Lexus refreshes RX large SUV
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 7th Jun 2019
LEXUS has given its popular five- and seven-seat RX large SUV range a mid-life refresh, with improvements centred around suspension and body rigidity and some minor cosmetic changes.
Having first gone on sale locally in current guise in late 2015, the updated RX and RX L range will touch down in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year.
Headlining the list of changes are updates to the RX’s suspension, with redesigned shock absorbers equipped with a new friction control device that helps reduce vibrations caused by minor road imperfections.
Engineers have increased the rigidity of the RX chassis with thicker and stiffer hollow stabiliser bars, greater use of laser-screw welding, spot welding and high-strength adhesives, which has resulted in a sharper steering response.
Some minor visual updates have been made to the exterior, including lightly tweaked LED headlights and signature spindle grille, new L-shaped tail-lights, restyled front and rear bumpers, new character lines, and a refreshed set of 18- and 20-inch aluminium wheels with new colour options.
Lexus has also introduced new LED lighting technology for the first time with the updated RX, with the automatic high-beam system now fitted with blade-scan technology that helps improve road illumination at night.
The technology uses a fast-spinning ‘blademirror’ that controls distribution by transferring light to a lens that illuminates the road ahead, which Lexus says results in drivers being able to see difficult areas such as road shoulders and road signs from a greater distance without dazzling oncoming drivers.
New active safety technologies have been incorporated into Lexus’ Safety System+ suite, including lane-keep assist and traffic sign assist.
For seven-seat RX L variants, the third-row pews now feature two seating position configurations, with the option of sliding the seats back for greater legroom.
A new touchscreen display has been added as an alternative to the Lexus remote touch interface for increased choice when navigating the infotainment system.
No changes have been made to the RX’s powertrain line-up which carries over a 175kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, a 221kW/370Nm 3.5-litre V6 and a hybrid V6 of the same size producing a combined 230kW system output.
Through the first five months of the year, RX sales have slipped by 18.6 per cent to 718 units, down on the 882 new registrations to the same point last year.
Despite its fall it still sits third in the premium large SUV segment behind the BMW X5 (1413) and Range Rover Sport (1160).
