My rant on my 2019 Lexus RX 350

Many rentals exhibit the same behavior. I typically wear earbuds or turn up the stereo when the 4 cylinder drone or the constant shifting starts to drive me nuts.

In real world terms, downsized, normally aspirated engines are the worst for overall pleasantness. I have 3 F150's, 2.7t 10sp, 3.5t 6sp and 5.4V8 6sp. The V8 is pleasant beyond words, the 3.5 sounds like a UPS truck, and the 2.7, while smooth, shifts constantly. I constantly pick the V8 for long trips.
 
I wrote a review a couple of years ago about a 2020 Tacoma TRD I rented with the 3.5/6 speed auto. Easily one of the worst driving vehicles I have driven in a couple decades. It was constantly downshifting on grades. Bridge overpass? Downshift. Slightly more throttle increase? Downshift. It was nearly impossible to keep a steady speed in that stupid truck. I ended up just flooring it whenever I encountered any type of incline. Stupid truck saw probably 50 or so foot to the floor encounters just so I didn’t have to deal with losing speed uphills.

Frankly the 3.5 felt like a weak engine. It’s has no power for normal driving. Never been impressed with Toyota anyway.
 
Last edited:
For drive-ability, the best transmission I ever owned was a VW 6 speed DSG. That thing had perfectly selected shift points whether you were in drive cruising around or tearing around in sport. Shifts were lightning fast as well.

You get more than 6 (almost all now) and they shift too much for my liking. The 8 speed in my Jetta is definitely tuned for fuel economy over everything else. I am forced to drive in sport at all times and it still shifts more than I like, with 1-4 sometimes being downright annoying. I've learned how to drive to get around it most of the time but it still can be annoying, but 8 plus is the new normal. (n)
Exactly what I was getting ready to post. There is no substitute for torque. My 2015 Passat TDI with the 6 speed DSG was a highway beast. I traveled up and down WV I 79 often to see daughters college softball games and once it hit the highway with cruise set at 75 it stayed in 6th gear the whole way and I 79 has some pretty good grades on it. That may be the reason for many a 900+ mile tanks from it 😆
 
if you think that's bad wait until you drive something with a 10 speed trashcan like the one in my new truck. **** thing never stops shifting. It's the nature of the EPA compliance beast that needs to squeeze out more mpgs and reduce emissions. I have no faith in this thing lasting beyond 100k. The 4l65e in my Yukon is at 326k and counting since new without being touched beyond fluid changes. Maybe it it were reprogrammed to be more conservative in operation.
 
In the HP race, low end torque is gone. Actually it should still have some with VVti
maybe yours is unhappy for some reason. There is a lot of garbage fuel in our area. Wife may have it carboned up and its pulling timing. My car has been sluggish lately and I have had to manually shift it and keep it in lower gears.

The GM 3800 in the big Olds and Buicks were great in making usable torque and still having "adequate" power.

Now to be a dweebo dink ...

SHUTTERS
View attachment 121290

SHUDDER
View attachment 121291
I doubt it's an issue with carbon - it has DI and PFI and I run fuel system cleaner at regular intervals. The engine also purrs like a kitten and when you put it to the floor it moves.
 
Last edited:
In the HP race, low end torque is gone. Actually it should still have some with VVti
maybe yours is unhappy for some reason. There is a lot of garbage fuel in our area. Wife may have it carboned up and its pulling timing. My car has been sluggish lately and I have had to manually shift it and keep it in lower gears.

The GM 3800 in the big Olds and Buicks were great in making usable torque and still having "adequate" power.

Now to be a dweebo dink ...

SHUTTERS
View attachment 121290

SHUDDER
View attachment 121291
Please pardon the misspelling of shudder - I wrote this post sitting on the can this morning in a rush to get out of the house :p
 
if you think that's bad wait until you drive something with a 10 speed trashcan like the one in my new truck. **** thing never stops shifting. It's the nature of the EPA compliance beast that needs to squeeze out more mpgs and reduce emissions. I have no faith in this thing lasting beyond 100k. The 4l65e in my Yukon is at 326k and counting since new without being touched beyond fluid changes. Maybe it it were reprogrammed to be more conservative in operation.
To be fair, I’ve driven a few Fords with the 10 speed auto and they are constantly shifting up or down. However, the shifts are so butter smooth you don’t even realize it, meaning it’s not a nuisance to drive. The only way I’d know it was shifting was because of the gear indicator in the gauge cluster telling you what gear the tranny is currently in. Toyota has somehow managed to make it annoying to drive their products.
 
To be fair, I’ve driven a few Fords with the 10 speed auto and they are constantly shifting up or down. However, the shifts are so butter smooth you don’t even realize it, meaning it’s not a nuisance to drive. The only way I’d know it was shifting was because of the gear indicator in the gauge cluster telling you what gear the tranny is currently in. Toyota has somehow managed to make it annoying to drive their products.
Mine doesn't always shift smooth. It sometimes has a stiff but not really hard downshift but it barely does it now. Took it to the dealer twice and they said they couldn't find the issue and that it was normal operation and that it will smooth itself out but i don't buy it. The 10spd in a family members f150 would hang a bit while upshifting. These transmissions aren't good. Some are fine but i still don't really trust them. That's why i kept my 05. D-mn thing's bulletproof at this point and i use it way more than my new truck. It helps to extend the new truck's lifespan dramatically. After 2 years with the new truck it's done just 9.1k. At this wear rate I think it'll last a decent amount of time.
 
All 8-speeds do it. My ZF8 does the same, but it is a bit more torquey so it is less frequent than the Toyota 8AT’s I’ve driven.
 
Sounds like my Grand Cherokee 3.6L/ZF8. No torque at all, downshifts on the highway if the wind even looks at it. Towing a good sized trailer means its downshifting all over the place, it can't make up it's mind. I have to keep it in eco mode, even while towing, so it settles down.
 
I use 91 no ethanol in the Highlander. I find it runs like crap with 87, hunting gears and constantly down shifting at the slightest incline.

Does the RX350 have Sport/Normal/Eco mode? Eco mode is a complete dog. Normal isn't terrible around town. Sport holds gears longer and the gear hunting is pretty much non issue. Also, the steering tightens up and just in general drives like a vehicle should. Toyota's obsession to eek out every last efficiency out of the engine is a little over the top.

Coming from a 2019 5.7L HEMI Ram 8 speed ZF, I don't find the driving characteristics of the drivetrain in the Highlander to be obnoxious. This is my first Toyota ever and first Asian vehicle in many many years. Toyota does some quirky things but overall a fairly well put together and performing vehicle for every day use.
 
We have same transmission in wife’s 2018 VW Tiguan and it was a mess at first. However VW did a free reprogram in TSB in 2020 and absolutely love the transmission now. It exhibits none of behavior you mention and never.

Maybe Toyota does not take ownership and fix their programming/tuning mistakes?
 
Sounds like my Grand Cherokee 3.6L/ZF8. No torque at all, downshifts on the highway if the wind even looks at it. Towing a good sized trailer means its downshifting all over the place, it can't make up it's mind. I have to keep it in eco mode, even while towing, so it settles down.
It doesn't do that with the 6.4L, lol. It'll pull Everest in overdrive, hahhaha.
 
I have the 8 speed in my Camry. If you drive it like you stole it it will behave better for a while while it relearns the shift points. It does love to upshift.
I didnt think of that, but it is a learning transmission. If his wife's been driving it then you jump in, it might be totally different feeling based on your different driving patterns. Our new Toyota took about 300 miles before it calmed down a lot.

Also, if it has a sport mode try that. It will hold gears far longer. Some like it better.
 
Toyota is way too conceited to admit there is even a mistake to be corrected😂.
They have a ton of TSB's but your right - you need to ask for them. The Toyota Dealers seem like they won't automatically ask if you want them. They wait until you complain then say "oh, there is a tsb about that".
 
Too conceited!!!!!!

They did software patch the earlier 8-speeds and it from pathetic to barely tolerable. Should visit the Lexus dealer and make sure the software is the lastest and greatest. https://www.motorbiscuit.com/class-action-lawsuit-over-1-million-toyota-8-speed-transmissions/

I like the 2gr with 5/6/8 speeds(fwd/awd/rwd)... I do find that I will run premium fuel prior to hooking up any trailer. And, for all cross country or vacation trips, it will also get premium fuel. I can tolerate regular the rest of the time. Toptier used always.
 
I didnt think of that, but it is a learning transmission. If his wife's been driving it then you jump in, it might be totally different feeling based on your different driving patterns. Our new Toyota took about 300 miles before it calmed down a lot.

Also, if it has a sport mode try that. It will hold gears far longer. Some like it better.
I drove my dad’s RX to get something at a home center and the next day he said I broke something. It probably was about 10 miles round trip. It must be really sensitive to other people driving it.
 
Back
Top