The first of the “spaceship designed SUVs,” the Lexus RX was one of the most radical designs down the pike when introduced in 1998. Continuous refinement since that time, including one full redesign, has resulted in a vehicle that has remained relevant in the Lexus product line, in particular, and the SUV segment, in general, since its soft curves were introduced as the “anti-Cherokee” nearly eleven years ago.
Lexus offered Leftlane the opportunity to sample the all-new 2010 RX 350 ahead of its launch.
What is it?
The RX 350 is the gas-powered version of the Lexus SUV that is also available as the hybrid-powered RX 450h. It is a five-passenger vehicle offering the convenience of a station wagon with the utility of a semi-off-road capable SUV. Not suitable for the Paris to Dakar Rally, it will still do just fine in the Soccer-Mom-ish suburban jungle of places like Naperville, Illinois, Kissimmee, Florida, and Plano, Texas.
What’s it up against?
The segment that the RX fits most appropriately into includes such competitors as the Acura MDX, Mercedes-Benz ML350, BMW X5 3.0, and Lincoln MKX. All are equipped with either 3-or 3.5-liter V6 engines. Lexus is claiming class-leading mileage for this niche, with a combined average of 20 mpg, versus the 17 and 18 mpg of the other contenders.
Any breakthroughs?
Traditionally, Lexus loads the latest technology onto their products and the RX is no exception to that rule. Some highlights include a new compact double wishbone independent rear suspension, a six-speed sequential automatic transmission, active torque control all-wheel-drive, blind spot side view cameras, heads up display, a joystick-style Remote Touch controller to operate most of the controls on the center stack, an acoustic front windshield to reduce interior road noise, and new non-woven fender liners coated with a polyester felt to cut back on grit, water and road noise.
How does it look?
Like an evolutionary redesign of the original. Without the older version next to it, you’d find yourself saying it’s just an RX. Put the 2010 next to the original, and you’ll get a sense of “How far we’ve come.” (Apologies to Matchbox Twenty) Using what Lexus calls the L-Finesse formula that has permeated the membrane of all things Lexus, the styling has become more angular, and has added a few more character lines throughout. An arrowhead shape from the grille work rearward has helped tie together familiar design cues. The overall arrow-like shape culminates with the rear spoiler, which pulls double duty by lowering the drag coefficient to 0.33, and also hides the rear wiper assembly.
The RX has a new broader stance, which sets the front 2.8-inches wider and the rear an inch wider for an overall increase of 1.6-inches. The overall length has increased by 1.38-inches.
And inside?
The inside of the RX is totally refreshed. Called the “next generation cabin,” it features the Remote Touch controller as the centerpiece of the operation. Replacing the touchscreen aspects of the outgoing model, it takes the hands down to the center console where the driver operates a joystick-like control. It takes a few minutes to remember the “enter” button is on the side where your right thumb would naturally fall, but after a few tries it becomes second nature. Other niceties include a rear-view camera monitor that is available whether the car has navigation or not. In a car equipped with the in-dash monitor, the camera view appears there. In those without, it appears in a small screen within the field of view of the center-mounted rear-view mirror. Tiny triangular side glass inserts increase visibility downward, and to the front of the side view mirrors.
The dashboard area is nicely laid out with everything falling where it’s supposed to. In a move toward simplicity equaling elegance, Lexus has seen to it that the interior and all its associated controls are conveyed in a less is more layout, which, while giving you everything you need, doesn’t allow it to get in the way of the job at hand which is to keep the car on the road. More towards that end is the multi-information switch located in the right spoke of the steering wheel. Offering several layers of info, it shows cruise information (fuel economy, average speed, distance to empty), Switch mode (adaptive front lighting, Intuitive Parking assist, Snow Mode, and an eco-indicator), and a customization mode that can hold up to 25 personalized functions including door locking, interior lighting, driver seat entry and the like. These are all user serviceable, while in past versions they required visits to the dealership.
A newly designed Heads Up Display is available, which in addition to the vehicle speed and audio status, also reflects turn-by-turn directions. We were concerned, though, with how the images in the windshield glass would disappear when viewed through Polarized sunglasses.
But does it go?
Using a revised version of the now-familiar 3.5-liter V6, Lexus has mated it to an all-new six-speed “Multi-Mode” automatic tranny. The engine has received a kick in the pants up to 275-horsepower from 270, and now has 256 lb-ft of torque available starting at 2,300 rpm. All the better to motivate the 4,510-lb AWD RX through its paces. A pair of new manifolds, for intake and exhaust, has improved the engine breathing and fuel economy, while at the same time providing a nice exhaust note, which is atypical of Lexus, at the same time. By the way, the EPA pegs the RX 350 AWD’s mileage at 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Also new with the RX 350’s six-speed slusher, is kick down, which enables direct-downshift control to shift from sixth to third for example, to skip the intermediate gears to achieve quicker response when coming out of a turn.
The all-wheel-drive system, which was equipped on our test vehicles, is the new Active Torque Control AWD system. This newer version uses electronically controlled coupling instead of the viscous coupling found in the outgoing version, to vary torque balance from 100:0 to 50:50, front to rear. The RX 350 also incorporates Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) as an available option. Taking control of all the alphabets (ABS, BA, VSC, and TRAC), its goal is to allow “higher dynamic capability.” We felt that it made the RX 350 a more capable vehicle, especially on the twisties through Napa Valley in northern California. While not showing the stiffness of, say, a BMW M3 , it did feel more capable than any previous Lexus SUV.
Overall, the RX continues to display the quality and range that Lexus is famous for. The electronic power steering, which replaces the previous hydraulic system, offered good steering feel at low speed and firmed up nicely when at speed. The new double-wishbone rear suspension offers immediate improvement over the previous strut-based version, while at the same time offering improved cargo capacity. Up front, a larger stabilizer bar holds things in place, while inversely wound front coil springs compress in opposing directions for improved handling. We found the results subtle.
The RX 350 arrives in Lexus dealerships in February. The RX 450h arrives a few months later. Pricing for both is still to be determined.
Why you would buy it:
The best-selling vehicle in the Lexus lineup has finally gotten its groove back and you think it’s time for you to do so, too.
Why you wouldn’t:
The family is gone, the dog lives in that great kennel in the sky, and you have your sights on the IS-F instead.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
