Expectedly Evolutionary: The 2010 Lexus RX 350

Sometimes, when a manufacturer re-engineers a car, the end result is a complete surprise. Take, for example, the 2005 Mustang. A massive redesign, it brought what was considered an aging nameplate into the modern era and introduced America’s ponycar to a new generation of car buyers. Likewise, BMW’s M3 continues to revamp its identity with each passing generation; once a hard-core, stripped-out sports car that’s now available with a plethora of features and four doors full doors.

And then there’s Lexus. As Toyota’s luxury brand, they haven’t had much success when it comes to surprising people; each new model is usually spotted by spy photographers years in advance (a testament to their lengthy testing periods) and typically provides little in the way of last minute surprises. Be it their LFA supercar or the IS-F sports sedan, the relatively new brand has gotten to where they are by slowly and methodically building cars people like, and simply improving upon them in the years that follow.

So, needless to say, the all new 2010 RX350 is in no way, shape, or form, surprising. In fact, it breaks so little new ground that Lexus themselves have seen fit to adorn the car with a paltry 320 word press release (of which 89 words is spend recounting the RX’s successful past) entitled “Lexus Introduces All-New RX 350 Luxury Utility Vehicle for 2010.” To put that in perspective, the average obituary is between 200 and 450 words in length.

And that’s appropriate, because this is a car that leaves you hunting for a pulse. Sure, the shapely new sheetmetal is a mammoth, gargantuan, and stupendous improvement over the previous jellybean inspired RX’s of years past, but therein lies the problem: this car is all about image. Having been a solid sales performer for years, the RX has preyed upon the Camry-buying public since its inception; giving new families an alternative to the minivan that so many car buyers should purchase, but are loath to actually buy. So, with its SUV-inspired styling, four swinging doors, and perfect practicality, the RX has buoyed itself upon the relative failure of the minivan market. And, sadly, the 2010 model is no different.

Inside that cocoon of pressed steel, the 2010 RX is, for all intents and purposes, a styling change. The seating positions are all a little bit more spacious and comfortable (or at least they feel that way), and the new design of the rear pillars, which admittedly look to have been inspired by something from Infiniti’s design studio (or dare we say it; Hyundai’s?!) definitely improves the overall visibility. The features list, which was already quite lengthy, has been expanded to include a few new items, most notable of which is a new control interface that’s part trackball and part mouse. Controlling a familiar pointed on-screen, the system uses a nifty magnetic system to tug the controller (with variable intensity) into the on-screen buttons. It’s pretty fun to play with, and is easily more intuitive than many of the similar systems from BMW and Audi. That said, once the learning curve has been rounded, both BMW’s infamous iDrive and Audi’s similar twirly-knob system offers more rapid access to features, which correlates to more time spent focussing on the road ahead. Furthermore, the whole apparatus occupies half of the center console and is dangerously close to the cupholders. So, you won’t have anywhere to put your cell phone, and you will eventually spill you large double-double all over it.

And I wish I could say more good things about the actual system that device controls. The navigation works just as well as in any other Lexus, but the graphics that were once ground-breaking are now just on-par with those from Ford/Lincoln and BMW. However, that’s a moot point next to the complete futility of the RX’s USB integration. Initially, it appeared promising, with a deviously hidden USB plug in the bottom of the center console keeping your iPod plugged in and charging, but away from prying eyes when parked. But, try and actually play any music off said USB device, and you’ll quickly revert to the radio. Scrolling through artists with glacial speed, it took a full 8 minutes to go from AC/DC to Weezer... and that’s on an 8 gig iPod Nano. True music aficionado’s run the risk of missing entire musical eras before they arrive at a song they’d like to play. Of course, this might not be so bad, if only you could do it without interrupting the song that’s currently playing, but of course, that’s not possible. For whatever reason, scrolling through a few pages convinces the RX to begin playing whatever song tops the screen at the time. So, go from AC/DC to Weezer and you might just end up with musical detours at The Dave Matthews Band, The Gaslight Anthem, Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Lord knows I did.

And then there’s the overall quality. Being what could be called a transition model, the RX is loosely based upon Camry architecture shared with the ES 350. Intended to provide buyers with a familiar feel in an upscale wrapper, this also imbues the RX with a few relatively un-Lexus-like traits. First, there’s the ridiculously long shifter. An obvious parts bin piece, it protrudes from the dashboard and obscures climate controls in park and the cupholders in drive. Also, plastics in obscure areas (read: on the left side of the steering wheel) are of a Yaris-like variety and incongruous with all the other soft-touch plastics and leather elsewhere while the door panels feel like they belong in a Toyota.

But it’s not all bad. A new heads-up information system is a welcome addition, as is a new side-view camera system that shows how close you are to curbs while parallel parking. Not surprisingly, it drives expectedly well, and Toyota has outfitted the crossover with a new optional VDIM system that integrates the various stability and traction control systems as well as ABS braking and brake assist to maintain control in “interesting” situations, shall we say. In inclement conditions, the available all wheel drive system has been made more capable by the replacement of the old viscous coupling with a new electronic coupling ahead of the rear differential that typically shuttles100% of the available torque to the front tires, but can split the torque 50/50 front to rear in the case of understeer or tire slippage. In the snow, the electronic coupler can be locked at 50/50.

So, in summation, it’s safe to say that the 2010 RX 350 is exactly what you expect it to be; an evolution of an already successful crossover. It’s smooth, quiet, and packed with the expected features. The exterior is attractive, the Lexus badge is well respected, and the interior is the picture of spacious practicality. But that might not be enough. With Infiniti building such dynamic vehicles as their EX and FX (which coincidentally bracket the RX’s price point) and Lincoln cornering the market on luxurious crossovers with their exciting looking MKT, the RX’s safe design and inability to break out of it’s now 11-year old mold might come back to bite it in its Infiniti-styled derriere.