Lexus' flagship RX SUV gains new entry-level model

The new model slots in at the foot of the range with a

03 December 2019 at 10:40

Japanese luxury car manufacturer Lexus has created a new entry-level version of its flagship RX SUV, which will arrive in the UK next year.

Simply dubbed RX, the newcomer sits below the F Sport and Takumi models in the line-up offering customers a new, cheaper way into RX ownership. If all that sounds familiar to Lexus fans and/or owners, that’s because the RX Premium grade already exists. The new base-spec RX is simply that model minus the Premium Pack.

That means drivers get a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia display with six USB ports and the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration systems. The cabin also comes furnished with a wireless smartphone charger, paddle shifters on the steering wheel and Tahara synthetic leather upholstery, as well as eight-way power-adjustable seats. And five-seat RXs get heated front seats, although the seven-seat RX L has to make do without.

Both the RX and the larger RX L, thugh, get Lexus’ latest Safety System+ safety equipment, with functions designed to recognise a range of collision risks, alert the driver and apply braking and assistance to help avoid an accident, or lessen the consequences if an impact is unavoidable. Triple-eye LED headlights with automatic high beam also come as standard, along with an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and a sonar system designed to help the driver maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

As before, customers will still have the chance to go for the RX Premium equipment by simply choosing an RX with the Premium Pack, which adds smooth leather upholstery, front seat ventilation and hands-free tailgate operation with a kick sensor, not to mention heated steering wheel, auto-dimming and reverse-tilting functions for the door mirrors and easy access for the driver with auto-retracting seat and steering wheel with memory function. For those buying the seven-seat RX L, the package also includes integrated front seat heaters.

And if that isn’t enough kit, there’s also a Tech and Safety Pack on offer for vehicles where the Premium Pack has already been specified. This pack adds a colour head-up display, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert with automatic braking to increase the safety assistance already fitted as standard. RX buyers can also choose a panoramic glass roof, while RX L customers can have a sunroof.

Elsewhere in the RX range, buyers of the high-end RX L Takumi are also getting more choices. The flagship car will now be offered with a choice of two individual captain’s seats in place of the three-seat bench in the second row. Equipped with centre armrests and finished in the same leather as the front seats, these chairs are designed to provide more leg and elbow-room, while also freeing up more leg and foot space for the passengers seated in the third row. Both seats have a power-folding function to create an extended, flat load space.

All RXs will continue to feature the 3.5-litre V6 hybrid engine currently on offer. The engine churns out a not-insignificant 259 bhp, while the electric motor adds an extra 165 bhp. There’s a 67 bhp motor at the back, too, allowing zero-emission motoring at low speed, and all three can work together to produce a total of 308 bhp.

The updated RX and RX ranges are available to order now, with customer deliveries beginning from January 2020.