Anthony Fongaro
Back in the late 90s, Lexus gave us the RX crossover. Back then, it competed with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz ML. It has grown substantially and has turned hybrid and PHEV power along with a turbocharged inline-four engine. Lexus used to give this crossover a V6 but they have changed it due to emissions. There were a few things that I wanted to see while testing. Is this still a comfortable SUV, and has Lexus updated their terribly old infotainment system? Let’s find out.
The first thing you’ll notice is that it is a handsome SUV. I especially like the 21-inch wheels and Grecian Water blue paint. At the front, you’ll see some similar Lexus design elements to other vehicles, such as their NX. This includes the word “LEXUS” being written out in the rear, along with a full-length lightbar. As I said, it has a handsome silhouette. Lexus didn’t give the RX350 a full-size snout. At the front, there is a little bit of trim that covers the top of the grille. I thought it looked out of place, but it’s nice not having a massive grille.
Getting inside, you’ll see that this has a modern interior! This RX350 is the F Sport, so it comes with aluminum interior accents. In front of the driver, you have a steering wheel that’s not well-marked. Since this had the optional head-up display, the buttons displayed when you hovered over them, which seemed odd. What didn’t seem odd was Lexus’ new infotainment system. Goodbye touchpad, hello 14-inch touchscreen! It’s simple to use and has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Climate controls are a mixture of haptic buttons and some nice swivel wheels for the climate itself. While driving, it was simple to turn on the ventilated seats and change the climate.
Part of the F Sport package includes some body-hugging seats, but it felt like they hugged you too much! Along with a panoramic roof was an excellent Mark Levinson sound system and a digital rearview mirror. The cabin has a clean design to it, and I appreciate that Lexus somewhat separated the climate control from the infotainment system. Rear passengers had heated seats, and the trunk is power-operated with a kick sensor. It’s funny how massive the touchscreen is and how big of a difference it is compared to the last generation. Something else that’s changed is the engine.
Gone is the V6, and in comes a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four. This engine produces 275 horsepower/205 kW and 317 lb-ft/430 Nm. When combining this with an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD, the RX350 gets from 0-60 MPH in around seven seconds. That’s not particularly fast, but this engine doesn’t want to drive hard. Although there is a sport mode, it almost felt pointless. Instead, I prodded through the menu to get to the comfort setting. There is an eco mode and avoid it at all costs. It dulls the throttle too much. At 24 MPG, this engine is a little more thirsty than I would have guessed.
Lexus crossovers aren’t known for handling well, and the Lexus is just decent. What the RX350 is good at is being a calm and relaxing cruiser. Utilize Lexus’ safety suite with adaptive cruise control, lane keep monitoring, and blind-spot monitoring to make your drive simple. Although the F Sport seats were a little snug, they were comfortable. The suspension is compliant and you don’t really feel many bumps.
Although the RX350 starts at $48,000, the F Sport adds an additional $10,000. A few standard features include the 21-inch wheels, head-up display, Lexus’ safety features, and both heated and ventilated seats. As for the options, some of these included the panorama moonroof for $500, Mark Levinson sound system with the 14-inch infotainment system for $2,265, and triple-beam LED headlamps for a whopping $1,565. When you add in smaller options and Traffic Jam Assist for $620, this brings the price to $64,000.
Is the RX350 AWD F Sport the RX to get? I don’t think so. The RX comes in gas, hybrid, or PHEV powertrains. I’d go with the regular RX350h, since it gets over 30 MPG and has similar performance. If you want power, there is the RX500h Sport Performance PHEV with 367 horsepower. You can equip an RX500h for around $67,000, but if you can’t plug it in at your house, I’d advise against it. As for the RX350, it’s a great family-friendly crossover. Lexus did an amazing job with the redesign and adding modern technology. If you’re looking for a luxury crossover, check out the RX350.
