The concept of the corporate grille, as far as I can make out, is that it should allow passersby to immediately know what brand you're driving, no matter whether sedan or SUV.
Thus, we have BMW's ever-broadening twinkidney grilles, propellersized Mercedes-Benz three-pointed stars, and now this.
This is what Lexus refers to as their spindle grille, a wasp-waisted design that adorns everything from the IS sedan up to the popular RX series crossover. It appears that its purpose is to frighten small children.
Yikes! That's quite an angry looking mug for such a formerly laidback cruiser. Clearly, Lexus is anxious to inject some personality into their somewhat vanilla people hauler. It looks like it might actually bite you.
But on the other hand, the RX was always the prescription for pillowy softness - has the addition of the F Sport designation transformed it into a combat cushion? Let's find out.
Design Aside from the Predator/Cylon/Darth Vader front end, the rest of the RX350 remains relatively pleasing in its anonymity. The F Sport designation adds 19-inch gunmetal alloys, LED strip lighting up front, some minor sporty looking trim and, of course, badges.
The RX line is designed to appeal to as broad a range as possible, and clearly succeeds. Fully half of all Lexuses (Lexii?) sold in Canada are RX crossovers, either in hybrid trim as the 450h, or V6 only, as here.
The styling may be conservative, but it works, and the larger wheels pair nicely with the sheet metal. Strong accent lines run along the beltline, and the folded-paper crispness of some of the angles is very Japanese. While it might not look radically different from something like a Venza in profile, it's a pretty good-looking rig.
It should be noted that this shape has been with Lexus for some time - it's a facelifted version of the model that debuted in 2008 - but it has aged nicely. There's a reason Lexuses retain their value, and any subsequent model that will replace this car in the near future is unlikely to get wild and crazy curves.
Environment Regrettably, the inside of the RX350 hasn't aged quite as nicely as the exterior. When compared to brand new offerings like BMW's redesigned X5 or Acura's fresh MDX, the RX can be a little dated.
For instance, there is more hard plastic than you find in competitors, although Lexus does a pretty good job of hiding most of it out of sight. The forward-mounted gated shifter is not a very modern-looking device - it's a bit old school in here.
However, there are a few things the RX350 does very well. First, it's extremely easy to get in and out of, hitting the Goldilocks driving position even for shorter drivers.
Next, the infotainment system may not have the flash of next-gen systems found elsewhere, but it's very simple to use. Lexus's trackball based interface system takes some time to feel natural, but the menu and sub-menu layouts are easy enough to navigate. You might never need to refer to the manual.
It's also, despite the declared sporting intent, a very comfortable vehicle. The seats are great up front, and while the rear seats aren't perfect for passengers with longer legs - legroom is fine, but they're mounted a bit low - there's plenty of space for kids to spread out.
The trunk is plenty big, and points must be awarded for seats that fold properly flat. All-in-all, a usefully sized machine that's good for families - although a minivan would probably be better.
Performance But then, what minivan features sport-tuned suspension and paddle shifters? Along with the lower profile tires and suspension tweaks, the F Sport designation also gives the RX350 a unique eight-speed transmission.
However, somewhat disappointingly, there isn't any more power on tap. The engine, a silky smooth 3.5-litre V-6, still pumps out 270 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque.
With a curb weight of nearly 2,000 kilograms, that qualifies as adequate power, but nothing overwhelming. What's more, the eight-speed transmission shifts in a leisurely fashion if left to its own devices.
The result is a drive that's no less smooth and refined than that of the ordinary RX350, but not one that grabs you by the lapels on a twisting mountain road. It's very competent, handling bad weather with ease, and the steering is actually quite good. Engage the paddle shifters to help spur the eight-speed into a bit more zippy behaviour, and it's the quickest feeling RX350 you can buy.
Up on the Sea-to-Sky, in a driving downpour, the RX350 impressed with composure, shrugging off the sheets of spray, and handling the long highway sweepers with aplomb. It would clearly make for a very comfortable longdistance tourer.
Get on the side roads, and it all comes apart a little. Body roll is controlled but pronounced, and the V-6 works a bit hard with modest torqueto-weight ratio.
Considering this crossover is supposed to share DNA with madcap tarmac-shredders like the LFA and the IS-F, not to mention the delightfully sporty IS350 F Sport, it's not quite the performance advertised. Even the Acura MDX, a larger and heavier three-row car, can be better to drive here.
Essentially, any wildness of character extends only as far as the scary looking grille up front, and the blingy rims. It'll still be very popular, with broad appeal, but the RX350 gets only a very mild dose of that F-Sport hot sauce.
Features On the other hand, this truck is crammed with value. The RX350 F Sport comes loaded with satellite navigation, a 15-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, heated and ventilated front seats, and push-button start.
While it doesn't have multi-camera systems like some competitors, it does have a very clear rearview camera that's well placed and doesn't get fogged out when driving in the rain. Unlike some of the German competition, everything you need is all bundled together here at a single price.
Fuel economy is decent, at 11.2 litres/100 kilometres in the city and 7.7 l/100 km on the highway. This is about 0.5 l/100 km better than the standard car in both cases, and as the RX encourages a relaxed driving style in all its trims, you may well see figures like this in regular use.
Green light Strong value; reliability and resale; smooth, comfortable ride; good steering Stop sign Not very sporty; slow-shifting automatic transmission; onlyadequate acceleration The checkered flag Sporty looking outside, same smooth-cruising personality inside.
Competitors Acura MDX ($49,990) Like the RX, the MDX is responsible for carrying the weight of its parent company in sales volume.
Both are the sales leaders for each respective brand.
It's easy to see why the MDX has such a strong following: it provides most of the utility of something like a Honda Odyssey in a surefooted, luxurious package free from minivan stigma (real or imagined). Now, there's a new one.
Acura's new MDX actually offers less power than the outgoing model, with a smaller engine, but has greatly increased fueleconomy with new lighter underpinnings. The same three-row spaciousness is there as before, and the trick Super Handling All-Wheel Drive is back to give excellent composure on wet or snowy days. It's also pretty sprightly to drive for such a big rig.
The Lexus feels smaller and nimbler - because it is - but the MDX might be the better choice here for families, especially as it has that third row in reserve.
