Entered CNET Catalog: 04/25/2006
SKU: 100684406
Manufacturer: Lexus
Product summary
The good: A punchy V-6 gives the 2007 RX 350 sedanlike performance. Lexus's usual luxury fixtures comes as standard, and options include GPS navigation, Bluetooth, and a rear-seat entertainment system.
The bad: The 2WD RX 350 is prone to loss of traction on more-challenging terrains.
The bottom line: The Lexus RX 350 is a luxury SUV that delivers a stylish, sporty ride. A powerful--and relatively economical--engine endows Lexus's flagship truck with solid performance, although the AWD version is recommended for anything away from the asphalt. A collection of optional cabin tech makes the RX 350 a wired ride.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 07/25/2006
Our tester came with the Performance Package ($4,955), which includes four-wheel air suspension, sequential automatic transmission, and adaptive front lighting. While its enhanced performance will grab the notice of luxury sedan owners with growing families, the RX 350 comes with all of the standard appointments and safety features one would expect on an upscale SUV: leather- and wood-trimmed interior, a decent standard audio system with a six-disc in-dash changer, and automatic controls for everything from the heated outside mirrors to the rear tailgate. À la carte options on the RX 350 include Lexus's fifth-generation voice-activated GPS satellite navigation system with an integrated backup camera, Bluetooth hands-free calling ($2,650), and a rear-seat entertainment system ($1,740). An upgraded Mark Levinson stereo system is available only as part of a package that includes navigation, Bluetooth, and performance upgrades, for $6,190.
Without any of the major information/entertainment options, our tester based at $37,400; with the performance package, which includes optional multistage heated front seats ($540), a $92 cargo mat, and a delivery fee of $695, it leaves the lot for $43,682. Our RX 350 was decked out with the usual Lexus cabin luxury in the shape of ivory-leather trim with (imaginatively named) golden bird's-eye maple accents. The driving position in the RX 350 offers a commanding view of the road, and there is ample legroom and headroom for taller passengers, both in front and in the back. The RX 350's cargo space of 84.7 cubic feet is respectable for a car-based SUV and is maximized by the folding, 40/20/40-split rear seats, which can slide forward and backward depending on passenger or cargo priorities.
Rear visibility is somewhat hindered, however, by the RX 350's raked roofline and wide C-pillars. Up front, 10-way power seats with optional heating and ventilation as well as dual-zone climate control keep the driver and the front passenger in their comfort zone. Our test car also came with a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel with memory as part of the Performance Package.
Unfortunately, the test model did not come with many of the optional gadgets that would differentiate the RX 350 from lesser SUVs. Most conspicuously, it did without Lexus's fifth-generation navigation unit, which so impressed us in the 2006 Lexus IS 350. Navigation, along with a backup camera and a Bluetooth hands-free interface, is available for an additional $2,650 or as part of the Luxury Value Edition package, which also includes an upgraded 11-speaker 210-watt audio system from Mark Levinson. This upgraded system needs to be outstanding if it is to justify an upgrade from the RX 350's standard satellite-ready, MP3- and WMA-compatible AM/FM/CD audio system with a six-disc in-dash changer, which we found to be by far the most impressive feature of our admittedly low-tech tester. While the display of ID3-tag information for MP3 and WMA CDs is limited to a single, truncated line of text, sound quality through the six speakers is excellent for a standard system.
Incorporating an Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL) and a digital sound processor, the audio system delivers clean bass and clear separation across a range of music genres, and audio clarity is enhanced by the RX 350's inclusion of vibration-canceling engine mounts.
The other major entertainment option available on the RX 350 is the rear-seat DVD entertainment system with the roof-mounted LCD and wireless headphones that we saw in the 2006 RX 400h, and which comes with a 9-inch screen--2 inches bigger than that in the RX 330.
Also available--but not featured in our model--is adaptive (or in Lexus-speak, Dynamic Laser) cruise control to enable drivers to electronically maintain a preset distance while following vehicles on the highway. The only significant external difference between the RX 350 and the outgoing RX 330 (the car it replaces) is the addition of a grille below the front bumper. The 3.5-liter V-6 RX 350 is more powerful than the Lexus RX 330, generating a healthy 270 horsepower, which is enough to propel the 4,090-pound RX 350 from standing to 60mph in 7.3 seconds. Engine tech is also upgraded in the RX 350, which uses dual variable-valve timing to optimize performance and reduce emissions. With the Performance Package, the RX 350's 5-speed automatic gearbox includes sequential transmission.
The five-door RX 350 is technically an SUV, but it is cut from different cloth than truck-based models. While calling it nimble is a stretch, its throttle response is good, and its handling and road-holding when thrown into corners is more akin to a car than a truck.
In keeping with its driving-to-the-country-club, luxury-SUV persona, the standard MacPherson strut suspension is supple with excellent damping. Our 2WD tester came with a Performance Package, which equipped it with four-wheel air suspension for driving in different conditions. At speeds of over 62mph, the RX 350 automatically lowers by 0.3 inches to increase handling and reduce the car's drag coefficient. Those wishing to get even sportier can press a button to lower the suspension a further 0.3 inches. There are also options to lower the car still further for ease of access or loading and to increase suspension height for off-road driving.
Despite being equipped with variable stability control, our front-wheel-drive version had a habit of losing its grip and wheel-spinning on challenging inclines. That minority of drivers investing in the Performance Package for off-track use should also consider upgrading to the AWD model, which provides a 50/50 front-to-rear power split and adds a viscous, limited-slip, center-differential transfer torque to those wheels with the most grip when driving in off-road situations.
The RX 350 is remarkably economical for a V-6 SUV. According to the EPA, it will get 20mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway. In our experience of city-weighted mixed driving, we observed an average of 21.6mpg, which is extremely respectable for a car of this power and weight. Thanks to its emissions-reducing engine technology, the RX 350 retains the RX 330's Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle II (U-LEV II) certification, despite being more powerful. Safety features on the RX 350 are plentiful and in line with Lexus's reputation. Four-wheel antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution come as standard, as do vehicle stability control and a tire pressure-monitoring system.
Also standard are dual advanced front airbags, driver's knee airbags, front and rear side-curtain airbags, and front-seat-mounted side airbags.
As part of its Performance Package, our test model came with high-intensity discharge headlamps with Lexus's adaptive front lighting system, enabling the headlights to swivel to correspond to the direction of the vehicle when turning, and rain-sensing wipers.
The RX 350 comes with Lexus's new vehicle limited warranty, which includes four-year/50,000-mile basic coverage, six-year/70,000-mile powertrain coverage, and six-year/unlimited mileage corrosion coverage. Lexus also provides the vehicle's first scheduled maintenance service for free.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13out of 13 user reviews
Nice, but Skip the Navigation
Pros: Smooth, quiet ride, surprisingly large interior, good acceleration and braking, nice sound system, decent range of up to 400 miles, decent mileage at 25-26 MPG Highway mileage. The interior is large enough to carry 6 foot tables. Very reliable.
Cons: The navigation system is not just bad, it is atrocious.
out of 13 user reviews
a wonderful, wonderful vehicle
Pros: I love everything about it. The ride; the interior; the storage places available; the new navagation system, a big improvement in the 2010 model.
Cons: Only one thing so far with my 2010: The switches to operate automatic garage doors are not lighted as in my 2007 model. Why would they take that away. I cannot see them in the dark.
out of 13 user reviews
Expected more from Lexus but do like the RX350.
Pros: Quality is better than average, nice looking style, great vehicle for shorter people, back seats are adjustable, backup camera, power gate, nice quiet ride & handles well.
Cons: This vehicle is not made for tall people. Seats are not comfortable for long trips. To change many settings you have to bring the vehicle into the dealer. The navigation system can be a pain to use but it's not the worst system out there.
out of 13 user reviews
This as most Lexus vehicles are for "short" people
Pros: Quiet & nice appearance.
Cons: My wife and I are average height and she was given the RX350 as a company vehicle. She is 5'-8" and fits in there fine but I'm 6'-2" and I my head touches the roof. Now everytime I see a lexus on the road I now think "little person"
out of 13 user reviews
Just bought 2009, it's fabulous,
Pros: Love the luxury interior and smooth ride. Getting in and out is also a plus for me.
Cons: I don't have any now, and hope I never come up with any.
out of 13 user reviews
Hybrids won't save the world, especially this one
Pros: High quality, drives like a car
Cons: Poor fuel milage, average is 15.8
out of 13 user reviews
The Best SUV in the Market
Pros: Most reliable luxury vehicle
Cons: Difficult to improve on the best
B4 buying I test drove most of the models available this one wins hand down. Everything a driver wants and the passengers can desire is available in this fantastiv SUV.
out of 13 user reviews
Do not buy the navigation
Pros: Great overall vehicle
Cons: Denso Navigation and rear curtain rattles badly
out of 13 user reviews
I have had MAJOR quality probs with my RX350
Pros: Great looking, handles well
Cons: Significant quality probs...Lexus not very helpful
out of 13 user reviews
Great-but...
Pros: Ride, handling
Cons: Many navigation features inoperable while moving.
out of 13 user reviews
Should have tested the Perf. Pkg. WITH AWD!
Pros: Great all around mid-SUV w Class!
Cons: Why do they make the Perf. Pkg. from Japan so hard to find?
Then they wouldn’t have had anything to complain about and could have rated this an 8.6 instead of a 7.6!
out of 13 user reviews
Rides like a sedan !
Pros: So many hidden safety features
Cons: Does not wash dishes
out of 13 user reviews
We have 6K mi.so far and it is real nice quality SUV.
Pros: It is smooth and quiet ,the bluetooth and navigation is great.
Cons: The paint chips easily and uses premium gas.
