2010 Lexus RX 350 introduces new technology
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There are more than one million Lexus RX vehicles on the road worldwide, making the iconic luxury utility vehicle the company’s biggest seller.
So when Lexus began looking at ways to improve the RX for the 2010 model year, officials wanted to be cautious to not make changes just for the sake of making change.
“One of our most important goals was to create an interior environment that is luxurious and comfortable,” Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager Mark Templin told journalists recently at a ride and drive event in San Antonio.
After a five-hour test drive of the 2010 RX 350, I can say that Lexus engineers stuffed the new RX cabin with technology. The RX should be welcomed by drivers who want a quiet, safe and accommodating interior.
One of the biggest changes for the interior this year is the manner in which vehicle controls are operated. Voice commands are still available, but Lexus has introduced a new system called Remote Touch, which allows the driver or passenger to operate the navigation system as well as climate, audio and phone controls by using a palm-sized hand rest with a squared joystick on the front.
The system provides a tactile response to the hand, meaning that the curser on the navigation screen will jump to its intended target without much input from the operator. This haptic technology is like using your palm to roll a marble on a flat surface until the marble finds a hole to drop into. Once the curser snaps into place, the user then presses a button on either side of the hand rest to activate that control. If you’ve ever used a mouse and a home computer, you’ll find the controller intuitive and the learning curve low.
The screen for the system is located high on the dash, meaning that drivers don’t have to move their eyes far from the road. Lexus also adds an adjustable heads-up display that projects speed and other readouts onto the windshield. And for the first time, Lexus is making a back-up camera available on the rearview mirror when the vehicle doesn’t have the nav system.
In the category of “why didn’t we think of this before?” Lexus gave the RX a new rear spoiler that hides the rear wiper blade when it’s not in use. The hood is no longer attached to the bold Lexus grille, and I think the stance just looks more muscular.
Engineers improved the drag coefficient by working on panels beneath the car. Lexus officials say the low drag makes the interior even quieter, but since I’ve always found Lexus vehicles among the quietest on the road, I couldn’t tell much difference in the new RX.
The RX mates a 3.5-liter V-6 with a new six-speed multi-mode automatic transmission. Horsepower is increased from 270 to 275. Ninety percent of the 256 lb.-ft. of torque is available from 2,300 to 6,100 rpm. Mileage estimates are 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mph on the highway.
The RX 350 has a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system to improve handling and safety, and the vehicle is equipped with 10 standard airbags, including side curtains, front seat mounted side airbags, rear side airbags for outboard positions and driver and front passenger knee airbags.
The 2010 RX 350, which arrives at dealerships this month, starts at $36,800 for the front-wheel drive model and $38,200 for the AWD version.
The RX 450h, a hybrid cousin to the RX 350, is also available this year. It will get 28 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.
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