On the market since 1999, the RX luxury sport-utility was among the first of its kind to come from Japan. We doubted the Lexus would be a victim of its own success, as every other premium brand followed suit a year or two later.
But the RX is still a strong seller in Canada, beating out every other luxury SUV in its market segment this year; only the Mercedes-Benz GLK comes remotely close.
Recognizable style
The 3rd-generation RX looks pretty much like the previous one . At a quick glance, you’d think the SUV only received a facelift, but in fact, a complete makeover was performed. The 2010 version gets a lower grille, sloping headlights and broader shoulders, while in back, the sloped rear window and spoiler remain.
Due to its high bumper and the absence of a prominent chin spoiler, the Lexus benefits from a good approach angle, although its departure angle is average at best. That’s not a major issue since we don’t expect many RX customers to go rock hopping.
Overall, the Lexus looks good, but its styling is a little too generic for our tastes.
Straight-line speed
The RX 350 boasts a 3.5-litre V6 that develops 275 horses and 257 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough gusto for this SUV, as it hits 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 142 km/h.
As for fuel economy, our average is 11.8 L/100 km with a mix of city and highway driving, which is quite good. We actually dipped below 10 L/100 km in the midst of a recent comparison test.
Unsurprisingly, the Lexus doesn’t exploit a sporty driving character as a few of its competitors, namely the Acura RDX , Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but can handle itself pretty nonetheless. The RX does excel in ride quality and cabin quietness, though.
Under normal driving conditions, the RX’s all-wheel drive system sends 100% of the power to the front wheels. When wheel slippage is detected, up to 50% of available power can be dialed back to the rear wheels. At low speeds, however, the driver can manually lock the system in a 50/50 split as needed.
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| The 2010 version gets a lower grille, sloping headlights and broader shoulders. |
But the RX is still a strong seller in Canada, beating out every other luxury SUV in its market segment this year; only the Mercedes-Benz GLK comes remotely close.
Recognizable style
The 3rd-generation RX looks pretty much like the previous one . At a quick glance, you’d think the SUV only received a facelift, but in fact, a complete makeover was performed. The 2010 version gets a lower grille, sloping headlights and broader shoulders, while in back, the sloped rear window and spoiler remain.
Due to its high bumper and the absence of a prominent chin spoiler, the Lexus benefits from a good approach angle, although its departure angle is average at best. That’s not a major issue since we don’t expect many RX customers to go rock hopping.
Overall, the Lexus looks good, but its styling is a little too generic for our tastes.
Straight-line speed
The RX 350 boasts a 3.5-litre V6 that develops 275 horses and 257 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough gusto for this SUV, as it hits 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at 142 km/h.
As for fuel economy, our average is 11.8 L/100 km with a mix of city and highway driving, which is quite good. We actually dipped below 10 L/100 km in the midst of a recent comparison test.
Unsurprisingly, the Lexus doesn’t exploit a sporty driving character as a few of its competitors, namely the Acura RDX , Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but can handle itself pretty nonetheless. The RX does excel in ride quality and cabin quietness, though.
Under normal driving conditions, the RX’s all-wheel drive system sends 100% of the power to the front wheels. When wheel slippage is detected, up to 50% of available power can be dialed back to the rear wheels. At low speeds, however, the driver can manually lock the system in a 50/50 split as needed.
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| The RX 350 boasts a 3.5-litre V6 that develops 275 horses and 257 lb-ft of torque. |