Forget what you know about driving a Lexus. When the 2010 RX arrived, everything changed.
In the beginning was the driver. At least, that was the starting point for Lexus Chief Engineer Takayuki Katsuda, who as far back in 2006 assembled his design team for Lexus' next major RX challenge: reinvent one of Lexus' most popular North American models, a vehicle that, in a way, helped invent the future of road travel. After all, it was the last major RX redesign, the RX 400h,* that introduced the world to luxury hybrid driving—and ushered in the age of premium alternative energy.
This time around, the task was different. Katsuda began the redesign process by considering an elementary question: What would the RX and RX hybrid look like if every technology, every improvement, and every alteration directly served the needs of the driver? In other words, what would make the gauge info easier to see? What would make controlling everything easier? What would make the driver's life easier?
Together, the new 2010 RX 350 and RX hybrid (now called the RX 450h) boast an array of Lexus-first features. None of them, from a windshield display screen to new fuel-saving engine systems, is a mere bell or whistle, a marvel that's amazing to have but of little everyday use. Each advance serves a distinct driver-focused purpose, as do the rest of the refinements in the RX 350 and RX 450h—two vehicles that started, literally, with you and your life in mind.
NATURAL WONDERS
Sit down in a 2010 RX driver's seat for the first time and right away you'll notice two things. One, several buttons and control switches, normally abundant in advanced automobiles, seem to be absent. Two, there's a curved rise on the center console that fits snugly in your right palm. The two are related.
The palm device is Lexus' available Remote Touch system, which allows the driver to control myriad vehicle functions—audio system, climate control, and more—via the motions of PC-style mouse-clicking. In fact, the entire system mimics the similar forward-facing body positioning of desktop computer use: Pressing a button on the device reveals a menu screen on the center console's eight-inch multi-display screen, which designers positioned close to the driver's line of sight for at-a-glance viewing. The driver then navigates the menu via the hand controller.
Engineers instilled this intuitive, more natural approach to vehicle-systems control in other ways. Back in 2005, the RX was one of the first Lexus vehicles to introduce voice-activated navigation. For the 2010 redesign, engineers gave the RX's optional HDD navigation system* a new casual-speech voice-recognition system that allows the driver to operate the navigation system, climate control, Bluetooth, and the audio system in a conversational voice—no more having to enunciate like a robot. Simply drop instructions on the fly: "I'm looking for a Japanese restaurant." "Make it warmer." "Call Bob at home." "Let's find XM channel 150."
Not only that, the RX now comes with an optional Heads-up Display, which projects commonly glanced-at information—speed, navigation direction, and audio system info—directly on the windshield. The images, just below the driver's eye level, don't impair vision, and they allow the driver to digest the data without looking away from the road.
Other new RX advancements: an optional wide-view side monitor* that helps expose exterior blind spots on the passenger side; XM® NavTraffic®* and XM® NavWeather® systems that deliver real-time traffic and weather information, respectively (both are part of the HDD navigation system package and require a subscription); and Lexus Personalized Settings (LPS)* that you change from the steering wheel or via the nav system display screen with Remote Touch, eliminating the need to make a dealership appointment. And many of these systems are easily controlled without the driver having to navigate an airplane-like control panel or spend time poring through user manuals. The RX is filled with innovations, not learning curves.
FORM FEEDING FUNCTION
Speaking of curves, the RX sports plenty of new ones. With fewer buttons—essentially simplified function—to place, designers had more freedom to enhance the cabin's form. The vertical center console has been given a sweeping, elegant, asymmetrical curve, and the entire dash—in fact, the entire cabin—is graced with smooth, open, uncluttered surface areas. It feels like a drivable Japanese garden.
What's really happening is superior ergonomics. With more surface area to work with, RX designers had more room to address every aspect of the driver's needs and motions—from which direction the hands naturally travel when leaving the steering wheel for a vehicle-control task to how far hands travel before the eyes have to assist with the job.
One of the most pronounced results of this thinking is the RX's shifter placement, which now closely bisects the vertical center console, so it extends up into the driver's field of vision and reaches out to the right hand, instead of residing below it. This is a great example of how the new RX comes to you, and not the other way around. In a different luxury vehicle, this convenience would block key buttons on the center console; in the RX, the few essential console buttons are easily grouped on the driver's side of the shift knob.
Of course, the result of advanced ergonomics is an amazing level of personal comfort, made even more comfortable with optional wood and leather trim, improved noise-reduction features, and a wider body that leaves driver and passengers with first-class-style elbow room. When looking at the new RX from the outside, it's apparent that the wider body now gives the vehicle a lower, forward-leaning stance, as does a new back end that angles farther downward than its predecessor's; such design choices make the vehicle look like a crouching sprinter awaiting a starting gun. The RX's lines are also now sharper, less rounded, and the exterior matches the interior's design approach-broad, open spaces that exude a simple, elegant beauty, albeit one that seems ready to take off at any second.
POWER, PERFORMANCE, AND PAVEMENT
And take off it will. Both the RX gas-only and hybrid models now sport large 3.5-liter V6 engines-up from 3.3 liters for the hybrid—and the new RX hybrid's 295 horsepower* (total system output) exceeds its predecessor's by 27.
And just as it did at its debut four years ago, the RX hybrid introduces new efficiencies. The standouts: two systems that recirculate exhaust gases back into the engine to gain performance. The Exhaust Heat Recovery System helps the V6 quickly warm up after ignition, which helps improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. The Cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation System introduces cooled exhaust into the combustion process, which contributes to improved engine efficiency. As expected, the RX 450h has earned SULEV (Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle)* status from the California Air Resources Board.
Katsuda and his team also looked closely at where RX drivers spend most of their time driving. The answer: pavement, which shouldn't surprise anybody. After all, the RX, as a luxury crossover SUV, is a smart distance-commuting or family runaround choice, thanks to its roominess and extraordinary comfort—not to mention the RX hybrid's EV-mode fuel efficiency in stop-and-go traffic. It's also a luxurious family or weekend-warrior recreation vehicle, providing comfortable distance travel across the North American road system to cross-mountain passes and reach coastal getaways.
Bearing this in mind, Katsuda gave the new RX 350 and RX 450h a new rear double-wishbone suspension system, which gives the vehicles a stiffer resistance against roll and sway—the upward and outward force placed on the vehicle when turning at faster speeds on high-friction surfaces, such as, for instance, pavement. The result: the RX models hug the road tightly for agile, sedan-like handling. They're also available with all-wheel drive (AWD). The RX 350's AWD system includes Active Torque Control, which provides the optimum torque to each wheel as road conditions change. In the RX 450h, the available AWD system does the same for the rear wheels, plus the hybrid's regenerative braking system, which recharges the electric motor batteries by sending them the energy normally lost when braking, is now more effective—it gathers energy from four wheels instead of two.
SMART SAFETY
Beyond on-the-road agility, the 2010 RX 350 and RX 450h come standard with a class-leading 10 airbags (their nearest class competitor has eight), as well as front-seat active headrests* that help reduce potential whiplash injury during lower-speed rear collisions.
The vehicles also include Lexus' new intelligent highbeams, which automatically switch on and off thanks to a sensor that detects highbeam—appropriate, or—inappropriate, ambient light conditions. No more manual highbeam clicking when traffic approaches on dark roads. Not only that, the RX 450h offers—as an option—brighter, more long-lasting, eco-sensitive LED low-beam headlamps.
It's considerations like these that exemplify the 2010 RX's approach to reinvention: the belief that no feature is important unless it serves the most vital vehicle systems of all—you the driver, and all who travel with you.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
There is less noise when driving in hybrid electric-mode only; be alert to your surroundings.
The intelligent high beams can help improve vision at night. However, conditions such as a dirty windshield, rapidly changing light conditions, or hilly terrain will limit effectiveness so the driver may need to manually change the high beams from on to off. See Owner's Manual for details.
Active headrests can help reduce the extent of whiplash in certain types of rear-end collisions.
The Side View camera does not provide a comprehensive view of the front passenger side area of the vehicle. You should also look around outside your vehicle and use your mirrors to confirm clearance. Cold weather will limit effectiveness and view may become cloudy.
Ratings achieved using the required premium unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 91 or higher. If premium fuel is not used, performance will decrease.
The navigation system is designed to assist in locating an address or point of interest. XM NavTraffic® requires a monthly service fee and hardware and is designed to provide real-time traffic or alternative routes of travel. Discrepancies may be encountered between the system and your actual location. Road system changes may affect the accuracy of the information provided. Rely on your common sense to decide whether to follow a specified route. Detailed coverage not available in every city or roadway. Periodic Navigation updates available at an additional cost. See your Navigation System Owner's Manual for further details.
Mark Levinson is a registered trademark of Harman International Industries, Inc.
The Lexus Personalized Settings (LPS) Program is a one-time, complimentary offer for new vehicles for the first 12 months from the date the vehicle is sold. Please see your Lexus dealer for more information.
2010 RX 350 and RX 450h preliminary city/highway mpg estimates determined by Lexus. EPA estimates not available at time of printing. Actual mileage will vary.
Learn more about the RX
Learn more about the RX Hybrid
Reprinted Courtesy of Lexus Magazine