Lexus RX 350 remains a solid crossover choice

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2011 LEXUS RX 350

ENGINE: 275-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6

TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 18 city/25 highway

BASE PRICE: $39,375

AS TESTED: $52,774

WEBSITE: lexus.com

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While the Lexus RX is acknowledged as having started the crossover SUV trend that has boomed during the last decade, through several incarnations it has maintained the refinement that made it especially attractive to the luxury buyer.

On the outside, the 2011 Lexus RX is an attractive crossover wagon that remains conservatively styled. The RX 350 was redesigned for 2010, and there’s not a lot that’s different between this year’s model and last year’s version.

This RX is at the top end of the size spectrum for the two-row crossover class and it is easily recognized for the sloping shape that defined it as the crossover luxury best-seller it became in the late 1990s. You can recognize a bit more sculpturing cues that coincide with Lexus’ new theme of L-finesse.

Inside the cabin of the RX you will be coddled in sophisticated technology, fine leather and wood accents and a sound-proof environment that only occasionally allows the outside elements into your world. At a base price of $39,375, the RX – as you should expect – is pretty nicely equipped. However, there are some extra features like the heated and cooled seats, navigation system, power-closing hatch, rear-seat entertainment system and one-touch power moon roof (to name a few) that were on my test model for which you will have to pony up more cash.

Seating in the RX is comfortable and visibility is excellent. Like most crossovers, the RX offers a higher seating position than sedans and this seems to be a more comfortable spot for many drivers, who like to look over the top of traffic. Leather seating was above average quality and the real wood inlays are used sparingly to a tasteful cabin effect.

Rather than the more common touch screen or dial, the RX uses a mouselike controller for its navigation system/multimedia interface. I found this to work pretty well for me, though I don’t know that I like having to glance at the screen so often while sliding the mouse icon around. Over time this became more second nature for me and over a long time this probably becomes natural for an RX owner.

There is plenty of head and legroom for front and rear passengers. Rear seats will fold to allow for flexibility in the utility space area.

My RX tester had a 275-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This combination delivers a wonderful driving experience that will transport occupants of the RX 350 quickly off the line at the local mall parking lot as well as easily handle highway passing on demand.

The RX is offered in both front- and all-wheel drive. Environmental Protection Agency fuel mileage is estimated at 18/25 mpg city/highway and 18/24 mpg respectively. It is important to note that there is a hybrid version, Lexus RX 450h, that pairs a 275-horsepower 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle V-6 with a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. The hybrid version gets 32/28 mpg with front-wheel drive and 30/28 mpg with all-wheel drive. Premium gas is required for all trims.

From a performance standpoint, the RX is not going to snap any necks off the line and by its nature it is trying to swaddle its occupants in buttery soft leather and highly controlled climate environments. This crossover is tuned for luxury and while I did notice a bit more body roll in the RX than I have in other top-line crossovers I’ve driven, the RX does exactly what it was created to do — it delivers a refined ride and leaves the high-speed maneuvers to others in the class.

The 2010 RX was a top safety pick for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It scored the highest rating, good, in frontal-offset, side-impact and rear-crash tests as well as in a roof-strength test.

Overall, the Lexus RX 350 is a genuine luxury crossover with carlike handling and utility space for five adults and all kinds of storage flexibility. Performance is not what it claims to do, though I found the 275 horsepower in its V-6 to be plenty to get me around town without wanting for much more power.

It’s easy to find the base price climb with added packages or options. These prebundled packages range from $610 for a 12-speaker premium audio system to more than $5,000 for the dual-screen entertainment/navigation option. Needless to say, check your option boxes carefully or you could find your RX 350, like mine, landing at about $52,774 with all the bells and whistles.