LEXUS AIMS TO BOOST RX’S STREET CREDIBILITY
I’ve become leery of saying certain crossovers or sport utes “inspire confidence,” especially during the winter months, lest it generates the impression I’m one of those idiots who tears up and down streets and highways, overconfident in the vehicle’s superior traction, and seemingly oblivious to road conditions, only to end wheels up in some ditch farther along.
But there was a weather event on the day I went to pick up the new Lexus RX 350 and, to be perfectly honest, the drive back home in the Lexus was a whole lot more pleasant and less stressful than the drive there in my 19-year-old winter beater. You see, when you live within the confines of a large metropolitan area, it’s not so much the amount of snow (which was rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things) as it is the timing (in this case smack dab in the middle of a Monday morning commute). In this situation, it takes little to royally mess up the roads, doubling or tripling the time it takes to get to work and putting thousands of motorists in a generally foul mood.
So, rather than say the fourth-generation, stylistically polarizing 2016 RX 350 inspires confidence (which it does, thanks to its all-wheel drivetrain and copious safety backups), I will posit that driv- ing Lexus’s perennial bestseller generates positive vibes. This has been the hallmark of the RX (and Lexus as a whole) since the model debuted in late 1998. It ushered in the concept of the high-end crossover, which is to say SUV flexibility combined with a luxury sedan-like ride and a long list of creature comforts. But beyond the RX 350’s strengths and overall engineering improvements, Lexus is attempting to further broaden the RX’s street cred by pushing it into the mostly uncharted territory of a performance-based crossover, with the reinvigorated F Sport edition. Doing so without enhancing the RX 350’s 3.5-litre V6 beyond the increased horsepower it receives for 2016 (now 295, up from last year’s 270) is a tricky proposition, pretty much negating any thought this model might be competition for AMG or M versions of Mercedes’ or BMW’s sport utes. It isn’t as though 295 horsepower is underwhelming; the 2,000-plus-kilogram RX will launch itself to 100 km/ h in less than 8.5 seconds. But, if you’re entertaining the idea the F Sport can duke it out with something like the Porsche Macan S or even a Mercedes GLA 45 AMG, forget it.
Lexus doesn’t do extreme. The upscale brand seeks to elevate, rather than dominate, with the F Sport ($62,700 to start, an $8,750 premium over the regular RX). The crossover takes a balanced approach to performance, starting with paddle shifters and re-tuned handling, to deliver a sportier driving experience.
The F Sport comes standard with an adaptive variable suspension system that controls shock absorber damping at each wheel in response to road conditions and driver input. Also, an active stabilizer system keeps body movement in check over bumpier road surfaces (improving ride comfort) and when cornering (reduced roll).
All RXs are fitted with a Drive Mode Select system, which provides a choice of settings, each modifying the engine and chassis to some degree. The Sport S setting (standard on the F Sport and available on RXs equipped with the adaptive variable suspension system) offers a higher level of performance with more aggressive throttle mapping and quicker engine response. The all-out Sport S+ setting combines the engine enhancements of Sport S with firming the feel of the electric power steering and stiffening the suspension for flatter cornering.
Naturally, drivers can choose from the other settings — Eco, Normal and Customize — to tailor the RX’s demeanour, depending on their preference.
Does all this dial fiddling actually do anything? The answer is yes, though it’s not as overt as Lexus thinks.