Roughing it in true style...

THE RX 350L: ULTRA-MODERN LUXURY SUV WAS BUILT WITH THE PASSENGER IN MIND

A Lexus in the KZN midlands – who would have thought? But, hey, it works ...

One of the trending crazes going around at the moment is pairing craft beer with great food. I had the privilege of doing such a pairing at a restaurant in Greenside some months back, and it is truly an experience that tantalises the taste buds. Beer pairing – who would have thought? But it works.

In March, I went away with my family to Brahman Hills, in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, a true spectacle of the beautiful country we live in. The midlands are one of those gems that aren’t really seen as a holiday destination, but I won this getaway and it was my first time, so I was really excited.

I was speaking to my colleague Brendan about this getaway as he is an avid traveller and has visited there before. After chatting, he asked if I would like to use the new Lexus RX 350L to go along with my trip. I looked up at him in disbelief. This brand, after all, is the epitome of luxury and I couldn’t imagine it going through the dusty sand roads of the midlands.

The RX is a seven-seater luxury SUV with fine cream leather seats and everything digital. I took the opportunity – AND my in-laws as well. My wife’s argument was that we could test the seven seats and luggage space, so I agreed.

The four adults and two kids sat comfortably during the twohour drive from Durban. My son basically took over the third row seats, with my in-laws in the second row with my daughter, and my wife and I in front.

Luggage, including fishing rods, was no problem thanks to the third row of seats having a 50/50 split configuration. We also had three-zone climate control which had all the passengers happy.

The ground clearance provides a great view of your surroundings, coupled with the moonroof giving you extra light.

This ultra-modern luxury SUV was built with the passengers in mind.

Every little passenger comfort has been considered. The driver and passenger seats come with temperature controlled settings to make sure your rear end is comfortable – something that I never saw the need for until you are in a humid environment like KZN.

The RX is also very economical with fuel. I never took the SUV off Eco mode and the power was more than enough to carry the load but at the same time deliver great economy through its eightspeed sequential shift intelligent automatic transmission, which delivered a smooth shift on the gears.

The RX is a beautiful SUV and for a family it is ideal for those holiday getaways.

It really isn’t a vehicle that you would consider at first sight to use as a holiday vehicle but it will surprise you.

If you currently drive a Lexus you wouldn’t expect any less – and this vehicle delivers on that promise.

So, Brendan, thank you for pairing my most beautiful holiday destination with one of the finest SUVs in the market.

A Lexus in the midlands – who would have thought? But, hey, it works ...