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Lexus took their mantra of being “wildly inoffensive” down new [soft] roads at the LA Auto Show. The new RX350 and 450h now both use the 3.5-liter V6 from the Lexus family. The RX350 churns out 275hp while the Atkinson cycle powered hybrid setup powers up 295hp combined. With electric all-wheel-drive, all five passengers will enjoy the flat floor and electronic wizzardry. Outside, not much is new. On the inside, a new jumbo-sized nav/car controller operates similarly to the pointer stick you find on some laptops, which is just as annoying. Carrying on Lexus’ latest trend in interiors, the RX’ seems to take a bit too much from the Camry’s design studio.
13 Comments on “LA Auto Show: New Lexus RX350 RX450h “Wildly Inoffensive”...”
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That interior looks absolutely awful. Does it feel as putrid as it looks? I really can’t imagine why anyone would buy this over a MDX or even a CX-9 unless they had to have the Lexus badge.
By the way, can dear leader spare a moment from bailout bloggging to comment on the newly PDK’ed Cayman and Boxter?
Brian E :
Porsche blog coming… Thanks for your patience, gentle reader.
For starters, there’s more room in the Lexus than in the Honda/Acura versions, and more head-room in the Pilot’s cabin because of the boxy design. As it stands, my hair presses against the roof as I’m 6’2″. Both of these CUV’s are claustrophobic for me, mostly in width, and I’m 170lbs, so I’m not huge.
The Nissan Morano/FX35 on the other hand, is perfect, as is the Hyndai SanteFe (which my mother owns).
Getting back to these RX350’s CUV’s, I like them. They are boring, but they’re very nice to drive & ride in, esp. over the MDX. It just has a nicer fit & finish, and the seats are very, very comfortable.
Three hundred and seventy-five horses from an unblown commodity six. Jeezus, is that accurate?
That begs three questions:
* Weren’t there rumours of this engine being stuffed in the Corolla? Try, for a second, to imagine what that car with a 375hp and a ~2900 curb weight would be like. (yes, I know, it’ll never happen)
* Why doesn’t the IS350 have this engine yesterday?
* Visualize this engine in the Camry or Sienna. Wouldn’t that just be madness incarnate?
I was impressed by the hp/liter figure as well. The new Z needs 3.7 liters to make 337 hp. Sadly, I think this is just a typo. The 09 RX350 has a 3.5 liter V6 that makes 270hp. I don’t think it has actually jumped ~100hp for a refresh.
375hp is a typo, it’s 275.
MTeator :
My bad. I should have caught that. Text amended. You guys can go back to breathing normally now. Sorry.
That interior dashboard looks like a Camry…. on acid.
“Electric drive?” As in no conventional drivetrain?
With the RX’s new found fugliness, why would one spend the extra 10g over the moderately fugly Toyota Venza?
Brian E :
I really can’t imagine why anyone would buy this over a MDX or even a CX-9 unless they had to have the Lexus badge.
Overall ownership experience. Our local Lexus dealers (and even one we hit on the road once) all treated us like we owned the place. I know personally Mazda doesn’t do that, and my office mate’s Acura ownership experience isn’t even close (but not big 3 bad).
That being said, I’m breathing a sigh of relief that nothing here looks compelling enough to make the wife trade hers in for this one.
BlueBrat :
For starters, there’s more room in the Lexus than in the Honda/Acura versions, and more head-room in the Pilot’s cabin because of the boxy design. As it stands, my hair presses against the roof as I’m 6′2″.
I agree – I’m 6’5″, and the distance from seat bottom to ceiling in versions with sunroofs (good luck finding one without) is pathetic. There’s actually MORE head room in the mid-sized sedans from the same companies. Ironic. Ditto for what I like to call the “knee box” – too narrow. Why do all these vehicles have wasteful, wide, center consoles?
my office mate’s Acura ownership experience isn’t even close (but not big 3 bad).
It’s is here. The Acura dealership here in Lexington shares the same lot & showroom with Pontiac!
Ugh, that interior is awful, and the plastics on the lower dash and console look Kia quality. What the heck was wrong with the touch screen anyway? Too easy to use? Too many people liked it?