Lexus’ Middle Child Of SUVs Gets Its Fifth Iteration

• Gets more curvy lines, a new spindle front grille, connected LED tail lamps, and greater exterior dimensions. 

• The interior is more minimalist with features like a bigger touchscreen, head-up display and tri-zone climate control. 

• Features Lexus Safety System 3.0+ suite of safety assists which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and an automatic parking system.

• Four powertrains on offer, with three of them being hybrid offerings.  

• India launch likely in 2023. 

The Lexus RX is generally known as the middle child of Lexus SUVs. Now, it’s been unveiled in its fifth iteration. And it looks like Lexus has gone quite evolutionary with its generational update. 

For starters, there’s a new version of the traditional spindle front grille, with the upper portion getting diamond-shaped sections. What really stands out at the front is a nicely sculpted bonnet, complemented by slim LED DRLs to give it a muscular look. Measuring 4890mm long, 1920mm wide, 1695mm tall and having a wheelbase of 2850mm, it's 25mm wider and has its wheelbase extended by 60mm compared to its predecessor, but has gotten 10mm shorter in height. 

The design’s also gotten more curvaceous with the smooth character lines giving it more of a coupe look than before. Add on connected LED tail lamps and chunky 21-inch wheels and you’ve got a sporty overhaul.

A  big overhaul is on the inside, with a minimalistic wraparound dashboard layout that is focused towards the driver. You’re greeted with a host of features including a ginormous 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, tri-zone touch-based climate control, a head-up display as well as powered heated and ventilated seats. 

It goes big on the safety aspect with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (ADAS), which includes adaptive cruise control, curve speed management, pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, intersection support, and automatic parking.

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Under the hood there’s a variety of options depending on the market. Starting things off is the RX 350 which utilises a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol motor with RWD and AWD options. Next is the RX 350h which is a 2.5-litre self-charging petrol-hybrid powertrain. The 450h+ heads into plug-in-hybrid territory paired with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. Sitting at the top will be the 500h which uses a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol self-charging hybrid powertrain. Other trickery in the RX includes better manoeuvrability thanks to rear-wheel steering.  

Back home, we’ve got the current-gen RX retailing at  Rs 1,11 crore (ex-showroom) as a CBU import. While there’s no timeline yet for when we can expect the fifth-gen model, it may show up in around 2023 and priced over Rs 1 crore. Its rivals will include the Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 and the Land Rover Discovery.