2010 Lexus RX 350 Review

Preview

What We Know

Lexus held the world debut of the 2010 RX 350 and RX 450h at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, rolling out luxury SUVs that are bigger, more powerful and loaded with high-tech features, including a navigation system that "acknowledges conversational commands." Lexus skipped a third-row seat, however. The 2010 RX 350 goes on sale in February. The 2010 RX 450h goes on sale in the spring. Pricing has not been announced. The third-generation RX 350 gets a slightly improved 275-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, a 5-hp increase over the outgoing model. It also gets a six-speed automatic transmission. The 2009 RX 350 has a five-speed automatic transmission. The 2010 Lexus RX 450h has an "enhanced" hybrid drive system with a 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 295 hp. The 2009 RX 400h's 3.3-liter V6 delivers 268 hp. Lexus offered no fuel economy estimates on either model. Curt McAllister, Toyota spokesman, said the new 450 designation on the RX hybrid "denotes that it has power and performance equivalent to a 4.5-liter V8 engine." Typically, such a number coincides with the engine's displacement, but McAllister said Toyota uses a different approach when it comes to its hybrid vehicles. The previous model, the 400h, had output equivalent to that of a 4.0-liter V8. Both 2010 RX models get a new double-wishbone rear suspension and 10 standard airbags. The exterior redesign isn't a complete overhaul. Instead, Lexus opted for a slightly more muscular and sleek look with a pronounced shoulder line. The company noted that the vehicle has "increased in nearly every dimension." The RX 350 has standard 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels with 19-inch wheels available as an option. The RX 450h gets an exclusive grille, hybrid badging, unique front bumpers, a special 19-inch optional wheel design, blue-tinted headlamps and taillamps and optional LED headlamps. Gadgets include a wide-angle sideview monitor that allows the driver to check hard-to-see areas on the passenger side of the vehicle by pushing a button on the navigation screen or steering wheel. The navigation system has a new "remote touch" controller and a new "casual language voice-recognition system that acknowledges conversational commands." Buyers can also get XM NavTraffic and new NavWeather on the 2010 RX models.

What Edmunds.com says

It doesn't look much different, but it doesn't need to as the RX 350 is still one of the best selling models in the Lexus lineup.