The Lexus RX is a luxury crossover SUV manufactured by Lexus since 1998. The Lexus RX was first sold in March 1998 in its domestic market of Japan, where it was first introduced as the Toyota Harrier in late 1997. The RX, widely regarded as the first luxury crossover SUV, has been produced in four versions, the first compact in size and the following three of which were mid-sized.
History of Lexus RX
Lexus RX First Generation XU10 (1998 - 2003)
The RX concept, a combination of a luxury sedan and an SUV, was first proposed in 1993 at lunch in Nagoya by TMS (Toyota Motor Sales) and Toyota Motor officials. TMS officials submitted the car at a product planning conference in Toyota City, Japan, in 1994, and Lexus brought it into construction. The company accepted the final design to undergo production supervised by designer Makoto in December 1995, and Lexus tested prototypes in 1996. The Toyota Caldina, which had AWD and a roomy interior, was sold in Japan by the manufacturer. The 1st generation of the Mercedes-Benz ML was a tremendous hit, but Lexus wasn't far behind, introducing the RX in 1998, just two years after the German SUV. When Lexus launched the RX in North America, it quickly outsold all other SUVs and soared to the top of the sales lists. Mercedes-Benz had already been startled since launching the ML earlier, but Toyota just outperformed them. The Lexus RX300 had a unit-body design instead of its German rival's body-on-frame structure, which resulted in a lightweight vehicle. Furthermore, the Japanese luxury manufacturer offered fuel-efficient engines. The four-cylinder Harrier, which debuted in Japan in December 1997 alongside V6-powered variants, was offered in front-wheel-drive (SXU10) and all-wheel drive (SXU15) configurations. Lexus sold more than 370,000 RX 300s throughout the first-generation's five-year lifespan. Soon after its debut, it was the best-selling Lexus model, thanks to its high sales volume. Several other manufacturers launched different models to counter the RX 300's popularity, which helped build the luxury crossover SUV market.
Lexus RX Second Generation XU30 (2003 - 2008)
At the 2003 North American International Motor Show, Lexus unveiled the second generation of the RX SUV, promising improved performance and fuel performance. As the world's emphasis shifted to SUVs, Lexus attempted to gain a larger market share. The RX for the 2004 model year, like its predecessor, was powered by the Toyota Harrier, which was only available in Japan. The company introduced the RX as a competitor to the sporty BMW, a tremendous hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Apart from its German rival, the Japanese SUV was not available with a turbo-diesel engine, which delayed sales on the European continent. The second-generation RX debuted in 2003 for the 2004 model year, with a larger segment-hopping size and elegant style and a larger 3.3L V-6 engine with 230 horsepower and 238 pound-feet of torque. The company replaced the first four-speed gen's automatic transmission with a five-speed automatic gearbox that included air suspension, adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, and adaptive front headlights.
Lexus RX Third Generation AL10 (2008 - 2015)
In 2008, the Los Angeles Auto Show saw the introduction of the third-generation Lexus RX, following the parent company's 2007 debut of the first concept vehicle. As per the vehicle manufacturer's estimates, the new RX would go into large-scale production in February 2009 in the United States and mid-2009 in Japan, Europe, and other nations. The third-generation RX 350 was introduced in 2009, keeping the 3.5-liter V-6 but increasing the power to 275 hp and 257 lb-ft and incorporating a sixth gear to the automatic gearbox. The RX 450h hybrid now has 295 hp and an increased fuel economy of 28 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The third-gen RX was bigger than the first-gen RX since it stands solidly in the mid-size SUV sector it hoped to beat in the small first-gen.
Lexus RX Fourth Generation AL20 (2015 - Present)
The 2016 RX represents the most significant advancement for Lexus' largest hybrid luxury SUV. It has modern engines, gearbox, and safety features, making it a very appealing vehicle. At the New York International Auto Show in April 2015, Lexus unveiled the new RX (AL20), which has a redesigned, more robust "spindle grille" and a "floating top design." The RX was supposed to be released in November 2015 in the United States. Lexus launched an F Sport variant of the RX hybrid, the RX 450h F Sport, for the first time in the United States. The RX models sold in North America are made in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, with around 25% of the pieces coming from Japan.
For markets outside of North America, the RX is built at Toyota's facility in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan, with 64 percent of its components originating from Japan.
- 2017 - Announcement of the new three-row seven-passenger models: RX, the RX 350 L, and RX 450hL.
- 2019 - Lexus redesigned the RX and RX L.
- 2020 - The company introduced different and modern features for the RX model as a 2021 model.
- 2021 - Addition of the low-light pedestrian detection, daytime bicyclist detection, Lane Tracing Assist, and Road Sign Assists.
Price
The luxury division sold the 1998 Lexus RX with an MSRP of $35,000 to $52,000 ($60,920 to $90,510 for the 2022 exchange rate).
Lexus manufactured and sold the latest 2022 Lexus RX with a starting price of $46,645, including the different trim levels:
- RX350 - $46,645
- RX450h - $49,345
- RX350L - $49,475
- RX350 F Sport - $50,125
- RX450hL - $52,735
- RX450h F Sport - $52,825
- RX350L Luxury - $55,475
- RX450hL Luxury - $58,735
Features
The luxury Lexus RS crossover comes with keyless entry/ignition, LED exterior lighting, 18-inch alloy wheels, self-dimming rearview mirror, heated side mirrors, 10-way power-adjustable front seats, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control.
Additional features for the base 2022 Lexus RS are the following:
- 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity
- Lane-keeping assist
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blindspot warning
- Forward collision warning
Customers can also buy the available features like:
- Panoramic moonroof
- Leather-trimmed interior
- Heated second-row seats
- Head-up display
- Heated steering wheel
- Mark Levinson premium stereo
- Navigation with a 12.3-inch touchscreen
- Rear automatic braking
- Hands-free power liftgate
- Heated and ventilated front seats
Specs
The 2022 Lexus RX350 F Sport AWD engine delivers 295 hp (217 kW) at 6,300 rpm and 269 lb-ft (365 Nm) at 4,700 rpm of torque. The RX350 F Sport accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) in 6.7 seconds with a top speed of 132 mph (212 kph) and a curb weight of 4,623 lb (2,096 kg) Lexus sold the RX350 F Sport as an all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicle powered by a DOHC 24-valve V6 engine.
Release Date
Lexus released the Lexus RX First Generation XU10 in 1998, and the latest RX350 is expected to enter the showrooms in late 2022.