Car Reviews
Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance: SERENITY – WITH ALACRITY – NOW!
Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance
SERENITY – WITH ALACRITY – NOW!
There’s been lots of talk regarding cultural shifts. And no, we’re not going ‘political’. As most of you know, there’s far more to life than politics; there’s just life. At this year’s Super Bowl half-time we were offered Bad Bunny, with his Spanish lyrics, left-leaning persona and global reach. And as Facebook posts reminded me, on February 9th in 1964 the Beatles made their U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. As I noted on FB that was – at the time – perhaps the biggest cultural shift since World War II, while Bad Bunny’s appearance might portend a similar shift sixty years later.
Given that this is an automotive space, let’s get there: The launch of Toyota’s Lexus division in 1989 was among the most notable shifts in the automotive space since World War II. Prior to that was, of course, the VW Beetle, BMC’s Mini, the Ford Mustang and – much later – Tesla’s Model S. While the Lexus debut in 1989 didn’t provide anything all-new, Toyota’s upscale franchise weakened our domestic luxury market while putting the Germans on notice. Almost forty years later, Cadillac and Lincoln remain weakened, and the Germans still take notice.
That brings us – 200+ words later! – to this week’s subject, the Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance. The RX occupies a compact/midsize space, generally overlooked by many OEMs, but Lexus and Volvo and Mercedes continue to fight the battle.
Of these, the RX – in any of its iterations – has perhaps the most polarizing sheetmetal, beginning with its front fascia. The famous/infamous spindle grille is less obvious, but the front overhang is exaggerated, its grille opening oversized, the overall impression almost brutalist. The good news: You only see it in the walk-up, and none of it is visible from behind the wheel. The balance of the RX is, well…balanced, with its easily recognized greenhouse supplying adequate outward visibility, while the rear hatch opens to 30 cubic feet of cargo capability.
Inside, our test example’s buckets border on form-fitting, and in a deep, almost blood red are genuinely eye-popping. The info in front of the driver is digital, and the infotainment screen is made more intuitive with HVAC controls located beneath it, a small nod to the analog gods.
Room for a midsize crossover is comfortable, with the second row offering generous legroom and headroom (even with its panoramic sunroof), along with enough width to actually carry that middle passenger. Notably, given that there’s no pretense at this being an adventure-oriented crossover, its ride height and door openings allow easy ingress and egress, regardless of your inseam.
Although the team at Car and Driver bemoan its lack of excitement, I’m hard pressed to complain about a 0-60 of 5.5 seconds, along with a ¼ mile time of just over 14 seconds. Those guys would prefer a more direct connection between the steering wheel and front wheels, the seat of the pants and the feel of the road. At this life stage I’m all about a direct connection to the roadway, but it doesn’t need to be while in a Lexus. I found the balance achieved by the RX chassis perfect for its mission and target demographic; if I want a more direct connection I’ll grab my Miata, sitting on the other side of the garage.
Comprising the ‘500h’ in the model description is a turbocharged and intercooled DOHC inline four, delivering 271 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque, in combination with two AC motors – total combined output is 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A 6-speed auto directs that inline four to the front wheels, while the AC motors are hooked directly to the rear wheels. The end result is, from the seat of my pants, a Magical Motoring Tour.
Having a base price of around $65K, typical options on the RX 500h F Sport should put you out the door for less than $75K. With a customer-centric buying environment, a well-rehearsed service process and good coffee while waiting, what’s not to like?
