Did you used to have a Lexus RX350 you loved or a Lexus RX350 you hated? .The 2011 Lexus RX 350 remains a class-leading SUV for its comfortable and luxurious interior, good performance and excellent fuel economy.
Most reviewers agree that the "Lexus RX 350" is one of the most well-rounded luxury midsize SUVs on the market. While option packages on the RX can cost thousands of dollars, the RX has a lower starting price than most of the competition – even with options, it may end up costing less. All in all, reviewers say that the RX is tough to beat.
The Lexus RX 350 comes in front or all-wheel drive. It's also available as a hybrid, the RX 450h, which is reviewed separately.
Few vehicles have done more to establish a genre and define a brand as much as the Lexus RX. The RX's newfound stance is thanks to a 2.2-inch wider track in front and a 2.6-inch stretch in the rear, along with a wheelbase that spans 107.9 inches. The standard "Lexus RX 350" in front-wheel-drive spec packs on almost 500 pounds over its predecessor, while the AWD version deals with an additional 400 pounds of mass. The RX450h doesn't fair much better, with the FWD version motivating an additional 460 pounds and the AWD model carrying an extra 445 pounds. Base models are fitted with halogen headlamps and 18-inch wheels, while HIDs, 19-inch rolling stock and a "sport" package that features revised dampers, stiffer bushings and a recalibrated electronic power steering rack are optional.
The front suspension geometry was tweaked and fitted with a larger front sway bar to improve handling, while the task of slowing the RX's substantial mass is left to two-piston front and rear disc brakes.
On the safety front, Lexus has thrown Campbell's alphabet soup surplus into the new RX, with the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system orchestrating the ABS, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) systems. The RX also features Hill-Start Assist Control to prevent rolling on an incline and works both in Drive and Reverse. The AWD system on the Lexus RX350 uses a viscous coupling locking center differential to doll out either 100% of the power to the front wheels or a 50:50 ratio front to back. The 2010 RX450h is equipped with an Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V6 that features lighter electric motors and a compact power-control unit that boosts fuel economy an estimated 8-12% over the RX400h. A 288V DC Ni-MH battery pack is mounted underneath the rear seats and receives power from either two or three motors depending on FWD or AWD configurations, with the RX450h AWD ditching the front-to-rear driveshaft for a rear-mounted electric motor.
Lexus has learned over the past decade not to mess with a proven success, and the 2010 RX350 and RX450h proves the point by crossing the Ts and dotting the Is.
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