Lexus RX 350 a solid effort, but no knockout punch
By: Nancy Dunham
Special to The Examiner
November 5, 2009
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| The 2010 Lexus RX 350 is big and bold, and features luxurious interior appointments. (Courtesy photo) |
You know how it is when a blockbuster movie is released and everyone's talking about how great it is and you don't say much because you thought it, well, just wasn't that good?
That's sort of how I feel about the 2010 Lexus RX 350.
2010 Lexus RX 350
» Engine: 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter, V-6
» Transmission: Six-speed automatic
» Fuel Economy: 18/city, 24/highway
» MSRP: $37,250 and up
I can appreciate why U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 1 out of 14 in luxury midsize SUVs after the magazine distilled 56 published reviews and test drives plus analyzed reliability and safety data.
Certainly the RX 350 has a host of popular appeal, too, which will likely increase now that the redesigned, sleeker model is in the showrooms. Certainly, it's easy to see the positives.
The car is big and bold but with enough power that it never feels like the automotive equivalent of a gangly kid. The six-speed transmission and 275-horsepower V-6 engine provide all the power it needs to boost you up to cruising speeds as you come off those ramps on the Beltway (and if you've driven around these parts for a while, you know that's a must).
I had the front-wheel-drive model, although there is an all-wheel-drive option. I found the front-wheel drive was plenty strong and stable enough to power me up some fairly steep roadways.
Inside, the car's plenty comfortable thanks to a double wishbone rear suspension, power tilt and telescopic steering column, and 10-way power driver and front passenger seats. I also had the comfort package with ventilated/heated seats. Honestly, sitting in this car might not be like sitting in an easy chair in the living room, but it's pretty close.
Adding to that luxury feel is the leather seating and a lovely, high-grade center column with 9-inch display screen. I'm a huge fan of easy-to-read displays, and this has it plus a fairly high-powered, 12-speaker audio system and straightforward navigation system.
Add to that a "joystick" you can use to control the phone, audio and nav, and you see why tech lovers are enraptured.
Of course the car has plenty of room, too. Cargo space is 40.3 cubic feet, which goes to 80.3 cubic feet once the second row seats are folded. A nice bonus was that the seats are easy to fold down, so you're not standing in the cold struggling and pulling on levers.
So just what, you might rightly ask, keeps this car from being a knockout?
In my mind, it's the little things. There's no running board to help the height-impaired. The navigation and audio systems are definitely not what one could call intuitive. Most of all, though, the car just isn't nimble, which makes it a bit less than easy to maneuver in and out of narrow parking spots.
Yes, the popularity of the Lexus RX 350 is well-deserved, but don't believe it's perfect.
