Lexus has produced a great deal of genuinely sporty autos by means of the years, from the LFA to the GS F, nevertheless the RX has not at all been actually considered one of them.
With the model new fifth-generation model that arrived proper right here earlier this yr, however, Lexus seems further extreme than ever about positioning it – or on the very least just a few of its variants – as a sporty SUV.
There’s a model new hero model, the RX 500h F Sport Effectivity, that sits on the head of the fluctuate and offers every turbocharging and a hybrid system. Beneath that sits the hybrid RX 350h and the turbocharged RX 350.
Not like the ultimate RX, the F Sport isn’t on the market with an on a regular basis hybrid powertrain or with front-wheel drive. In its place, it comes solely inside the all-wheel drive RX 350, which swaps the outdated petrol V6 for a turbocharged 4.
There are the usual F Sport accoutrements like sports activities actions seats and distinctive trim; think about F Sport as Lexus’ equal to BMW’s M Sport, offering a sportier look and feel with out going to the acute of being a full-fat M (or on this case, F) model. It moreover continues to inform aside itself with commonplace adaptive suspension, along with aluminium monobloc six-piston brake calipers.
On the ground it seems to be a further extreme stab at a sporty SUV and by no means merely a trim package deal deal.
It helps with appearances, too, that the model new RX is a lots sleeker wanting car than sooner than. It appears lower and further hunkered-down, even when it’s an practically comparable high to the outdated automotive. There’s nonetheless the fussy detailing we’ve come to anticipate from Lexus fashions from the earlier decade or so, however it nevertheless appears sportier.
The question is: is that this really a sporty SUV?
How lots does the Lexus RX 350 F Sport worth?
The Lexus RX has always occupied a significantly completely totally different home than its rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, using a entrance/all-wheel drive Toyota platform and offering dimensions nearer to the X5 and GLE nevertheless with pricing further according to the X3 and GLC.
The fluctuate opens at $86,904 sooner than on-road costs for the RX 350h Luxurious FWD, and tops out at $124,675 sooner than on-roads for the RX 500h F Sport Effectivity AWD.
Our featured car is someplace near the middle: an RX 350 F Sport AWD, which is priced from $98,370 sooner than on-roads, outfitted with the $4100 Enhancement Pack 2.
It’s moreover accomplished in White Nova paint. All exterior finishes bar Graphite Black worth an additional $1840. Primarily based totally on a Sydney postcode, you’re a drive-away worth of $113,275.
The RX’s pricing locations it up in the direction of the externally smaller BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport ($96,500) and Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 ($104,900), and it significantly undercuts petrol-powered X5 and GLE fashions.
This pricing moreover wedges it between mid-sized and large SUVs from totally different luxurious producers. As an example, the priciest petrol-powered Audi Q5 wagon – the 45 TFSI quattro Sport – is $82,800, whereas essentially the most reasonably priced Q7 is $108,469.
It’s moreover pricier than a range-topping Genesis GV70 3.5T AWD Sport ($85,100) nevertheless cheaper than basically essentially the most moderately priced GV80 ($105,700).
The RX 350 F Sport undercuts the Vary Rover Velar, which opens at $106,250 sooner than on-roads, nevertheless its worth locations it above the Volvo XC60 Final B6 Darkish ($86,990).
Then there are the automobiles from producers with no premium badge. Volkswagen’s diesel-only Touareg fluctuate is priced from $89,240. Mazda’s CX-60 shall be had with a petroleum engine in excessive Azami spec for $74,154, and likewise its larger three-row CX-90 within the equivalent spec costs $95,185 – all prices above exclude on-road costs.
What’s the Lexus RX 350 F Sport like on the inside?
The Lexus RX’s inside is a class act, and eventually the mannequin is offering in-car know-how that passes muster inside the luxurious automotive market.
Ideas you, Lexus’ new infotainment system is shared with lesser Toyotas, and there’s no distinctive pores and pores and skin for it akin to you’ll uncover in say, a Genesis versus a Hyundai.
Nonetheless, we’re joyful to see crisp, clear graphics; an exact touchscreen in its place of a trackpad-based interface; wi-fi Apple CarPlay (nevertheless wired Android Auto); and an merely accessible shortcut bar. The latter is always present on the show, and allows you to bounce to options like smartphone mirroring and satellite tv for pc television for laptop navigation.
An icon resembling six squares moreover takes you to usually used choices equal to drive mode selection. And likewise you don’t should dive into menus for points like native climate administration and the heated/ventilated seat controls as these may even always appear on the show.
The digital digital camera prime quality may also be lots improved over earlier Lexus fashions, if not pretty reaching segment-best standing. The surround-view digital digital camera incorporates a see-through mode, which is helpful.
One issue we do miss from Lexuses of outdated is the twist-knob drive mode selector. It may not have been broadly preferred, however it was less complicated to utilize than the model new touchscreen-based drive mode selection.
On the very least Lexus stays to be pro-knob (and pro-button) regarding native climate administration, and there’s a great deal of bodily switchgear for various key options.
Supplies prime quality is superb, as you’d anticipate from a Lexus. Positive, the underside reaches of the doorways are onerous plastic, nevertheless in another case there are swathes of plush provides along with suede inserts for the doorways and a splash excessive and centre console that use plenty of the softest ground provides I’ve expert in a model new automotive.
The paddle shifters moreover actually really feel like precise metallic, and by no means chintzy plastic gadgets.
There’s an elegant look to the cabin. The massive touchscreen doesn’t look absolutely like a tablet jutting out of the dash, there’s partaking distinction trim and stitching parts to interrupt up the entire black, and gloss black trim is saved to a relative minimal.
There’s colour-adjustable ambient lighting, however it’s muted; whereas I pretty identical to the piece of stitched, suede trim that wraps spherical one half of the dash, giving it a two-tier look.
All of the issues is screwed together with the extent of care you’d anticipate from a Lexus, and we observed no assemble prime quality factors like rattles and creaks. The doorways have a steady actually really feel, and in addition you quickly get used to Lexus’ new-style handles. The handles are moreover helpfully illuminated.
There are totally different thoughtful touches, too, like lock settings that imply you’ll be able to open any door to unlock the automotive, and seats that take into accout the extent of heating and air movement you had chosen sooner than restarting the car.
These ventilated seats moreover work fantastically, and definitely the seats are notably cosy and supportive with an trustworthy amount of bolstering. It’s a cosy automotive to spend a scorching day in, too, with fantastic air-conditioning and a well-calibrated Lexus Native climate Concierge function – a elaborate time interval for ‘auto’ mode, truly.
The steering wheel is gorgeous to grip with its perforated leather-based, though the touch-capacitive controls take some getting used to. The 4 buttons on all sides correspond with a menu that appears inside the head-up present, nevertheless this system means some options require an extra press or two.
The digital instrument cluster follows the equivalent central circle theme as earlier Lexus fashions identical to the LFA, and resulting from this reality has a sporty however legible look. Pop the RX in Sport mode and in addition you moreover get a slick, Mustang-like bar tachometer on the excessive.
Storage up entrance is respectable, with a spacious centre console bin that could be opened from each side and incorporates a delectably {smooth} lid.
There are USB-C retailers inside the cabin, though Lexus nonetheless makes use of a USB-A outlet for smartphone mirroring.
Step into the once more and in addition you’ll uncover two further USB-C retailers, plus temperature controls, a fold-down centre armrest, and bottle holders that match 1L bottles like these up entrance.
The fragile ambient lighting moreover carries via, whereas the rear bench could also be very cosy.
The bottom is mostly flat, aiding legroom for the centre-seat occupant. These measuring 180cm or taller will uncover their heads touching the roof, whereas the roof moreover fares in precisely on the perimeters and impacts headroom for the outboard occupants.
There are three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor components for teenager seats.
Open the tailgate and in addition you’ll uncover 612L of home, along with a 120V outlet. There are moreover buttons to drop the second row, which expands entire storage functionality to 1678L. Under the boot flooring sits a space-saver spare.
What’s under the bonnet?
The RX 350 is powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 205kW of power and 430Nm of torque.
It’s all-wheel drive solely and makes use of an eight-speed automated transmission.
The model new, smaller engine sees power down by 16kW on the outdated 3.5-litre V6, though torque is up by 60Nm. Fuel financial system has moreover improved from 9.6L/100km on the blended cycle to 8.7L/100km.
Over a loop comprising inner-city, suburban and freeway driving, however, we nonetheless recorded a declare of 9.6L/100km. On a freeway run we observed 7.6L/100km, whereas basic after per week of driving the RX 350 was sitting at 10L/100km.
If most gasoline effectivity is your need, then, most interesting to check out the RX 350h. In all-wheel drive guise, the hybrid powertrain boasts claimed gasoline financial system of 5.4L/100km, whereas its 0-100km/h time is just 0.3 seconds slower.
All RX fashions require 95 RON premium unleaded gasoline. The RX 350 has a 67.5L gasoline tank.
How does the Lexus RX 350 F Sport drive?
We don’t assume anybody truly expects a Lexus RX to be the athlete of the class, nevertheless this isn’t merely a {smooth}, floaty cruiser each.
There’s a little bit little bit of up and down movement inside the expertise for what’s ostensibly a sporty crossover, so it doesn’t actually really feel pretty as tied down as some further athletic rivals.
The trade-off is expertise prime quality that’s fantastic. The adaptive dampers company up a bit in Sport mode, moreover configured and pushed all through unsealed roads, the RX stays terribly cosy and simply lopes alongside.
I found myself leaving the RX in Custom-made mode, allowing me to have firmer suspension with out altering the shift mapping. If solely it should default to this mode.
I didn’t see the aim in setting the transmission to its sportiest setting or using the beautiful paddle shifters as a result of the eight-speed is a smooth-shifting unit.
Steering weight and actually really feel doesn’t change noticeably between drive modes, nevertheless the tiller is persistently well-weighted if not basically essentially the most communicative. The scarcity of actually really feel makes the RX somewhat much less confidence-inspiring in extra spirited driving than some rivals, nevertheless the well-judged weighting means the RX is easy to pilot all through low-speed manoeuvres.
The RX may also be succesful on a winding freeway, with well-controlled physique roll and a composed actually really feel. It holds on correctly inside the corners, staying good and flat – notably in Sport mode.
There’s a little bit little bit of understeer on the prohibit, and this isn’t pretty as tossable or pleasing as one factor like an X3, however it comports itself successfully.
The GA-Okay platform underpinning that’s moreover utilized by totally different fashions identical to the Lexus ES, NX along with the Toyota Camry, Kluger and RAV4, and as with these fashions there’s been a tangible enchancment in dynamics compared with their outdated underpinnings.
With a 0-100km/h time of merely 7.6 seconds, the RX 350 isn’t any rocketship however it’s quick adequate. It’s moreover 0.4 seconds sooner to 100km/h than the outdated V6-powered RX 350.
It doesn’t pin you once more in your seat off the highway, nevertheless with peak torque on the market lower inside the rev fluctuate it feels further versatile than the outdated V6.
The place the model new turbocharged 4 jars is in its engine observe. It has this oddly gravelly sound whilst you’re heavier with the throttle, and this seems incongruous for an expensive SUV – notably one with a Lexus badge.
It moreover stands out on account of the automotive is in another case exceptionally quiet. You waft alongside in tomb-like silence at freeway speeds, with just a few faint tyre roar on coarse-chip roads.
Freeway driving is very good inside the RX not merely because of the dearth of noise, nevertheless on account of the Lane Tracing Assist retains you centred in your lane with out at all times feeling desire it’s awkwardly jerking the wheel. Likewise, the lane-keep assist attribute is well-calibrated.
The driving force consideration monitoring can exactly detect within the occasion you look away from the freeway – I had only one false optimistic, nevertheless I was carrying sunglasses on the time. Lastly, the adaptive LED headlights are excellent.
What do you get?
RX 350 F Sport highlights:
- 21-inch gloss black alloy wheels
- Bi-LED headlights
- BladeScan know-how
- Adaptive high-beam
- Dynamic auto-levelling
- Cornering lights
- Headlight cleaners
- F Sport exterior look package deal take care of distinctive bumpers, grille
- Adaptive suspension
- Aluminium monobloc 6-piston calipers
- Arms-free power tailgate
- Heated exterior mirrors with driver’s side auto-dimming
- Rear privateness glass
- Embody-view digital digital camera
- Dimpled leather-wrapped steering wheel
- F Sport scuff plates
- F Sport shifter
- F Sport instrument cluster
- Heated and ventilated entrance sport seats
- Aluminium pedals
- Fast entry driver’s seat
- Vitality-adjustable steering column
- Contact-sensitive steering wheel controls
- Multi-colour ambient lighting
- 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
- Wired Android Auto
- Satellite tv for pc television for laptop navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Lexus Linked Corporations
- 5 x USB-C retailers, 2 x 12V, 1 x USB-A
- 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
- Energetic Noise Administration
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Rear door sunshades
- Wise key card
- Tri-zone native climate administration
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Paddle shifters
The $3000 Enhancement Pack 1 gives a panoramic sunroof, whereas the $4100 Enhancement Pack 2 consists of this plus a digital rear-view mirror, semi-automatic parking assist, and a heated steering wheel.
Is the Lexus RX 350 F Sport safe?
The Lexus RX has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based totally on 2022 Euro NCAP checks.
It acquired an grownup occupant security rating of 90 per cent, a toddler occupant security rating of 89 per cent, a prone freeway shopper security rating of 89 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 93 per cent.
Customary safety gear consists of:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise administration
- Intersection collision avoidance assist
- Emergency steering assist
- Lane departure warning
- Lane Tracing Assist (lane centring)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Driver fatigue monitoring
- Embody-view digital digital camera
- Entrance, rear parking sensors
- Safe exit assist
How lots does the Lexus RX 350 F Sport worth to run?
Lexus backs its autos with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre assure.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
The first 5 firms are capped at $695, for a whole of $3475 over 5 years. That’s on the extreme side, notably considering Genesis will give you your first 5 firms with out spending a dime.
Roadside assistance is included as part of the Lexus Encore program, which spans three years. That moreover permits householders to have their automotive collected and returned for servicing, along with offering householders entry to a mortgage automotive if their car is out of movement.
CarExpert’s Deal with the Lexus RX 350 F Sport
The RX 350 F Sport was not at all meant to be a cut-price Urus – that’s why it’s an F Sport, and by no means an F.
Whatever the pseudo-sporty engine observe, its effectivity figures are ho-hum. Its coping with is competent, nevertheless not athletic adequate to win the SUV Olympics.
As with the rest of the RX fluctuate, the RX 350 F Sport provides a cosy expertise and an opulent, spacious and well-appointed inside, though the panoramic sunroof does eat into headroom a bit.
The Lexus RX has always excelled as a wise selection on this part of the market. It’s not at all the sportiest selection (actually, it’s sometimes faraway from it), however it has always offered the extent of reliability and prime quality anticipated of a Lexus in a cosy, sometimes well-packaged crossover.
That’s why the model new period makes further sense as an RX 350h hybrid, the place it moreover boasts larger gasoline financial system and a decrease value. One of many essential sensible huge crossovers on the markets is most interesting bought in its high guise – who’d have thought?
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BUY: Lexus RX
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