2014 Lexus RX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

It doesn’t have the cachet of a Mercedes, a Beemer or an Audi, but Lexus keeps coming up with luxury alternatives to those Teutonic titans....

It doesn’t have the cachet of a Mercedes, a Beemer or an Audi, but Lexus keeps coming up with luxury alternatives to those Teutonic titans. A case in point is the eminently reliable and practical RX 350 high-end midsize crossover.

For 2014, Lexus’ pair of RX 350 trims, the Base and the performance-oriented F Sport, each get a few tweaks to profile and cabin. The new “spindle grille” matches that on the rest of Lexus' offerings, while new taillights, leather stitching, a more utilitarian (but still good-looking) center console, and a new steering-wheel design also debut this year. Its 80.3 cubic feet of cargo area (with the rear seats folded) remains, as does its 3,500 pounds of towing capacity.

Again the RX 350 Base trim is delivered with standard front-wheel drive (FWD), while the F Sport comes with standard full-time all-wheel drive (AWD) that again remains optional for the lower trim. Lexus’ AWD system, by the way, returns with power oriented toward the front wheels in normal conditions, standing ready to automatically divert torque from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip when the flakes fly or the mud thickens.

As the Lexus handle would imply, both trims are well endowed with standard appearance amenities, as the RX 350 Base once more sports 18-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate and a rear spoiler, while its more athletic F Sport sibling tosses in a sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, a power sunroof, and auxiliary transmission cooling.

Inside, the Base trim has cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, reclining rear seats and full power accessories, including reverse-tilting, heated, and power-adjustable outside mirrors. Cruise control and telescoping tilt-wheel steering are again standard aboard both RX 350 trims, as are a remote garage door opener and dual-zone climate control. Leather and wood accents and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror also come standard aboard each, with all of this bling bolstered by Enform-interfaced Bluetooth hands-free calling and a 6-CD changer boasting 9 speakers, satellite radio, and a USB port. The RX 350 F Sport, meantime, replaces the cloth upholstery with genuine leather, along with adding heated front seats and memory for driver's settings.

Options, many in package form, include a 7-inch touchscreen display with rear-view camera that will also incorporate the available navigation suite that comes with rear-seat DVD entertainment. Remote engine start, as well as a 350-watt Mark Levinson premium stereo system boasting 15 speakers and Surround Sound can each be added separately, as can an available head-up display and radar-interfaced adaptive cruise control. Also optional across the lineup are the popular Enform-informed smartphone apps.

Returning to power the RX 350 for 2014 is a variable-valve-timed (VVT) 3.5-liter V6 that mates with a standard 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission in the Base trim to put out 270 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. The F Sport again gets an 8-speed shiftable automatic that saves on gas (18 mpg city/26 highway) while allowing the same power numbers. FWD versions of the RX 350 Base, meantime, are estimated at 18/25, with available AWD versions alleged to get 18/24.

Finally, noteworthy standard safety features aboard each RX 350 include 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, front and rear head airbags, front head restraint whiplash protection and front side-mounted airbags. Lexus’ touted Enform-based Safety Connect emergency communications and assistance again comes standard, as do turn-signal-integrated mirrors, daytime running lights, front fog/driving lights, a post-collision safety system, and a remote antitheft alarm. Safety options available to this high-end ute include the self-descriptive Intuitive Parking Assist, blind-spot warning, and a pre-collision braking system that works with the available adaptive cruise control.