THE LATEST ITERATION of the Lexus RX luxury SUV will arrive in local showrooms on October 2, offering key connectivity and safety technology upgrades, enhanced driving dynamics and a welcome reduction in entry price.
The new RX will debut 10 new technologies as standard, and be priced from $71,920 (plus on road cost). That’s $1600 less than the outgoing model. However, our enquiries revealed that it’s only the entry level RX300 Luxury that gets the price cut. All other models have been given a modest price increase, ranging from $728 to $1030, which can be justified by the additional standard equipment.
New features include a 12.3-inch screen (up from 8.0 inches), new touch-display and touchpad-type Lexus Remote Touch functionality, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility (finally!), and an additional four USB ports (now six).
Standard Lexus Safety System+ gains night-time pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection for the pre-collision safety system and autonomous emergency braking. Its all-speed active cruise control is now linked with new lane-trace assist and road-sign assist functionality.
A new parking support brake system uses intelligent clearance sonar and rear cross-traffic sensors to avoid or mitigate collisions that commonly occur during parking manoeuvres. In addition to an audible warning, the system can reduce drive force and apply the brakes to reduce the possibility of contact with static objects in the direction of travel, or static objects and moving vehicles when reversing.
Lexus has also adopted a hands-free kick sensor for the standard power-operated tailgate and front cornering lamps.
These features have been standardised across RX 300, RX 350 and RX 450h variants each available in Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury grades, and the seven-seat RX 350L and RX 450hL variants available in Luxury and Sports Luxury grades.
More clever lighting technology
All F Sport and Sports Luxury grades of the new RX debut an LED adaptive high-beam system (AHS) with world-first blade-scan technology.
Compared with existing technology that points LED lamps towards the road, the new technology directs the lamps back towards a blade mirror rotating at 12,000rpm.
Blade-scan technology utilises the reflection of light off the mirror to increase high-beam brightness and expand its reach down the road. It also more finely controls light distribution to achieve the most precise “shading” to avoid dazzling other drivers.
Typical adaptive high-beam technology uses LED lamps directed at the road, which switch on and off as individual chips that can shade fixed portions of the road.
With blade-scan technology, LED lamps switch on and off in 50 microseconds while synchronising with the blade mirror, which spins on high rotation to deliver immediate response, reduce the width of the shaded area and provide a greater spread of illumination.
Illuminated and shaded areas are controlled in 0.1-degree increments (previously 1.0-degree), almost halving the width of the shaded area to just 3.5 metres at a distance of 50 metres (from 6.3 metres).
Compared with previous AHS on RX, blade-scan technology is more than 10 percent brighter and it extends the high-beam reach to pedestrians situated in close proximity to shaded vehicles from 32 metres to 56 metres, a further 24 metres ahead.
In addition to allowing drivers to recognise pedestrians much earlier, brighter and more focused light distribution enables improved illumination of hard-to-see areas such as road shoulders and road signs.
Chassis and suspension upgrades
Lexus has substantially revised the chassis set-up of the new RX with 10 engineering updates (some grade-dependent) in order to quell vibrations, deliver smoother, more level ride control, and reduce body roll.
F Sport and Sports Luxury grades include standard adaptive variable suspension (AVS) that now operates over a wider range to further enhance comfort and control.
F Sport grades are distinguished by an even more dynamic character courtesy of new front and rear performance braces between the front radiator supports and front suspension members, and between the rear hooks.
These changes accentuate handling improvements introduced for all RX variants, including improved hub bearings for the front and rear suspension, which increases lateral rigidity to provide excellent yaw response and steering feedback.
The diameter of the new rear stabiliser bar has been increased by 5.7 per cent while hollow construction reduces its weight by 26.6 percent.
This results in reduced body roll and improved vehicle posture when cornering.
A revised electronic power steering (EPS) tune with tighter on-centre feel rounds out the series of dynamic changes.
Lexus chief executive Scott Thompson said the upgraded RX stands apart by offering a diverse range of five and seven-seat SUV variants with luxury as standard.
“Premium appointments, exquisite craftsmanship and an expansive cabin continue to hold enormous appeal for new and loyal Lexus buyers, and the new RX adds to this with the latest connectivity and safety technology,” Mr Thompson said.
“Significantly enhanced driving properties influenced by a new generation of Lexus models, such as the new UX, further increase the comfort and dynamic appeal of the new RX.”
External and internal changes
The new Lexus RX gets sleeker headlamp units with a more aerodynamically designed front bumper and wider, raised spindle grille with a new block-mesh pattern on Luxury and Sports Luxury, and a new wire-mesh pattern for F Sport.
A revised side character line sweeps down from the floating roof to the rear. The rear combination lamp has been changed to a new mirrored L-motif design.
The lower part of the rear bumper includes detail elements on a unified horizontal axis to accentuate a wide stance.
Inside, all new RX variants receive paddle shifters on the steering wheel and additional smartphone storage.
The seven-seat RX 350L and RX 450hL add to their standard third-row seating with a new power-fold function that offers two seating positions for the first time, providing an additional 94.3mm of legroom.
The new features add to a comprehensive standard equipment list on every RX: smart entry and start, power steering column, rear privacy glass, satellite navigation, DAB+, wireless smartphone charging, 12-speaker audio, rear guide monitor, automatic headlamps and wipers, automatic high beam, 10 airbags, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert brake.
The Luxury grades of the V6 and self-charging hybrid electric variants are fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels (compared with 18-inch on RX 300 Luxury), genuine leather-accented seat material, front memory seat easy access, and front seat heaters and ventilation.
These features are available on the RX 300 Luxury as part of an optional package, bundled with a panoramic roof with front moonroof.
An optional enhancement pack for the RX 350, RX 350L, RX 450h and RX 450hL Luxury grades combines a colour head-up display and smart key card with a panoramic roof with front moonroof (front moonroof only for RX 350L and RX 450hL).
F Sport variants include adaptive variable suspension with Sport S+ and Custom mode, 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio, panoramic view monitor and rear door sunshades.
Sports Luxury variants also include 14-way power adjustable front seats with driver and passenger memory, semi-aniline leather seats, and heated second-row seats.
The two-wheel-drive RX 300 is powered by a balanced and efficient 175kW 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injected four-cylinder petrol engine, linked to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Customers preferring all-wheel-drive available in the RX 350 and RX 350L get the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.
For an ideal blend of performance and economy, the self-charging hybrid-electric powertrain of the RX 450h and RX 450hL employs a 3.5-litre V6 and electric motor to deliver strong torque and fuel consumption as low as 5.7L/100km.
All engines in the new Lexus RX are Euro 6 emissions-compliant.
2019 Lexus RX pricing
| Model | Price (exc on roads) |
| RX 300 Luxury RX 300 Luxury + EP RX 300 F Sport RX 300 Sports Luxury |
$71,920 $77,950 $86,800 $92,700 |
| RX 350 Luxury RX 350 Luxury + EP RX 350 F Sport RX 350 Sports Luxury |
$81,890 $86,390 $93,970 $99,870 |
| RX 450h Luxury RX 450h Luxury + EP RX 450h F Sport RX 450h Sports Luxury |
$91,090 $95,590 $103,440 $109,340 |
| RX 350L Luxury RX 350L Luxury + EP RX 350L Sports Luxury |
$85,000 $88,500 $101,600 |
| RX 450hL Luxury RX 450hL Luxury + EP RX 450hL Sports Luxury |
$94,470 $97,970 $111,070 |
Once we have tested and assessed the new Lexus RX range, seniordriveraus will bring you a comprehensive review, including everything the over-50 driver needs to know.