Real-life test note: The Lexus RX 350 AWD can be really fun in the snow! Just turn off TCS and just let the good time roll! Otherwise, if you are facing a challenging situation like ice or snow, even if you use the All-wheel drive lock mode, it feels like a 1WD FWD! YES, this RX 350 was equipped with winter tires, tires are not an issue here! As you can also see, our diagonal test hill was full of snow, but not all wheels were getting power! At the complete end of our test, a warning message AWD System Overheated Switching to 2WD Mode had appeared. Sorry if you were expecting a real Lexus RX 350 diagonal test, but there was a lot of snow on our test drive week.
Car Question I have being considering a 350 for me or a Tundra. Decisions, decisions... With your test I determined that I can live with the 2WD and save few thousands instead of the useless system of the 4WD Lexus 350. My wife have a 300NX... power, reliable,good seats.
Drove my RX AWD through a snow storm up Big bear 2 times. Our cabin was on a steep hill... The awd system with TCS on worked flawlessly. We ran Michelin All Terrains. Zero issue.
I am glad people invest time in these reviews but they can also overthink these. After watching this I got really worried how I am going to drive from Houston, TX to Jackson Wy (24 hr net driving time) and stay there for 2 weeks. I put on Blizzarks and hoped for the best. It went with flying colors. We drove though multiple heavy snow storm, we had to go up and down steep (~10% grade) roads on a daily basis and not once we skidded or lost control. In fact, I felt more comfortable in RX350L AWD with Blizzarks on than I felt in a rented QX80 with Low gear 4x4 on. So take this review with a grain of salt.
As a woman, I don’t know that much about cars, but I have a 2012 Lexus RX 350, and it does pretty well on hills when it snows here in Seattle. I don’t floor it, though. The traction button is a mystery to me; I don’t even know where it is. I’ll have to flip through the manual for instructions. This video without audio left me with many questions. 🤷♀️
@@carrieo102 first of all, there are no women on the internet. Second of all, I also have the exact same car and I use a cheap branded all season during winter here in Toronto, ON, Canada. Only things I need to worry with these tires are breaking and turning.
That didnt sound right. Iwas surprised your RX350 had no problem on snowy hills without AWD unless you had winter tires. could go anywhere with 2021 RDX AWD with Michelin CrossClimate, the best all weather tires. I didn't buy a RX350 because they were hard to find in Texas.
I have a 2018 AWD version and i think it's a very good and comfortable car. I've never run into this type of scenario much but have taken it to Utah around Brian Head area and it performed very well on snow covered dirt terrain. But it's not a Jeep Wrangler that's for sure then again it doesn't eat gas like a Wrangler either (30 mpg best). Thanks for showing!
So much hyperbole from commenters wrt this car's capabilities in fairly extreme conditions ("useless", "worst ever" etc.). I saw a car go up a steepish slippery hill from a standstill with no problems at all as long as the TC and/or the AWD lock was turned on. With TC off, it struggled to get going at all. What's wrong with that? The only way to fairly rate how well or not it did, compared to other vehicles, would be to do the exact same test at the same time with other vehicles. But unfortunately, as CQ themselves said, they do not currently have the resources to do that just yet. Regarding the ramp test, it had way more snow on it than I have seen during other CQ tests. Again, the only fair way to judge would be to run a comparison vehicle alongside. Besides all this, nowhere do I see Lexus promote the RX as some kind of go anywhere in any conditions machine. No rear diff lock, no special offroad modes, nothing. That is however what they do with their GX, LX and similar vehicles from the Toyota line up so if that's what you need, then get one of those. Finally, with special apologies to you Canadians in advance, not everyone lives in a frozen snow covered land for most of the year. :)
Exactly! What I took away was the Lexus system working. People are using the RX to drive kids around, go on vacations, and commute to work. I look at is as a big car, basically, and not a Jeep. Lexus makes the GX for people that want to take them on Safari or whatever.
Looking at this test, so glad I own an '08 Acura MDX. Amazing control in the snow and dare I say, as good as Audi's Quattro system! (Owned an A6 previously)
@@watchdogs295 what? Lexus RX 350 that have never had a tire spin innthe snow we have had lately and we had 20 cm to 30cm with ice underneath. not sure what you are talking about
Im good off this awd system. Rest if car isnt bad but not for me. I feel Acura SuperHandling-awd is way way better. Lexus interior's a bit nicer tho. Goodluck tho👌
I've had a few RX450h versions; maybe not so much 'fun' in the snow, but NEVER any issue with getting away. The only car able to get out of our inclined golf club car park under snow on more than one occasion! 😁👍
@@JoshuaaColin the best car on the snow is an Audi, or a Subaru. Lexus got worst awd system, even Acura/Honda is better. Bmw xdrive is better, 4matic is better, 4motion is better, but Lexus overall is far more reliable than all those cars, and awd is acceptable... I would chose Lexus. I have a bimmer, i know what it's like.. :/
@@alexandrpodgorneac1292 I lived in upstate NY this guy is crazy no one driving like that 😂 my rx450 was fwd gold in snow as long as you got good tires 🛞 and then I have a Lexus awd gs350 n it was a beast in the snow! I mean beast!
justSTUMBLEDupon totally different systems, what Jeep? A wrangler with full time 4wd with a center locking diff? A Lexus gx 4wd would probably be more compatible, if so.
In Quebec it is a requirement to have Snow tires on from the beginning of December to the middle of March so it is unlikely this press car is not equipped with winter tires
The AWD lock isn't a locking mechanism like a locking differential or transfer case; all it does is increase the sensitivity of the system to reduce wheel spin; the way you're testing the system is in opposition as to how drive in the snow in the first place thus the system is acting the way it is...
Well I love the Lexus RX, had my first one for 11 years, and my second one for 7 now, and I drove it in the snow down a mountain in Asheville NC, in my experience best suv ever, can wait to get one of the newer ones like in the video, I would also like to see how the new Kia telluride suv does in the snow, my friends just got the AWD for that purpose, to drive it in the snow
We’ve had ours new since 2017 and have not had any issues. I drove it in the snow when we got a mid-February storm. No problems at all and we had about 6 or 7 inches. The RX450h has been the best car we’ve owned and we get an average of 28mpg of mixed city/highway driving.
i’ve went through tens of videos and articles of this car online regarding offroad/snow capabilities, this is the only one that objectively answers my question Thanks!
I've had 3 rx 350s. 2007,2009,2011. Live in Minneapolis Mn. We get a good amount of snow and ice. They have all performed as good as any all wheel drive car uve driven b4. Never have I spun out or got stuck. Maybe if they had decent tires it wouldn't have spun the front tire. I can say honestly I've never had one do that to me at all. And I've tested it out allot and had fun with it. I've pushed the rx hard many times. I use Michelin tires on all my cars pretty much. Yes I have also had other tires as I am a car buff. 🚗 This test does not seem very real world to me. As I have never heard of someone's all wheel drive car doing what happened in that video. 😳 it's odd. The rx is probably one of the best most reliable subs ever made and that's an understatement! What is ther 1 person out of 500,000 that watches this and the rx would not b good enough for ther needs that's the reality here folks. Buy the Lexus/Toyota and you will not regret it PERIOD
I truly didn't expect such poor performance from this vehicle. It's a worse AWD system than on a RAV4. This is an expensive car and they should make improvements. You should try and test the new Toyota Highlander, as RX was always based on Highlander platform, hopefully the new generation Highlander has a better AWD system.
the RAV4 is all new riding on a new chassis with new everything, that rx was just a refresh model and is using the same chassis as the one from 2015. its not gonna have new powertrain stuff, that's gonna be saved for a new gen. the most you'll get in a refresh is a changed outside look and maybe some interior bits here and there.
This is a Luxury car. Luxury car require luxury road and condition. You want best performance on this slippery road condition, go for a Truck. You're not suppose to buy a LV beg and carry it to work in construction site, are you?
@@GuuiYae Most 4WD pick-ups are just okay in snow because they're light over the truck bed. Mine have always fish-tailed if I don't pay close attention.
@@GuuiYae Exactly! It's meant for light snow, or light rough road, but mainly city driving. It's not a performance car or a rally car. Although, if I were rich, I'd use a Louis or a Goyard as a grocery bag to be extra lol
I have a 2013 Lexus GS 350 all-wheel drive I live in Boise Idaho we just had a really bad snow storm people were getting stuck everywhere I used my snow button my car did awesome I was going by people left and right my car never slid was plowing right through the snow no problem my all-wheel drive system works great
Same car with AWD as well and we had some awful snow storms near Chicago this winter and it handled it like a champ on these all season tires. The AWD system in our cars are great and a big plus is that it’s rear biased
actually, I'm glad to hear the engine sounding like a diesel... just like my 09 RX 350. I drove mine in the snow today for the first time since I've owned it, it was okay for "normal driving" but it didn't do turn or braking as well as my Ranger in 4H.
I’m supersized to see this 350 AWD demonstration? My 2011 450h AWD even not a full mechanical AWD like 350 did not have this skidding problem in light snow. In comparison 450 h on demand electronic AWD did not slip like this 359 AWD. With other words, 450h AWD once notice that front wheels are loosing traction engages its rear 2nd electrical traction motor the rear exile.
I’m confused about what’s going on here. It looks like the AWD lock is working just fine in the first few tests, but I can’t wrap my head around what’s going on at the end when you’re trying plow through that mound of snow. All four wheels should be moving with the exception of tour very last attempt-the system unlocks around 25 mph.
It's not a 4-wheel/AWD lock. That only exists if you have locking front and rear diffs, and there's no such thing on ANY RX generation. There's only an electronically controlled "center" clutchpack that momentarily locks to send equal power to the front and rear axle assemblies. There is no guaranteed power delivery to each wheel. The clutch splits the power between the front and rear, and then it's up to traction control to reduce tire spin in order to maintain power to the independent wheels as needed. It's easy to overcome TCS abilities. Sometimes it is helpful to manually apply brakes. The way this system works is very common in front wheel drive crossovers, and tuning can vary greatly for a multitude of reasons. This is why systems like these do poorly in diagonal roller tests, but do extremely well in real-life handling and efficiency.
if you hv winter tyres even an A3 can cope with that snow. Am pretty curious what winter tyres the lexus had on. I have winter tyres on my 4wd fiat panda and the 4wd never kicks in. You can easily start on hills etc without the slightest spin!
having fun in the winter! testing the car... is it illegal to floor a Toyota / Lexus? That might be why they are causing traffic on the highway! The worst model are the Beige one with a CAA or AAA Logo on them
I drive a 3rd gen RX and it drives like a dog. It’s easily outdone by an X7 or X5. Though I have to hand it to the RX for being so reliable and easy to maintain.
@@ambassador8716 there are a few videos but i remembered these 2 below going uphill. ruclips.net/video/ZwlVamB6Zek/видео.html ruclips.net/video/0q_ayXyu7hU/видео.html
So glad you listened and this isn’t a Toyota hybrid AWD. I really wanted a Lexus but because the AWD is so poor, I will most likely lean towards a Kia Stinger GT2 AWD. Any way you all can do AWD test of Stinger in snow? Probably nowhere enough ground clearance for diagonal.... my Altima does better in snow than this thing
I love Lexus but not their AWD system. I tested both my 2015 MDX AWD and 2018 RX. I would say I’m happier with my MDX in the snow. I don’t get it! RX cost me more $ and 3 years newer!
Buy winter tires for winter. I have survived Midwest snow with all season tires with a FWD, but can’t lie sometimes I got stuck in awkward places😂😂😂 currently shopping for AWD and planning to get some Bridgestone Blizzark for winter tires.
This is about the same as my experience. The AWD lock didn't do much, certainly not what the button says. I was secretly hoping for ATRAC, which I have in my GX470, but alas, "lock" doesn't lock much.
Thank you for the great Video and also telling if they are using winter tires. They saved on mechanical and heavy 4wd components to get a good fuel effiency. This results in a such worse winter driving capability.
If I remember correctly the old real offroad cars with all their diffs and locks used much more fuel than the today modern suvs... honestly spoken. 99% of the real life scenario this awd is sufficient as we saw in normal mode.
@@MasterDedalius That's because they have to accelerate a whole lot of rotating mass. Even the best engines turn into dogs. Not to mention the god-awful ride and handling on those 4WD's due to all the un-sprung mass. Land Rovers get 10-12 mpg in normal city driving. My RX350 still gets 18, and as much as 25 hwy. So I won't climb Mt. Everest in it. I wasn't planning to anyway. Also, my guitar amp goes to '11'. "It's one louder...in't it?"
It's better than my old camry. Got in and out of piled up snow no problem. Gotta watch out for ice, thats not an awd issue thats a tire issue, hence, ecopia sucks and is dangerous. Got cross climate 2, gonna see this winter how it does.
Having AWD is the best way to go. But having ain’t tires would be even better vs all season tires. Only reason you’ll find some people stuck in snow because manly they’re traveling way to fast for conditions and their tires are worn or not enough traction
Thank you so much for doing this test! I love the quality and reliability of Lexus's so I've considered the RX350, but this proved its going to drive me nuts just like most FWD biased AWD setups
Well that hill climbing attempt says most of it; gonna have to revisit the diagonal part when the snow melts though just to see how it'll handle that part in not as tough conditions.
So if I buy a so called awd Lexus RX 350 will it drive in the snow fine with awd or is it really a diff lock button I’d need to push and get extra help with traction control button as well?
Poor system. But Car Question should consider during poor/extreme weather testing, to have 1 or 2 other systems (maybe borrow from friends?) for comparison. Are other system any better in the EXACT condition?
Other system are better, EX: Ascent. One day we will have more budget to do big comparo. For now, CQ is more a second job hobby to share the passion and not my daytime job :P
Can you do this test on an Audi A4 or A6? I was thinking about looking at a Lexus, but I live in a winter climate with lots of snow. I currently have an Audi and love the Quattro. I am trying to compare AWD systems before I make (I might not after this video) another switch to another brand. I always feel safe and in control when driving my Audi in ice or bad weather. Thanks
@@rv2167 Toyota failed in all-wheel drive sedans and crossovers ... where would the problem be if you cooperated with Subaru? The purpose is to give the car more stability and perfect power distribution The cars that you mentioned do not mean them ... Subaru does not have a competitor to them
There is no slip test or snow test with a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE 350. I believe this is necessary, specially with the 350 as it is the one that sells the most. You guys should do it, please!!
Snow mode on the sedans just disables first gear so there is less torque on take-off, so less chance to spin. The lock in this one locks (or is supposed to lock) 50% of power to each end of the car, when it's unlocked the power goes to the end with least resistance, the same way a differential does from one side to the other.
Would have been a much better video with some verbal explanation of how the car felt under the various traction/awd settings, especially since the right side wheels are not even visible.
@@eloquentblack cause you never drove like us maybe! Here we do real testing and push the vehicle hard so that way we can tell what's good or not when it comes to snow! :)
Thats suck as a suv, new camry with awd does better than that. I guess most of the Lexus owners don't know how to turn these on or off anyway, so they keep them most effectively with everything being untouched
kubanskiloewe 1 year ago (edited) i have the 450H with a small e-motor for the rear and with all ON as you drive normally it´s ok in snow but as the Lexus manual say its NOT for Offroading. i think this car does pretty well when driving normal. It handles 100% safe....that´s what counts most !! ruclips.net/video/XWBieUJJb5w/видео.html this.
I feel the AWD system in the RX series has gotten worse over time. We bought our teenage daughter a 2003 RX300 and it handles amazingly in the snow (I put on Falken A/T3Ws on it, one size up), but once you get up to the 330 and above, they seem to do poorly in the snow. I have a neighbor that routinely got stuck in her 330, and then bought a 350 and STILL gets stuck, whereas my daughter drives through most anything.
Yee Haw I believe you are correct. That coupled with their traction control system which isn’t as intrusive as most, makes it a beast in the snow with the right tires.
Toyota calls their 1 wheel drive system AWD. LOL There is only two things it is good at, spinning one wheel uncontrollably or understeer horribly when turning at speed. It is strange that Toyota don't just take Subaru's amazing AWD system and put it on their cars.
The hybrid awd system is actually really great, not for rock crawling but it's great for these conditions and it will forsure do better than it's expensive cousin 👍
i have the 450H with a small e-motor for the rear and with all ON as you drive normally it´s ok in snow but as the Lexus manual say its NOT for Offroading. i think this car does pretty well when driving normal. It handles 100% safe....that´s what counts most !! ruclips.net/video/XWBieUJJb5w/видео.html
No point getting this car new unless buying a used one. It achieves the so-called reliability by sacrificing features and technologies. Of course, nothing breaks down when there is literally nothing in the car and Lexus wants some big money from it. It is all marketing strategies and it is funny that they also create shortages on some models to increase sales.
Does 2020 RX450h and 2020 RX350 share the same AWD drive system or the 2020 RX450h shares the same AWD-e system in Prius (front wheel drive + an independent 7HP electric motor driving the rear wheels)?
awd-e. not sure the power of the rear motor though. 3 motors in all for the front, rear and charging. so to clarify; front wheel drive with motor and an electric motor and the other electric motor powers the rear without any mechanical help
Car companies make these vehicles with a slip traction control. Why don't they just give you a choice of 4x4/RD or FWD. Instead of this AWD crap. It's a cheaper way for the manufacturers. They hip up the technology terms, so it sounds good to the buyers.
Real-life test note: The Lexus RX 350 AWD can be really fun in the snow! Just turn off TCS and just let the good time roll! Otherwise, if you are facing a challenging situation like ice or snow, even if you use the All-wheel drive lock mode, it feels like a 1WD FWD! YES, this RX 350 was equipped with winter tires, tires are not an issue here! As you can also see, our diagonal test hill was full of snow, but not all wheels were getting power! At the complete end of our test, a warning message AWD System Overheated Switching to 2WD Mode had appeared. Sorry if you were expecting a real Lexus RX 350 diagonal test, but there was a lot of snow on our test drive week.
Car Question I have being considering a 350 for me or a Tundra. Decisions, decisions... With your test I determined that I can live with the 2WD and save few thousands instead of the useless system of the 4WD Lexus 350. My wife have a 300NX... power, reliable,good seats.
@@LoquiYo where do you live? any snow in your area? Tundra we own one... not a lot of trouble since 2010! ( bought in 2009 )
@@LoquiYo wait for 2021mdx
There should be caveats about the diagonal test - no way a snow covered ramp and a dry ramp are comparable.
motosonic geez so no test during 8 months of the year
Drove my RX AWD through a snow storm up Big bear 2 times. Our cabin was on a steep hill... The awd system with TCS on worked flawlessly. We ran Michelin All Terrains. Zero issue.
I am glad people invest time in these reviews but they can also overthink these. After watching this I got really worried how I am going to drive from Houston, TX to Jackson Wy (24 hr net driving time) and stay there for 2 weeks. I put on Blizzarks and hoped for the best. It went with flying colors. We drove though multiple heavy snow storm, we had to go up and down steep (~10% grade) roads on a daily basis and not once we skidded or lost control. In fact, I felt more comfortable in RX350L AWD with Blizzarks on than I felt in a rented QX80 with Low gear 4x4 on. So take this review with a grain of salt.
As a woman, I don’t know that much about cars, but I have a 2012 Lexus RX 350, and it does pretty well on hills when it snows here in Seattle. I don’t floor it, though. The traction button is a mystery to me; I don’t even know where it is. I’ll have to flip through the manual for instructions. This video without audio left me with many questions. 🤷♀️
@@carrieo102 first of all, there are no women on the internet.
Second of all, I also have the exact same car and I use a cheap branded all season during winter here in Toronto, ON, Canada. Only things I need to worry with these tires are breaking and turning.
That didnt sound right. Iwas surprised your RX350 had no problem on snowy hills without AWD unless you had winter tires.
could go anywhere with 2021 RDX AWD with Michelin CrossClimate, the best all weather tires.
I didn't buy a RX350 because they were hard to find in Texas.
I have a 2018 AWD version and i think it's a very good and comfortable car. I've never run into this type of scenario much but have taken it to Utah around Brian Head area and it performed very well on snow covered dirt terrain. But it's not a Jeep Wrangler that's for sure then again it doesn't eat gas like a Wrangler either (30 mpg best). Thanks for showing!
It can be a jeep wrangler change the tires n suspension
That V6 sound is so beautiful.
Would have loved to see the wheels on the right.
next time, but FW was spinning like crazy, RW was just barely trying.
Just some dude on that side making sound fx
@@mealsonwheels5139 I knew it.
So much hyperbole from commenters wrt this car's capabilities in fairly extreme conditions ("useless", "worst ever" etc.). I saw a car go up a steepish slippery hill from a standstill with no problems at all as long as the TC and/or the AWD lock was turned on. With TC off, it struggled to get going at all. What's wrong with that? The only way to fairly rate how well or not it did, compared to other vehicles, would be to do the exact same test at the same time with other vehicles. But unfortunately, as CQ themselves said, they do not currently have the resources to do that just yet. Regarding the ramp test, it had way more snow on it than I have seen during other CQ tests. Again, the only fair way to judge would be to run a comparison vehicle alongside. Besides all this, nowhere do I see Lexus promote the RX as some kind of go anywhere in any conditions machine. No rear diff lock, no special offroad modes, nothing. That is however what they do with their GX, LX and similar vehicles from the Toyota line up so if that's what you need, then get one of those. Finally, with special apologies to you Canadians in advance, not everyone lives in a frozen snow covered land for most of the year. :)
Exactly! What I took away was the Lexus system working. People are using the RX to drive kids around, go on vacations, and commute to work. I look at is as a big car, basically, and not a Jeep. Lexus makes the GX for people that want to take them on Safari or whatever.
Looking at this test, so glad I own an '08 Acura MDX. Amazing control in the snow and dare I say, as good as Audi's Quattro system! (Owned an A6 previously)
I think this goes to prove how damn effective traction control can be in everyday driving.
Why would any one turn off TC unless one was stuck?
This goes to show how the rx has the most useless Awd system available...
@@rampar77 FUN!! ??
@@watchdogs295 what? Lexus RX 350 that have never had a tire spin innthe snow we have had lately and we had 20 cm to 30cm with ice underneath. not sure what you are talking about
i came to see a new rx drift around in the snow and i was not disappointed. loved this video, gonna buy the hybrid in 2 or 3 weeks 👌🏽
Im good off this awd system. Rest if car isnt bad but not for me. I feel Acura SuperHandling-awd is way way better. Lexus interior's a bit nicer tho. Goodluck tho👌
I love your real world tests of the AWD systems.
Real world, real test, real CAR QUESTION :) thanks!
I've had a few RX450h versions; maybe not so much 'fun' in the snow, but NEVER any issue with getting away. The only car able to get out of our inclined golf club car park under snow on more than one occasion! 😁👍
So overall would you say it’s a decent car for the snow? I live in Michigan so I need to know haha
@@JoshuaaColin the best car on the snow is an Audi, or a Subaru.
Lexus got worst awd system, even Acura/Honda is better. Bmw xdrive is better, 4matic is better, 4motion is better, but Lexus overall is far more reliable than all those cars, and awd is acceptable... I would chose Lexus. I have a bimmer, i know what it's like.. :/
@@alexandrpodgorneac1292 I lived in upstate NY this guy is crazy no one driving like that 😂 my rx450 was fwd gold in snow as long as you got good tires 🛞 and then I have a Lexus awd gs350 n it was a beast in the snow! I mean beast!
So the only time it has traction issues was when everything was turned OFF, so I wouldnt blame the AWD system
🙄
@@youarerightbut5066 pay attn to the video next time 😏
@@tinhinnh I doubt you even know what attention is lol
I’d put on the snow tires on all 4 wheels when traveling during winter time especially in the snowy regions.
Seiko Watch never had a problem with my Jeep on all season tires
justSTUMBLEDupon totally different systems, what Jeep? A wrangler with full time 4wd with a center locking diff? A Lexus gx 4wd would probably be more compatible, if so.
In Quebec it is a requirement to have Snow tires on from the beginning of December to the middle of March so it is unlikely this press car is not equipped with winter tires
The AWD lock isn't a locking mechanism like a locking differential or transfer case; all it does is increase the sensitivity of the system to reduce wheel spin; the way you're testing the system is in opposition as to how drive in the snow in the first place thus the system is acting the way it is...
I believe the all-wheel-drive lock only works up to 15 mph. It’s meant to just get you unstuck not power through at cruising speeds.
I'm using 2021 rx f-sport so is 40mph once it's more than that its just gonna disconnect itself.
@@sassytv5412 Lmao my 2019 f sport its up to 25 mph then unlocks
Maybe you shouldn't give 100 percent throtttle??
Well I love the Lexus RX, had my first one for 11 years, and my second one for 7 now, and I drove it in the snow down a mountain in Asheville NC, in my experience best suv ever, can wait to get one of the newer ones like in the video, I would also like to see how the new Kia telluride suv does in the snow, my friends just got the AWD for that purpose, to drive it in the snow
i love my RX450H ....best car i owned in over 25years
We’ve had ours new since 2017 and have not had any issues. I drove it in the snow when we got a mid-February storm. No problems at all and we had about 6 or 7 inches. The RX450h has been the best car we’ve owned and we get an average of 28mpg of mixed city/highway driving.
i’ve went through tens of videos and articles of this car online regarding offroad/snow capabilities, this is the only one that objectively answers my question
Thanks!
So yay or nay in snow?
for where i live - that would be a yay
I've had 3 rx 350s. 2007,2009,2011. Live in Minneapolis Mn. We get a good amount of snow and ice. They have all performed as good as any all wheel drive car uve driven b4. Never have I spun out or got stuck. Maybe if they had decent tires it wouldn't have spun the front tire. I can say honestly I've never had one do that to me at all. And I've tested it out allot and had fun with it. I've pushed the rx hard many times. I use Michelin tires on all my cars pretty much. Yes I have also had other tires as I am a car buff. 🚗 This test does not seem very real world to me. As I have never heard of someone's all wheel drive car doing what happened in that video. 😳 it's odd. The rx is probably one of the best most reliable subs ever made and that's an understatement! What is ther 1 person out of 500,000 that watches this and the rx would not b good enough for ther needs that's the reality here folks. Buy the Lexus/Toyota and you will not regret it PERIOD
I truly didn't expect such poor performance from this vehicle. It's a worse AWD system than on a RAV4. This is an expensive car and they should make improvements. You should try and test the new Toyota Highlander, as RX was always based on Highlander platform, hopefully the new generation Highlander has a better AWD system.
highlander is on the list this summer
the RAV4 is all new riding on a new chassis with new everything, that rx was just a refresh model and is using the same chassis as the one from 2015. its not gonna have new powertrain stuff, that's gonna be saved for a new gen. the most you'll get in a refresh is a changed outside look and maybe some interior bits here and there.
This is a Luxury car. Luxury car require luxury road and condition. You want best performance on this slippery road condition, go for a Truck. You're not suppose to buy a LV beg and carry it to work in construction site, are you?
@@GuuiYae Most 4WD pick-ups are just okay in snow because they're light over the truck bed.
Mine have always fish-tailed if I don't pay close attention.
@@GuuiYae Exactly! It's meant for light snow, or light rough road, but mainly city driving. It's not a performance car or a rally car. Although, if I were rich, I'd use a Louis or a Goyard as a grocery bag to be extra lol
I have a 2013 Lexus GS 350 all-wheel drive I live in Boise Idaho we just had a really bad snow storm people were getting stuck everywhere I used my snow button my car did awesome I was going by people left and right my car never slid was plowing right through the snow no problem my all-wheel drive system works great
Ye your car is also a rear wheel based awd system so its better than the system in the RX
Same car with AWD as well and we had some awful snow storms near Chicago this winter and it handled it like a champ on these all season tires. The AWD system in our cars are great and a big plus is that it’s rear biased
actually, I'm glad to hear the engine sounding like a diesel... just like my 09 RX 350. I drove mine in the snow today for the first time since I've owned it, it was okay for "normal driving" but it didn't do turn or braking as well as my Ranger in 4H.
Wow, that was terrible!!! Probably one of the worst systems I've ever seen tested. Thanks.
And the CX9 AWD system was bashed a few yrs ago...this was even worse than that yet it’s a more expensive vehicle!
I’m supersized to see this 350 AWD demonstration? My 2011 450h AWD even not a full mechanical AWD like 350 did not have this skidding problem in light snow. In comparison 450 h on demand electronic AWD did not slip like this 359 AWD.
With other words, 450h AWD once notice that front wheels are loosing traction engages its rear 2nd electrical traction motor the rear exile.
Seems like an excuse to kick the shit of someone else's car in the snow. Let's call it what it is... The guy had fun flooring it...
I’m confused about what’s going on here. It looks like the AWD lock is working just fine in the first few tests, but I can’t wrap my head around what’s going on at the end when you’re trying plow through that mound of snow. All four wheels should be moving with the exception of tour very last attempt-the system unlocks around 25 mph.
It's not a 4-wheel/AWD lock. That only exists if you have locking front and rear diffs, and there's no such thing on ANY RX generation. There's only an electronically controlled "center" clutchpack that momentarily locks to send equal power to the front and rear axle assemblies. There is no guaranteed power delivery to each wheel. The clutch splits the power between the front and rear, and then it's up to traction control to reduce tire spin in order to maintain power to the independent wheels as needed. It's easy to overcome TCS abilities. Sometimes it is helpful to manually apply brakes. The way this system works is very common in front wheel drive crossovers, and tuning can vary greatly for a multitude of reasons. This is why systems like these do poorly in diagonal roller tests, but do extremely well in real-life handling and efficiency.
If AWS was on how come the front tires where not spinning at 3:09
Open diff bro...the front wheel on the other side was spinning
if you hv winter tyres even an A3 can cope with that snow. Am pretty curious what winter tyres the lexus had on. I have winter tyres on my 4wd fiat panda and the 4wd never kicks in. You can easily start on hills etc without the slightest spin!
Would love to see a similar winter test with the Ridgeline. I'm very interested to see how it's S-AWH system fairs
Why are you flooring it? What are you trying to accomplish?
having fun in the winter! testing the car... is it illegal to floor a Toyota / Lexus? That might be why they are causing traffic on the highway! The worst model are the Beige one with a CAA or AAA Logo on them
Which Winter tires are you using?
The one that says lock is the Vehicle Stability Control which is for making Turns in bad weather.
Part of issue I think might be the bridge ecopias that they use for the RX which really isn’t the greatest in any condition
why are the passanger wheels working more than the driver wheels?
cause it's not the best AWD on the market
I drive a 3rd gen RX and it drives like a dog. It’s easily outdone by an X7 or X5. Though I have to hand it to the RX for being so reliable and easy to maintain.
BMW = Bring Money Weekly. If you want dependable AND safe, get an RX 350. When you buy most of today's Beamers, you're really just paying for a logo.
Shame rx doesn’t have a v8 option for more exciting performance
When all off driver seemed to step on gas harder, making it like the car is not perform. In AWD on driver does it gently
Have you ever seen an Audi in the snow? That’s the comparison. Yes I agree this car is no match and should be driven light footed.
I would like to see Acura MDX 3 test in the same weather conditions...🙏
Will make that RX350 looks like a joke.
@@Av3ntur0zky Yeah, I heard that awd Lexus RX - is nothing in compare with sh-awd Acura MDX. I want a compare test of these cars in equal conditions.
@@ambassador8716 there are a few videos but i remembered these 2 below going uphill. ruclips.net/video/ZwlVamB6Zek/видео.html ruclips.net/video/0q_ayXyu7hU/видео.html
So glad you listened and this isn’t a Toyota hybrid AWD. I really wanted a Lexus but because the AWD is so poor, I will most likely lean towards a Kia Stinger GT2 AWD. Any way you all can do AWD test of Stinger in snow? Probably nowhere enough ground clearance for diagonal.... my Altima does better in snow than this thing
It's not gonna be for this year since snow is on the verge of melting.... but i will ask kia for next year!
Car Question thank you!
I always thought mine was so crappy in the snow/ice due to its really narrow width.
Tires?
Mine has never been bad in the snow.
Narrow tires are better in the snow due to higher psi on the ground and lower rolling/frontal resistance
What brand of winter tires were you running on?
I love Lexus but not their AWD system. I tested both my 2015 MDX AWD and 2018 RX. I would say I’m happier with my MDX in the snow. I don’t get it! RX cost me more $ and 3 years newer!
Yea my 13 mdx with the 3.7 & SH-awd is a little beast here in Lake tahoe. Even with allseason tires it crawls over the snow with ease
I should see this before I bought my RX350 6 months ago.
just need to be careful when driving in the snow then
Buy winter tires for winter. I have survived Midwest snow with all season tires with a FWD, but can’t lie sometimes I got stuck in awkward places😂😂😂 currently shopping for AWD and planning to get some Bridgestone Blizzark for winter tires.
This is about the same as my experience. The AWD lock didn't do much, certainly not what the button says. I was secretly hoping for ATRAC, which I have in my GX470, but alas, "lock" doesn't lock much.
Thank you for the great Video and also telling if they are using winter tires. They saved on mechanical and heavy 4wd components to get a good fuel effiency. This results in a such worse winter driving capability.
Except they didn't. RX 350 doesn't get great gas mileage.
If I remember correctly the old real offroad cars with all their diffs and locks used much more fuel than the today modern suvs... honestly spoken. 99% of the real life scenario this awd is sufficient as we saw in normal mode.
@@MasterDedalius That's because they have to accelerate a whole lot of rotating mass. Even the best engines turn into dogs. Not to mention the god-awful ride and handling on those 4WD's due to all the un-sprung mass. Land Rovers get 10-12 mpg in normal city driving. My RX350 still gets 18, and as much as 25 hwy. So I won't climb Mt. Everest in it. I wasn't planning to anyway. Also, my guitar amp goes to '11'. "It's one louder...in't it?"
It's better than my old camry. Got in and out of piled up snow no problem. Gotta watch out for ice, thats not an awd issue thats a tire issue, hence, ecopia sucks and is dangerous. Got cross climate 2, gonna see this winter how it does.
yes it's better than a FWD but for an AWD system there is place for improvement
That was a fun video.
glad you like!
Lmao I think that awd system is worst that the Honda CR-V 😂
crv awd thing is now good the old one is bad
@@chancesalyer9801 the crv is great in the snow
I've never had issues. It's meant to get you home, which it does.
Are these snow tires
Totally off-road and drift proof vehicle. Definitely not my type. Very good AWD test👍
Drift proof yes, off-road, not sure :P
Are the right side tires spinning- can't tell.
They had been trying to do a fake IVTM-4 in Highlander top trim, then Next year they will put it in this 350 XD.
Having AWD is the best way to go. But having ain’t tires would be even better vs all season tires.
Only reason you’ll find some people stuck in snow because manly they’re traveling way to fast for conditions and their tires are worn or not enough traction
Can’t you burn the engine or transmission if you leave it on 4wd lock for to long? Or aleast that’s what I heard
Jason Domina LMAOOO
Quick and dumb question: When you test your car like this, is it going to damage the car?
Aren’t those Michelin all season tires?
I use my 06 S4 here in Tahoe on summer tires & its still better than this even with traction off. 🤷
Thank you so much for doing this test! I love the quality and reliability of Lexus's so I've considered the RX350, but this proved its going to drive me nuts just like most FWD biased AWD setups
it is still a much better car than most of the competition !
dw its good in snow this guy did not have good tries for it
ruclips.net/video/XWBieUJJb5w/видео.html
Well that hill climbing attempt says most of it; gonna have to revisit the diagonal part when the snow melts though just to see how it'll handle that part in not as tough conditions.
So if I buy a so called awd Lexus RX 350 will it drive in the snow fine with awd or is it really a diff lock button I’d need to push and get extra help with traction control button as well?
Didn't see Lexus with sufficient AWD/4WD system, except models based on Land Cruiser.
they do if u have good snow tires this guy did not
Poor system. But Car Question should consider during poor/extreme weather testing, to have 1 or 2 other systems (maybe borrow from friends?) for comparison. Are other system any better in the EXACT condition?
Other system are better, EX: Ascent. One day we will have more budget to do big comparo. For now, CQ is more a second job hobby to share the passion and not my daytime job :P
Can you do this test on an Audi A4 or A6? I was thinking about looking at a Lexus, but I live in a winter climate with lots of snow. I currently have an Audi and love the Quattro. I am trying to compare AWD systems before I make (I might not after this video) another switch to another brand. I always feel safe and in control when driving my Audi in ice or bad weather. Thanks
Have B9A4 and RX350, tell you Quattro beats RX's awd system hard
If they take advantage of their partnership with Subaru in the all-wheel drive and put it in all their cars ... it will be a real achievement for them
that's a great idea!
@@CarQuestion
Thank you and thank you for your most wonderful content
@@hks111 Thanks for you great comments!
@@rv2167 You think that this 3.5 is the most fuel-efficient V6 you can find on the market? It's also a piggy!
@@rv2167
Toyota failed in all-wheel drive sedans and crossovers ... where would the problem be if you cooperated with Subaru?
The purpose is to give the car more stability and perfect power distribution
The cars that you mentioned do not mean them ... Subaru does not have a competitor to them
There is no slip test or snow test with a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE 350. I believe this is necessary, specially with the 350 as it is the one that sells the most. You guys should do it, please!!
Winter tires?
Is this 'lock' the same as the SNOW mode in the Lexus sedans?
Snow mode on the sedans just disables first gear so there is less torque on take-off, so less chance to spin. The lock in this one locks (or is supposed to lock) 50% of power to each end of the car, when it's unlocked the power goes to the end with least resistance, the same way a differential does from one side to the other.
@@tareskisloki8579 Very interesting, thanks!
Use winter tire to add more grip.
Would have been a much better video with some verbal explanation of how the car felt under the various traction/awd settings, especially since the right side wheels are not even visible.
Underrated comment
@@smokingbeetles5793 you mean overrated?
Perhaps the second half of the title should read: A totally useless vehicle on ice and snow!
No because it’s still fun to drift !
Awd+ tcs.... response was good
@@himanshgarg9194 Perhaps in YOUR head.
@Moist Gnome So those videos we see from Atlanta with the cars and trucks sliding all around
on the ICE are fake???????
Are you planning to test a 2020 Ford Explorer in the near future?
Yes this summer
Car Question+ Looking forward to it! 😄
Ditch the all-season tires and get the michelen winter tires
those are winter tires.....
@@CarQuestion I've never had issues like that with my RX in snow...
@@eloquentblack cause you never drove like us maybe! Here we do real testing and push the vehicle hard so that way we can tell what's good or not when it comes to snow! :)
Thats suck as a suv, new camry with awd does better than that. I guess most of the Lexus owners don't know how to turn these on or off anyway, so they keep them most effectively with everything being untouched
how exactly does a new camry with awd do better than this awd RX?
How bout testing the GX460? Please!
Toyota needs to have a more sophisticated AWD system like Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive and Acura's SH-AWD.
And Subarus need a Toyota engine!
Next I wanna see the new 2020 Lexus GX460 drift 😁
Can you test 2017 Lincoln MKZ V6 AWD?
Is that a diesel?
Is it me, or it smells like Toyota?
Seventh Son worst than toyota
Same system as rav4 2012 and below i think
Can you test Subaru ascent ?
kubanskiloewe
1 year ago (edited)
i have the 450H with a small e-motor for the rear and with all ON as you drive normally it´s ok in snow but as the Lexus manual say its NOT for Offroading. i think this car does pretty well when driving normal. It handles 100% safe....that´s what counts most !! ruclips.net/video/XWBieUJJb5w/видео.html
this.
It's all about the tires...
I feel the AWD system in the RX series has gotten worse over time. We bought our teenage daughter a 2003 RX300 and it handles amazingly in the snow (I put on Falken A/T3Ws on it, one size up), but once you get up to the 330 and above, they seem to do poorly in the snow. I have a neighbor that routinely got stuck in her 330, and then bought a 350 and STILL gets stuck, whereas my daughter drives through most anything.
Yee Haw I believe you are correct. That coupled with their traction control system which isn’t as intrusive as most, makes it a beast in the snow with the right tires.
your daughters RX has better tires is the answer
@@tinhinnh No that's not the answer. Poor 4wd that's it.
Toyota calls their 1 wheel drive system AWD. LOL
There is only two things it is good at, spinning one wheel uncontrollably or understeer horribly when turning at speed.
It is strange that Toyota don't just take Subaru's amazing AWD system and put it on their cars.
for now, they are sharing batteries :P
I agree, they should collaborate with Subaru which has a way better AWD system
I would love to see 2020 RAV4 Hybrid going through exact the same test.
Would be same shit if not worse
The hybrid awd system is actually really great, not for rock crawling but it's great for these conditions and it will forsure do better than it's expensive cousin 👍
It would help if you had snow chains on
Bonjour est-ce que tu pourrais faire une vidéo complète sur le Lexus NX 300 H s’il te plaît merci beaucoup
Driver is fantastic
i have the 450H with a small e-motor for the rear and with all ON as you drive normally it´s ok in snow but as the Lexus manual say its NOT for Offroading. i think this car does pretty well when driving normal. It handles 100% safe....that´s what counts most !! ruclips.net/video/XWBieUJJb5w/видео.html
are the older RX 350's this bad?? jeez...
probably worse considering they havent changed much and this one probably has a bit more weight on the older ones
No point getting this car new unless buying a used one. It achieves the so-called reliability by sacrificing features and technologies. Of course, nothing breaks down when there is literally nothing in the car and Lexus wants some big money from it. It is all marketing strategies and it is funny that they also create shortages on some models to increase sales.
AWD Lock is not basically for snow condition for all !!!!
Nothing beats quattro in this kinda snow lol
Id say acuras SHAWD is superior. Go check out the vid comparing the acura audi and one other car.
Test GX460 Pplz
will ask lexus
Does 2020 RX450h and 2020 RX350 share the same AWD drive system or the 2020 RX450h shares the same AWD-e system in Prius (front wheel drive + an independent 7HP electric motor driving the rear wheels)?
awd-e. not sure the power of the rear motor though. 3 motors in all for the front, rear and charging. so to clarify; front wheel drive with motor and an electric motor and the other electric motor powers the rear without any mechanical help
Car companies make these vehicles with a slip traction control. Why don't they just give you a choice of 4x4/RD or FWD. Instead of this AWD crap. It's a cheaper way for the manufacturers. They hip up the technology terms, so it sounds good to the buyers.
Apart from the fact it’s embarrassing to even call it a AWD looks fun to drive!
MDX or Q7 way superior AWD compared to Lexus.
The most important factor of snow driving is tire. A set of good snow tires will beat any and system