There are still many people out there who don't understand the popularity of crossovers. They will argue that they're not fun to drive or that wagons are just as practical. However, this odd comparison review between the Lexus RX 350 and the BMW M3 M40i will show the variety of SUV styles that are available.
Far from just being status symbols, these big vehicles have become a mainstream transportation solution and the Lexus RX is big, very big. As the guys at TFL explain at the beginning of the video, it sold over 100,000 units in America last year, making it the most popular in its class.
The BMW M40i is way cooler, though. It's got a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine that makes lots of power and sound, but it's nowhere near as popular. You can argue that the two aren't direct rivals, but the point of the video is to show the benefits of either car.
It's believed that the RX's popularity is due to two main things. First, there's legroom of which there's a lot inside the high-quality leather interior. But there's also comfort quietness. Like most Lexus models, it isolates you from the road, just what you need after a stressful day at the office.
That 6-decibel difference might seem small. But every increase of 10dB on the scale is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in sound intensity, so the RX is at least twice as quiet if not more.
The strangest thing we discovered in this whole review is that the BMW X3 M40i is a little bit more frugal in the real world - 27.1 vs. 27 in the Lexus. But still, it's not the way things should be. The hybrid version of the RX is better, but these two are similarly priced at about $60,000.
What we did expect is for the X3 to be much faster in a drag race, and it was.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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