2017 Lexus RX 350

In the past the Lexus RX has been the best-selling Lexus model. But it rather was a normal looking SUV, or I must say was looking boring when compared to the competition. So in 2016 the Lexus gave its RX series some major and aggressive facelift to get back in the styling game. But looks were not the only thing new. This big SUV size packs a lot of features in it. Which are even better in its 2017 iteration. Results bring fruitful to the Lexus as the sales for their RX series have grown even more.

Lexus brought its RX series of the SUVs in the market in late 90s as the compact luxury crossover. Later they switched to the mid-size SUV models for its RX series. Because of its performance to price ratio and the actual practical use of this car, this have been the best-selling Lexus. Lexus have gave a major facelift to the fourth generation of its RX series, dubbed as AL20. The car is starting at the price of $43,220 for its base model and $49,120 for its F Sport model.

The Lexus RX 350 is the cheapest of the RX series and is intelligently priced between 40 to 50 grand, placing it in the competition of the Cadillac XT5, BMW X5 and the Lincoln MKX. When you talk about the power of this car, it falls somewhat in-between its competition. While the engine is bigger than the X5 by BMW and smaller than Cadillac XT5, it turns out to be lagging behind the other cars by a few horses. But Lexus doesn't advertise it as a performance SUV rather as a luxury SUV. And it sure is one aggressive looking luxury SUV. The RX 350 is available in the regular and the F Sport variant, both of which are further available in the FWD and AWD options.

Trim	RX 350	RX 350 F Sport
MRSP (RWD)	$43,220	$49,120
MRSP (FWD)	$44,620	$50,520
Key Features	Automatic LED Headlights	Audio Theft Deterrent
	Power Liftgate	Power Open/Close rear door
	Remote Keyless Entry w/integrated key transmitter, 4 Door Curb/Courtesy, Illuminated Entry, Illuminated ignition Switch and Panic Button	Concealed Diversity Antenna
	Keyless ignition and entry	Transmission Paddle Shifters
	Simulated leather upholstery	Heated and ventilated Sports Seats
	Dual-zone automatic climate control	Adaptive Suspension Dampers
	Radio w/Seek-Scan, MP3 Player, Clock, Speed Compensated volume Control, Steering Wheel Controls, Voice Activation and Radio Data System	Radio: AM/FM/CD Lexus Display Audip \u2013inc: 8-inch screen, 9 Speaker Premium Audio System, Bluetooth Hands Free Phone and Automatic phonebook download capabilities, Scout GPS link app-based turn-by-turn directions, voice recognition, Cache Radio, Ability to pause live AM/FM radio and HD Radio, traffic and weather data provided via HD Radio
	Smartphone-integrated navigation system

The RX 350 chassis also steers, handles and brakes with poise and balance, unless you drive it like some kind of Porsche and push it quite hard. It's engaging enough feel for most people but stops short of being a sporty SUV.- Edmunds

Engine and Transmission

Lexus has used the 3.5L engine in its RX 350 with a V6 configuration. RX 350 has also got an 8-speed automatic transmission. This setup helps the RX 350 produce 295 bhp with 267 lb-ft. of torque. This is certainly less than what you get in its competition.

Models	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
MSRP	$43,220	$39,395	$56,600	$38,260
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC 24V VVT	3.6L V6, DI, VVT, with Automatic Stop/Start	3.0L DOHC I-6 24V TwinPower Turbo	3.7L Ti-VCT V6
Transmission	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	6-Speed Automatic
Horsepower	295 HP	310 HP	300 HP	303 HP
Torque	267 lb-ft.	271 lb-ft.	300 lb-ft.	278 lb-ft.

But do not think that you are going to take your luxury SUV by Lexus on the race track to compete against other cars so those numbers should not matter to you.

Accleration

With a slightly less powerful engine than the Cadillac and Lincoln, it has the slowest acceleration of 0-60 mph and takes a second more to complete the quarter mile than the X5.

Models	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
0-60 MPH	6.8 sec	6.6 sec	6.1 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter mile	15.1 sec	15.1 sec	14.2 sec	14.7 sec
Engine	3.5L	3.6L	3.0L	3.7L
Emission   (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	7.7	8.0	8.4	8.8

But it produces lesser carbon emissions when compared to other cars which is worth considering.

Ride and Handling

The driving experience on this big Lexus car is kind of a mixed experience. The steering on this car is accurate but not quick. The wheels tighten up at speeds but there is not much feedback from the vehicle. The F Sport trim does add an adaptive variable air suspension so the ride is much relaxed. The seats in the F Sport trim are the comfortable sports seat so you are going to have a relaxed long trip in your RX 350. The RX is relatively fun all on the outside but there is a let-down when you get on the driver's seat.

Braking

Model	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
Brake Front (in.)	13.3	13.6	13.7	12.8
Brake Rear (in.)	12.9	12.4	12.6	13.0
Curb Weight (lbs.)	4222	3985	4625	4168
60-0 MPH (ft.)	123	128	129	119

Braking in this luxury SUV seems to be better than the Cadillac and the BMW. It just take 123 ft. of distance for this car to get from 60 mph to still. So if you see something jumping in front of you, just hit hard on the breaks and it will surely stop early while the X5 might hit that something.

Model	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
MPG (city)	20	19	18	17
MPG (highway)	27	26	25	25
MPG (combined)	23	22	21	20

Fuel economy is where the SUV beats down its competition, even if it is by a margin. The RX 350 gives you better fuel economy on the city roads as well as on the highway. It has the combined fuel economy at 23 mpg. And that should make you take some long trips at same amount of fuel as your previous fuel thirsty car.

This easy-to-master cockpit is a spacious and comfy place to pass the miles. Overall it's excellent, but the huge rear entertainment screens should give you pause, and the cargo area isn't as versatile as those of rivals, many of which also offer three rows of seats (of admittedly debatable use). - Edmunds

Seating and Comfort

The Lexus RX 350 comes with 5 seating like any regular SUV. The RX 350 has got much space for all the 4 sitting in the car along with the driver. The car is big enough for a 6 ft. tall person to sit comfortably even on the rear seats with good enough leg room for everyone sitting in this crossover.

Model	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.4/57.8/44.1	38.4/58.3/41.2	40.5/61.5/40.4	39.9/58.9/42.8
Second   (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.1/57.6/38	36.0/56.2/39.5	38.8/60/36.6	39.2/59/39.6

Interior Features

• Heated and Ventilated Sports Seats
• Lexus Display
• Simulated Leather Upholstery
• Dual-Zone automatic climate control
• Transmission Paddle Shifters
• Bluetooth
• Smartphone-integrated navigation system
• Illuminated Ignition Switch
• Panic Button

Infotainment

• 8-Inch screen
• Radio w/Seek-scan, AM/FM/CD
• Pause live AM/FM Radio
• HD Radio
• Traffic and Weather data provided via HD Radio
• Radio Data System
• Cache Radio
• Bluetooth Hands Free Phone
• MP3 Player
• Voice Activation
• 9 Speaker Premium Audio System
• Smartphone-integrated Navigation System
• Scout GPS Link App
•  

Storage

Model	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
Cargo Volume rear seat up (ft.3)	18.4	30.0	35.8	37.2
Cargo Volume rear seat folded (ft.3)	56.3	63.0	76.7	68.8

Cargo should not be any problem for this big SUV. You can stuff this SUV with enough of your belongings with you on a long trip and can still fit 5 people in it. Although if you compare it to other SUVs, you can see the number is lesser than what other have. The storage space is more than 10 ft.³ lesser than what Lincoln has. Maybe Lexus consumed that much space to make their RX 350 a Luxury crossover.

The Lexus RX is certainly controversial, but we have to admire Lexus for taking chances. -thecarconnection

Dimensions and Weight

SUV are supposed to be big and heavy and high, so is the Lexus's RX. It weighs around 4222 lbs. The RX 350 had a length of 192.5 in, making it slightly longer than the Cadillac and Lincoln but 0.7 inches shorter than the BMW X5. Lexus isn't the widest.

Actually is has the smallest width at the 74.6 inches. It stands tall at 67.7 inches, almost 2 inches taller than the Cadillac but almost 2 inches shorter than BMW. Even it has the shorter wheelbase of all at 109.8 inches which is almost 6 inches less than the BMW's.

Model	Lexus RX 350	Cadillac XT5	BMW X5 (sDrive 35i)	Lincoln MKX (Premiere)
Curb weight (lbs.)	4222	3985	4625	4168
Length(in)	192.5	189.5	193.2	190.0
Width(in)	74.6	75.0	76.3	76.1
Height(in)	67.7	66.0	69.4	66.2
Ground clearance (in)	8.2	7.8	8.3	7.8
Wheelbase (in)	109.8	112.5	115.5	112.2
Track width (in) F/R	64.4/64	64.4/64.4	64.6/64.8	64.8/64.7

Exterior Features

Some of the exterior features are:

• Razor-Sharp Character Lines
• LED Illumination
• 18-inch standard wheels
• Optional 6 different 20-inch wheel options
• Optional Sunroof with Panoramic available

Wearing the aggressive Lexus signature front grill with the razor-sharp LED head lamps. This razor-sharp design language continues to the complete body of the vehicle. You get the 18-inch wheels as the standard options with six different 20-inch wheel options also available. You get the sunroof as the optional feature which you can expand above the rear seats with the panoramic sunroof option.

Saftey Features

• 10-airbag system

• Panoramic view monitor

• Smart stop technology

• Led cornering foglamps

• Backup camera with dynamic gridlines

• Blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic braking

• Intuitive parking assist

• Vehicle proximity notification system

• Vehicle stability control

• Vehicle dynamics integrated management (vdim)

IIHS Rating

Crashworthiness
Small overlap front driver side	Good
Small overlap front passenger side	Not rated
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good
Front crash prevention	Superior
Headlights	Acceptable
Child seats anchors (LATCH)	Good

NHSTA Rating

Overall Rating	4 star
Overall Frontal Crash Rating	4 star
Frontal Crash Rating Driver Side	4 star
Frontal Crash Rating Passenger Side	4 star
Overall Side Crash Rating5 star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat	5 star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat Rear Seat	5 star
Side Barrier	5 star
Side barrier Driver	5 star
Side barrier Rear Passenger	5 star
Overall Side Pole Star Rating	5 star
Rollover Rating	4 star

Cadillac XT5 vs Lexus RX350

XT5 is cheaper than the RX350 with a better engine and more cargo space. But it produces more carbon emission than the RX 350 and even consumes more fuels for miles equal to the RX 350. But no doubt the Lexus beats the Cadillac in the styling front.

BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) vs Lexus RX350

The offering by the BMW is more than 10 grand costlier than what Lexus is asking. While the engine is a 3.0L, it produces more power than the RX 350 with its turbo engine, resulting in a faster SUV. But again it is more fuel thirsty than the RX 350. You are paying more than $10,000 for a marginal increase in the performance. In the inside, both feel equally luxurious with enough cargo space and good enough leg room for everyone to sit comfortably on a long trip.

Lincoln MKX (Premiere) vs Lexus RX350

Lincoln is also cheaper and powerful than the RX 350 as was the case with the Cadillac XT5. But the cabins of the RX 350 are much better than the MKX. And did I mention the sports seats in the RX 350 F Sport are way better than what you get in the top trim of the MKX.

The 2017 Lexus RX 350 is no doubt the best-selling car by the Lexus. This SUV is packed with comfort, luxury and the features for its price. Do not forget that this car the bits from the company's mesmerizing sports car, LFA, like the steering wheel and the gauge cluster. It does lacks behind the competitors when it comes to engine but it does not perform poor.

Again, you are not going to take it to taking this SUV to the racing tournament but the touring. And it seems like a perfect car for going on trips. It is packed with all the necessary features and all the comfort you need.