- Lap of luxury.
- Decent handling.
- Lexus levels of quiet.
- Pricey.
- New 2010 RX is right around the corner.
- Staid styling.
- Base price $37,700 (FWD)/$39,100 (AWD)
- Engine: 3.5 liter V6 4-Cam 24-Valve VVT
- Horsepower: 270 @ 6200 rpm
- Torque: 251 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm
- Curb Weight: 3,870 lbs (FWD) – 4,090 (AWD)
- Fuel Economy: 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway/20 mpg combined (FWD); 17/22/19 (AWD)
- Wheelbase: 106.9” Vehicle Length: 186.2” Width: 72.6” Height: 66.1” Ground Clearance: 7” (FWD)/7.5” (AWD)
- Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles basic; 6 years/70,000 miles powertrain
- Cargo: 85 cubic feet Luggage: 38.3 cubic feet
- Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Originally introduced as a 1998 model (RX 300) the Lexus RX 350 is currently in its second generation, with a third generation on the way for 2010. Available with front-wheel drive (base price $37,700) or all-wheel drive (base price $39,100) and a five-speed automatic transmission. I drove a nicely-equipped FWD model that priced out at $43,075, including 18” alloy wheels ($495), GPS navigation/Bluetooth/Voice Activation/Compass/Rear Back-Up Camera ($2,650), the Luxury Value Edition package ($1,245) and the Towing Prep package ($160).
There’s a good reason why RX has been Lexus’s best-selling model for most of its product cycle, and the best-selling luxury vehicle in the United States for a few of those years – it just plain works. It may seem counter-intuitive to call a luxury crossover vehicle “no frills,” but that’s just what RX is. It’s not the fastest, most nimble, prettiest, most efficient or best luxury crossover on the road – those distinctions go to other vehicles. RX is a standard by which other crossovers are judged. Look at the ads and reviews – “As quiet as the Lexus RX.” “More cargo capacity than a Lexus RX.” “Hundreds of dollars less than a Lexus RX.” When everyone else is measuring themselves by your yardstick, you’re doing something right.
RX is remarkably quiet in operation, with its smooth 3.5 liter V6 engine operating with sewing machine efficiency, pumping out 270 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. Performance and handling are adequate, but not exciting. If you want excitement, get an Infiniti FX. If you want the experience of being transported from location to location in an efficient cloud, get an RX.
