If being steady and consistent is a flaw, then the Lexus brand isn’t flawless. Yes, Toyota’s luxury brand delivers comfort and luxury, wrapped in a conservative, maybe even sometimes boring driving experience. What some may call boring, I’d say lacks a little “sport.”
My tester for the week proved that Lexus hasn’t forgotten how to bring the excitement. The 2013 Lexus RX350 is a five-door SUV that has everything you expect from Lexus. But my tester was the F-Sport trim, which brings a little sport and excitement to this small SUV.
The F in F-Sport could stand for fun, as this sport package brings with it all-wheel drive, 19-inch wheels, 8-speed automatic transmission and a sport-tuned suspension. The last part bears special attention.
Typically Lexus vehicles are calm, quiet and smooth. Road noise is minimal and you can barely feel the road below. This all goes in the plus side of the column for most Lexus buyers. However, the enthusiast driver out there may want to feel the road a little more. And that’s what the F-Sport offers — a more exciting driving experience, with all the usual Lexus perks.
Two years removed from a total redesign, the F-Sport styling gives a refreshed feel to the RX350.
In both the F-Sport and the Base trim, a 3.5-liter, V6 engine comes standard. The engine produces 270 horsepower, which, following the Lexus playbook to a tee, offers just enough power and excitement to pacify the driver but lacks the goosebump factor.
The most notable feature of the RX350 is the least noticeable, and that’s the road or engine noise. This is an area Lexus excels at in most vehicles, and certainly delivers in the RX350. Passengers revel in silent luxury along the highway. If not for the F-Sport suspension (like in the base trim RX350), it’d be like floating on a cloud.
Other highlights of note inside the RX350 are heated and ventilated front seats, wood trim interior, rain-sensing wipers and aluminum pedals.
My tester had the advanced navigation system that tied directly to the Lexus Enform system. This feature allows Bluetooth communication with internet-based apps like Pandora radio, which is oh-so-nice. The remote touch controller (think finger-sized joystick) that operates the infotainment system is somewhat cumbersome, requiring eyes to be off the road and at least one hand to operate the somewhat touchy controller. Once you get the hang of it, it’s actually pretty impressive and offers a lot of nice options. Control of the system, once you’re familiar and everything is set up, moves back to the steering wheel for quick control over your entertainment options. Pairing with my iPhone was an absolute breeze.
Another high-tech option was the intuitive parking assist. This feature, though not new to Lexus or exclusive to the RX350, does help the driver navigate the SUV into tighter spots with sensors located on the front and rear bumpers. Audible and visual cues help communicate to the driver when objects are close.
A blind-spot monitoring system comes as a $500 additional cost, but is worth that price, as it provides piece of mind to the driver that it’s safe to change lanes. I  wish this safety feature were standard for all vehicles, and included in all models, not just as a luxury add-on. But I digress.
The Lexus RX350 has an EPA rating of 18 city and 26 highway. With the sleeker F-Sport design sytling, that trim actually gains a little in fuel economy with
19 city and 26 highway. In a week’s worth of driving, I averaged 22 MPG.
As is typical for Lexus, pricing varies based upon trim and packages. The base RX350 starts just under $40,000. The F-Sport trim starts at $47,000. My tester, with the navigation package, with the blind-spot monitor and the parking assist, came in at $51,729.
With the RX350, Lexus caters to its customer, offering a steady eddy smallish SUV with quiet comfort. For the enthusiast out there, who might like a little more fun, Lexus hits the mark — and F marks the spot.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115. Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor