The Japanese seem to have set themselves the goal of turning this model into a real cult. In official materials, they even claim that with the arrival of this car on the market, not just a new class was formed – entirely different ideas emerged about what matters in a car.
A MASTER KNOWS HOW TO REST
The Lexus RX was created with the Californian audience in mind – it's a hybrid of an SUV and a luxury sedan. The Japanese decided to go beyond traditional American priorities like increasing power and dimensions. And they didn't miss the mark! There are rumors that the chief engineer of the updated RX 350, Takayuki Katsuda, often drops by the workshop and personally tinkers with something. Just as long as he doesn't forget that robots are nearby and lose a finger. They say he likes cars that allow you to relax and enjoy every minute behind the wheel. If so, then Katsuda is a true master of his craft. Everything he wanted to embody in a car is present in the new Lexus RX 350. However, he couldn't rid our drivers of the eternal question: will their 'Rex' be stolen at lunchtime, or should they wait until night? The answer suggests itself – apply individual airbrushing and install satellite alarms on every RX 350 right at the factory.
NO NOSE DIVING
What makes the new 350 notable? First, few competitors can boast such smoothness of ride. Mercedes we'll discard immediately – it's the benchmark of balance in all driving qualities. BMW and Audi are too engrossed in the competition of 'who takes corners sharper.' Perhaps Volvo stands closest to Lexus. These two brands seem to float somewhere between heaven and earth. The Germans don't consider them worthy rivals in the premium class, but for mass-market cars they're too good – they literally fawn over their owner. Settling into the new Lexus RX 350, I immediately felt this desire to please. It's impossible not to notice it. A similar feeling arises in the Volvo XC60 and XC70 from the first meters. But at the same time, the smoothness of the 'Japanese' is not American at all. The new double-wishbone rear suspension, which replaced the old McPherson, plus the increased wheelbase and track width did their job: body roll decreased, the car doesn't nose dive when braking, and doesn't squat when accelerating. I drove and marveled at how the engineers managed to combine comfort, energy intensity, and clear responses to driver actions. True, there are flaws in handling, where would we be without them, but overall the ride cocktail turned out to be excellent – you want to order it again. The refinements of the updated RX were clearly worth the effort. A rarity in today's times, when restylings are often done just for show.
The deeply recessed screen never glares and features bright, rich colors
The interior of the new crossover has become wider and more comfortable for rear passengers. However, if you recline the seatbacks all the way, they catch vibrations from the wheel arches
PUTS YOU IN A TRANCE
What about dynamics? For a crossover, any result faster than 10 seconds to 100 km/h is already excellent. The RX 350 does it in 8 seconds, but honestly, that's not the main thing. From the very first minutes, the new Lexus immerses the driver in a kind of stupor thanks to its steering and suspension settings.
Now I understand those who shell out money for this car. Choosing something else instead of the 'Rex' is simply impossible – its charm doesn't let go. If the 'spirit of Lexus' dwells anywhere, it's concentrated precisely in the new RX, and searching for it in other models is pointless. The Japanese polished it like a precious stone. The gearbox was made lighter and more compact. The engine's center of mass was lowered. The efficiency of all systems was increased. Noise and vibrations were reduced, and the drag coefficient was brought to a record 0.32 for this class. Even the new climate control heats and cools the RX 350's cabin noticeably faster than before. This is filigree work, when a product is perfected by polishing every detail.
Before you is a remote manipulator, or simply put – a computer mouse: here it controls almost all auxiliary functions
These two buttons seem to be the most important in the crossover? But here they're of little use
THE GENERALS THINK
I confess, I wrote all this text just to pour out my delight at the magnificent smoothness of the updated RX's ride. Because if you keep emotions inside, you might get sick. Now a few words about what they present to us under the guise of high technology. I wonder who actually designed the RX's interior? Designers pompously called it the 'crossover cockpit.' But besides the convenient automatic transmission selector and reduced air vent deflectors, there's nothing outstanding here.
SPECS: LEXUS RX 350
Guys, you clearly lacked a person with short arms and weak eyesight. Half an hour with such a tester – and you'd understand how to make a truly comfortable 'cockpit.' And what you built over five years and 100 million dollars is just a loud puff. The head-up display that projects data onto the windshield is also to blame. Coming from aviation, it adapted well to the car. But now automakers think they don't need to invent anything themselves. The military, they say, will do it better anyway.
The trunk is small, and the sill is high. Loading heavy bags is very inconvenient
Another disappointment is the traction control system. The older LX 570 clearly didn't want to share any off-road electronic algorithms with the RX 350. The 'Rex' simply can't conquer even a simple off-road section where you need to drive on three wheels. Maybe here too we should wait for hints from NATO?
It seems I won't get sick, because I've poured out all the emotions this car evoked, leaving not a gram of joy or disappointment inside. Although, perhaps, there was more joy. If I need a Lexus, I'll choose the RX, but not the LX. It's like choosing between strawberry yogurt and a racing bulldozer. Honestly, I prefer eating over working. Especially since the new 350 has become larger than its predecessor in all parameters: longer, wider, taller, and more spacious.
