2013 Lexus RX
By Paul A. Eisenstein
On Sale: Late Spring 2012
Expected Pricing: $40,000 to $48,000
Lexus has earned a well-justified reputation for bullet-proof reliability, regularly topping the quality charts. If there's been one thing missing it's a sense of passion. Its designs have traditionally been best described as plain vanilla. Now, facing tougher competition from style-setters Audi and Infiniti, and hoping to draw in younger, hipper buyers, Lexus has set a goal of pumping more passion into the brand, something first seen in last year's launch of an all-new Lexus GS line.
The 2013 Lexus RX crossover, which goes on sale later this spring, has been clearly influenced by both the new GS and the LF-LC concept car Lexus unveiled at the Detroit auto show earlier this year. The most notable change to the 2013 RX is its sporty new face, lifted almost whole from the GS blueprints, starting with the sedan's spindle grille and LED running lamps.
The crossover SUV is still, first and foremost, a people mover, so the Lexus RX revealed at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March maintains its emphasis on functionality and practicality. There's a comfortable and roomy cabin with plenty of leather and chrome accents, a new hard drive-based navigation system and the new Lexus Enform infotainment system. Use it to access Pandora radio, check up on Facebook or even the latest stock quotes.
Most of the changes to the 2013 RX are subtle, including a revised steering wheel Lexus claims is more comfortable to hold on a long drive. There's a new Ebony Birdseye Maple wood trim and saddle-colored leather. The glove box gets a new metallic accent strip, and Lexus designers found a way to squeeze in more storage space in the center console.
Are we there yet? Not quite, but an updated rear-seat entertainment system is available to keep the kids, or your adult friends, entertained along the way.
The RX powertrains carry over for 2013. That means a 270-horsepower V6 for the RX350 gas model, and a 295-hp gas/electric drivetrain for the RX450h. The hybrid uses a modified version of the drivetrain found in the Toyota Prius, here a 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle V6 paired to two electric motors to deliver 32 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway. All-wheel-drive is an option, and with the hybrid that means the addition of a third electric motor for the rear axle.
There's even a new F-Sport model that adds a sporty front fascia, smoked black head and tail lamps and darker, 19-inch wheels. Unfortunately, the sportier styling isn't matched by any changes under the hood. (And the lateral damping system shown in Geneva won't be offered on U.S. models.)
Pricing for the 2013 Lexus RX line should be relatively close to the current model, meaning a base price of around $40,000, with the RX450h AWD pushing closer to $48,000, and an RX450h front-wheel-drive model falling in around $46,000. But those are just our guesses. Pricing will likely be announced when the new Lexus RX goes on sale later this spring.
800-255-3987
www.lexus.com
|
