera, wipers, bluetooth,overall design ok. Auto rear hatch, nice storage underneath the cargo area for road stuff. Cargo cover a bit much, make it an option. Headlight great love it when you go around corners. Driving is comfortable, no feel however. Fun vehicle and overall function OK.

Suggested Improvements

Pricing does not match value added any longer. Fix the sound, mono phone, lousy playback for CDs, IPod input. Unlock the Nav and get professional help on the maps, update and ease of use. TomTom outperforms for 1/3 the cost. Tires need to be upgraded.

23 out 26 people found this review helpful

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Glad I leased

Written by: Fang on 07/11/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Good comfort and ride. Gas mileage is surprisingly good, between 18 and 24 mpg depending on how much city vs. highway driving we do. Room inside is good for four people. Cargo area is disappointing with rear seat up. Rx is easy to drive and park. I'm not really overly impressed with anything about the RX except the power plant, it has very good power for a car of this weight. I will return the RX in 23 months but feel satisfied so far. Just not impressed enough to want to buy it.

Favorite Features

Engine power and fuel economy.

Suggested Improvements

It is a little loud inside on rough roads and at higher speeds, my 05 Camry is less loud. The shape of the car is nice looking but not practical for cargo space. Stereo could be better.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Inferior Tires

Written by: Joe on 05/22/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Vehicle drives and handles great overall. Car had tendency to pull to right while driving. Dealer re-balanced tires and realigned front end on several occasions,but vehicle still had slight pull to right. Around 15,000 miles, car started making a roaring sound while driving (sound like excessive road noise). When I took the car in for the 15,000 mile checkup, dealer informed me that tires needed changing. Dealer said Lexus cars come equipped with low quality tires (Goodyear). Replaced the Goodyear tires with Michelin tires which were recommended by the dealer. By the way, I had to pay for two of the new Michelin tires. Never had a tire wear out in 15,000 miles (40 year driver).

Favorite Features

Back up camera, power door, ease of handling, performance

Suggested Improvements

Better tires from dealer and/or factory

10 out 12 people found this review helpful

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I'm In Love

Written by: ShaSha on 03/18/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

Have only had my 2008 RX 350 for 2 months & really love it. The handling is so smooth even tho the turning radius is not as tight as my 2003 Ford Expedition! The seats allow me to sit up fairly high which I like as I'm short. I find the back lumbar and seat adjustments especially nice. All the tiny lights in the drink holders and floor are a nice touch. The mileage is not too bad, but certainly not all I hoped for. Most of my driving is just around town so I don't know why it various from 14-18 mpg.

Favorite Features

Power rear hatch is great. Like floor emerg. brake so it doesn't take up console space. Adjustable center console allows a perfect location for any handbag. Nav. system & Bluetooth are great. Self adjusting headlights are great & I love the power of Xenon lights.

Suggested Improvements

Adjustable memory seats should still work when key is turned off. Better yet, key should be programmed so seats will automatically slide back when door is unlocked. Auto garage door buttons should be brighter. Glove box & center console need bright light. Needs more distinctive outside trim package.

16 out 17 people found this review helpful

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2008 Lexus RX 350 AWD

Written by: Catdaddy on 03/10/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

This is my 3rd SUV and it is definitely the best. My first was a 1980 K5 Blazer and the second was a 1992 Explorer, both bought new. This is also my 3rd Lexus and the build quality and service is why I like this brand. So far this SUV has been a pleasure to drive. It has the Premium Plus pkg., 18 inch 7 spoke wheels, heated seats and rain sensor wipers, towing pkg. Cargo room is a little small behind back seats but fine when back seats are lowered. I plan to use it for hunting, fishing and carrying my dogs as well as domestic uses.

Favorite Features

My favorite features are the back power door and rain sensor wipers. Audio system is standard but the sound quality is supurb.Also thought the cargo mat was great as one side is matching carpet and the other is rubber for when you carry something that may wet or dirty.

Suggested Improvements

If I could change anything it would be where you could open the rear window and keep the rear door closed. This would be nice for just dropping in something without having to wait for the door to open.

13 out 13 people found this review helpful

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Better Than Benz

Written by: Jim on 02/21/2008

Vehicle

2008 Lexus RX 350 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Review

We carefully selected the RX 350 on reliability, resale and original price and have been very pleased with the vehicle. We bought a new E-350 Benz about the same time, paid $12K more, and got less value than the Lexus. The Lexus navigation and accessories are touch-screen, all the controls are easily accessible and although a very complex machine, is user friendly. The Benz and a new BMW 5-series in our family require a degree in computer science and a full stop to do the same thing the Lexus system does. Sensible driving gets 20 mpg in local traffic.

Favorite Features

Absolutely love the included Bluetooth, backing-up video display, and the power rear door. The additional left-side driver's dash cupholder is pure design genius.

Suggested Improvements

You have to look hard to find flaws in this vehicle. The only feature I would change is to allow the owner to program more programming access to features like the single button door unlock, headlamp on duration, etc. All these changes must be made by the dealer.

14 out 14 people found this review helpful

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