Automotive brands more often than not include one vehicle of distinction, a product serving as a bell weather of the family. For Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota, that honor's bestowed upon the RX crossover.
While seemingly ubiquitous today, a luxury-minded mid-size crossover containing more car-like nuances in place of heavy-duty truck underpinnings (found in conventional Sport Utility Vehicles) was rare at the tail end of the 1990s.
The five-passenger Lexus RX redirected storage capabilities and driver-friendly elevated seating positions found in truck-based sport utility vehicles of the day into a car-based unibody underbelly for a smoother ride and increased fuel economy. All this cocooned inside luxury-appointed materials and Lexus' well documented whisper-quiet interior. Lexus self describes this category of upper crust comfort as 'luxury utility vehicle.'
The Patriarchal mid-size RX has spawned several offshoots since its birth twenty years ago. In addition to front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive, a gas-electric hybrid joined the family in 2005. The 2018 model year brings a couple new additions into the fold in the form of extended length versions with third-row seating.
Powering the extended-length RX is the same engine motivating the five-passenger version: a 3.5-liter V6- delivering 290 horsepower and connected to a standard smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. The 2018 five-passenger RX350 owes its numeric suffix designate in part to the 3.5-liter engine (but foregoing the decimal point). Our extended-length three row version gets coined as the RX350L with 'L' signifying 'long.'
The sizable 19.2-gallon fuel tank accepts regular, 87-octane fuel. Expect 18 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway with all-wheel drive, add one mile in each category if selecting front-drive, average for the segment.
The ride experience prioritizes a luxury experience over a gritty sport type thanks to electric power steering providing a light steering feel and a rear double-wishbone suspension system.
Lexus smartly markets returning and newer RX offerings into the "RX family of Vehicles," in the same vain parent company Toyota distinguishes its "Prius Family of Vehicles" containing a buffet of alternative power offerings.
Since the first generation launch in 1998, more than 2.3 million units have been sold, marking RX as the best-selling Lexus vehicle in the division's 28-year history. In calendar year 2017, 108,307 RX units sold besting the next closest runner up, the compact NX crossover by some 50,000 units.
The 2016 model year welcomed a fourth-generation LX variant. Our 2018 tester returns with many of these noted upgrades.
Extended-length RX 350Ls include the choice of six or seven-passenger seating thanks in part to an extended body length of 4.3 inches. This is on top of 4.7 inches Lexus added to the five-passenger RX during the 2016 redesign.
As with all 2018 Lexus models the front gets centered by a can't-miss, vertically-inspired 'Spindle Grille,' resembling a truncated hourglass. It's a polarizing design that set off plenty of on-line and off-line chatter when introduced in the GS sedan some five years ago, but has become an accepted look of dignity for the upmarket brand.
Our tester included available premium LED headlights with three unique and diminutive LED elements per side housed in very narrow housing. The 'L's' extended upper rear sides get blacked out via a glass composite material that narrows in a wave fashion approaching the rear region accented atop with chrome stripping.
The bi-level hood includes an upper region slightly elevated from the base of front 'A pillars' and traveling down towards the upper corners of the spindle top edges. Three distinct non-intersecting side character lines contrast for an artistic like swath.
The 2018 RX350L includes two trims, Base and Luxury each available with front-wheel or Midwest-friendly all-wheel drive. Our all-wheel drive Luxury tester started at $54,085 and added extras including a $1,065 blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic braking ($1,065), triple-beam headlights with front LED turn lamps ($1,515), headlamp cleaner ($200), heads-up front windshield display ($600) and premium audio package with huge 12.3-inch multi-function screen ($3,200). The bottom line reached $61,560 with $895 destination charge. The lowest-priced 'L,' a two-wheel drive base checks in at $47,670.
During the 2018 Chicago Auto Show this past February, Lexus broke news concerning pricing of the new-for-2018 gas-electric hybrid extended-length version dubbed the RX 450hL. Pricing begins at $50,620 with standard all-wheel drive and standard six-row seating (two middle-row captain's chairs).
How will families utilize row three? As with most mid-size crossovers, the way-back row (with seating for two) is best left for pre-teens and tweens. I maneuvered my tired, 50-something bones through the rather snug entry way into the back cavern. While dedicated ventilation controls and two beverage holders await, leg room must be negotiated with row-two folks and their manually sliding seats. Those whose vertical measurements stretch past six feet will hit the roof literally, not figuratively.
Lexus does position the second row slightly higher than the third, allowing extra foot room for third-row passengers.
Fifty-fifty-split third-row backrests power fold flat via buttons found inside the power hatch's left-side area (a hands-free operated tailgate is optional). Seven-seat configurations (standard in the gas-powered RX350L) include a second row with 40-20-40 split backrests. Available six-row seating swaps in
second-row Captain's chairs. With backrests folded flat in both back rows, 58.9 cubic feet of room is available for storage.
Drivers encounter a rather busy-looking dashboard/instrument panel chuck full of information, a near duplicate of a standard-sized RX. The center high-definition flat screen monitor rests distinctly within the center dash. Our tester added the optional 12.3-inch rectangular split-screen. A smaller eight-inch size comes standard. Both are of non-touch variety, utilizing 'remote touch interface,' located between front buckets to interact with the screen and requiring some playtime to master.
A wrist rest helps minimize finger fatigue as digits navigate screen selections via a square, slightly elevated wiggle-pad. Three quick keys near the pad (map, home, return) help speed the process. Narrow, long push bars aside the wrist rest also act as selection buttons. Available nearby directly aft of inline dual beverage holders, a circular chrome twist knob, commanding three drive modes: normal, sport and eco.
Below the screen resides a distinguished circular, analog clock, that this scribe foresees never going out of fashion.
The extended RX, as with most Lexus offerings, includes a comprehensive array of standard safety equipment including radar-enhanced cruise control (automatically accelerating and slowing highway speeds based on the distance of the vehicle ahead), lane keep assist and a pre-collision system with pedestrian protection.
2018 Lexus RX 350L
Price as tested: $61560
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6
Horsepower: 290
Fuel estimates: 18 mpg city/ 25 mpg highway
Length: 196.9 inches
Wheelbase: 109.8 inches
Height: 67.3 inches
Width: 74.6 inches
Curb weight: 4,619 pounds
Assembly: Japan
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