90 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE
T
he Lexus RX range opens
with the 2.0-litre turbopetrol
four-cylinder/six-speed
automatic/front-wheel-drive
RX200t Luxury priced at
$74,251. F Sport is $86,551 and
Sports Luxury is $92,701.
The RX350, with a 221kW
3.5-litre V6 petrol/eight-speed
auto and all-wheel drive, costs
$81,050 in Luxury specifi cation,
$93,350 for F Sport and $99,500
for Sports Luxury.
A long wheelbase seven-
seater RX350L Luxury is $84,329
and Sports Luxury is $101,129.
The V6’s power is reduced
slightly to 216kW in the seven
seater due to a different exhaust.
RX450h petrol/electric hybrid,
with a combined 230kW system
output from its 3.5-litre V6/twin
electric motor/Ni-MH battery/
CVT all-wheel drivetrain, is
available in the same three
model grades. starting at
$90,160 for the fi ve- seater and
$93,440 for the seven- seater.
RX fi ve-seater is a much
smaller wagon than its ostensible
(according to industry statistician
VFACTS) Q7/X5/GLE rivals. Its
wheelbase is actually shorter
than the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and
Mercedes GLC mid-sizers, all of
which are fi ve seaters, like the
Lexus, with comparably-sized
cargo bays. These are RX’s
closest competitors, along with
the Jaguar F-Pace and the Land
Rover Discovery Sport.
An inevitable front runner
in industry benchmark owner
surveys — such as JD Powers in
the US — which measure initial
quality, long-term reliability
and owner satisfaction, Lexus
is also ranked the most reliable
automotive brand in the US by
Consumer Reports.
Even at base-model level, RX
is loaded. It includes 10-way
power adjustable, big bloke-
sized armchairs up front, heated,
cooled and with supple leather
facings. Rear-seat passengers sit
quite low and the 60/40 split seat
can be adjusted for legroom, of
which there’s plenty.
The tapered roof kills cargo-
bay volume and you can carry
more in most rivals.
You’re protected by a full-
house safety hand with 10
airbags, a rear camera andaudible proximity warning,
automatic emergency braking,
radar cruise, blind spot and rear
cross traffi c alerts, lane keeping
and vehicle sway warning.
A mouse-style pad on
the centre console requires
the prehensile dexterity of
a neurosurgeon to operate.
It’s so fi ddly that you have
to look closely at the screen
for extended periods just to
place the cursor in the correct
position, which is unsafe.
The 2.0-litre gets interested
when you put the boot in, but
this is a heavy (1890kg) front-
wheel-drive wagon and there’s
a touch of turbo lag, so it
takes a while to get going and
acceleration isn’t brisk.
Engine vibration under power,
especially in the initial stages of
acceleration in the lower gears, is
excessive. The force-fed 2.0-litre
isn’t particularly frugal either.
RX is safe and predictable but
ponderous in tighter corners, with
lots of body roll and twitchiness
on rough roads at speed. Electric
steering is lifeless and imprecise
while the brakes are powerful, if
rather touchy. Ride comfort, fi nein town, deteriorates as speeds
rise and the bitumen crumbles.
The Lexus RX200t would
certainly be an easy, set and
forget, grief-free SUV to own.
Compared with its European
rivals, though, the Lexus RX
range as a whole is expensive and
much less enjoyable and capable
as a drive, despite the fact that
its sporty styling makes strong
assertions to the contrary.Safety
Not yet tested
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for moneyOverallSTARS
THINGS WE LIKE
Lexus quality and reliability
Lexus customer service
Stylish cabin
Well equipped
THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Too expensive
Weak resale values
Silly infotainment control system
2.0t is a bit thirsty
SPEX (RX200t)
Made in Japan
2.0-litre four cylinder turbopetrol/
six-speed automatic/front-wheel
drive
175kW of power at 4800rpm/350Nm
of torque from 1650- 4000rpm
0–100km/h in 9.2 seconds
7.0L/100km highway; 10.0L/100km
city; 95 octane premium; CO 2
emissions are 189g/km
Warranty: Four years/100,000km
Standard: Stability control, 10
airbags, leather, dual-zone air,
navigation, reversing camera,
digital radio, Bluetooth, alarm,
power-operated tailgate, 20-inch
alloy wheels, wireless phone
charging, LED headlights, auto-
matic emergency braking, lane
keeping,blind spot warning
Redbook future values: 3yr: 52%;
5yr: 39%LEXUS RX FROM $74,251
compare with ...
Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mazda CX9,
Mercedes GLC, Peugeot 5008