Lexus goes large to add seven seats for first time
The new Lexus RX L is 110mm longer and is now available with a third row of seats to match its German competitors. heads out to Switzerland to try out Lexus’ biggest offering yet — the new RX L.
WHAT IS IT?
Since arriving on the European scene in 1990, Lexus has never once offered a car with seven seats. Quite hard to believe considering key rivals — most importantly the German big trio, BMW, Mercedes and Audi — have done so for a number of years, in the form of the X5, GLS and Q7.
Well, the Japanese firm has decided to finally plug that gap on this side of the world by introducing the Lexus RX L. As you can probably guess, it’s effectively a seven-seat variant of the current RX which has been on sale since 2015 — but this isn’t a half-job, with Lexus making a number of changes to accommodate a third row of seating.
WHAT’S NEW?
This larger version of Lexus’ flagship SUV brings a third row of seats to the table. To accommodate that, the hybrid machine has grown in size over the regular car, with a 110mm increase in length, although wheelbase and height have remained the same.
This extra metal gives it a revised look at the rear, although it’s not a drastic redesign. There’s little else new to report, with the car carrying its tech and petrol-electric V6 hybrid powertrain over from the current generation of RX.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?
Just one powertrain is on offer in Europe for the Lexus RX L. It’s a petrol-electric hybrid that’s also available on the five-seat variant of the car, consisting of a 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a battery pack and electric motor.
The package produces a total of 308 bhp, while the engine and battery independently develop 335Nm of torque — sent to the front wheels by the petrol unit, with electrical power at the back. With that power sent through a CVT gearbox, 0-60mph can be achieved in 7.8 seconds, while a top speed of 112mph is possible.
Fuel economy is claimed at 47.1mpg, with CO2 emissions of 138g/km — not bad at all for a huge, heavy, petrol-powered SUV.
It’s a combination that could do with a bit more punch at the lower end of the rev band. Engine torque takes a while to kick in, and running on electricity alone feels rather sluggish. It’s not helped by the CVT gearbox, which tends to send engine revs spiralling at the prod of the throttle.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
If quality and refinement is your thing, the Lexus RX L presents an appealing package. Thanks to its hybrid powertrain, it’s quiet at a cruise and despite its size, wind noise is pretty low too.
Suspension is also supple when in Normal or Eco modes, which goes far to aid a comfortable journey.
Don’t think utilising the RX L’s Sport and Sport S modes will make it a sporty handler, though. While the steering weights up fairly nicely, it wallows under hard driving and doesn’t feel happy to be thrown about — especially with its lack of punch under the bonnet.
This is also not one of those big cars that feels much smaller on the road — it certainly owns its presence, and you’re left in no doubt about the size of the machine you’re piloting.
HOW DOES IT LOOK?
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for not being able to spot the difference between the RX L and it’s five-seat counterpart.
Up front, it retains the angular looks, with that monstrously huge spindle grille that looks ready to eat up anything else on the road.
The changes out back are quite hard to spot unless you know what you’re looking for as well. While the roofline doesn’t taper off in the way the regular RX does, strategically placed design elements behind each rear passenger window create a floating roof effect which does well to disguise the increased height.
Does it look good, though? That depends on your feelings towards extremely angular designs.
WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?
Sitting up front in an RX L is quite a nice place to be. Premium materials feature throughout, with leather in the cabin, while the dashboard is finished with a soft-touch feel. What really separates the RX L though is right at the back; the third row of seats, of course.
While it may seem practical, realistically they’re only useful for younger children. Adults will struggle to fit and won’t be in for a comfortable journey.
The kids will be pretty happy in there, though, with dual-zone air-con along with a pair of cupholders for that ever important fast-food run.
WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?
The Lexus RX L will be offered in three trim levels — SE, Luxury and the range-topping Premier.
We tested the Premier model with standard creature comforts including 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, a reversing camera, heated and ventilated front seats, triple-zone climate control, five selectable drive modes, ‘triple-eye’ LED headlights and Lexus’ Premium Navigation infotainment system displayed on a 12.3-inch display, among others.
On paper, it’s respectable value for money, but some of the tech feels outdated — especially the infotainment system. Rather than utilising a touchscreen or rotary dial like you’d find in a BMW X7 or Audi Q7, it’s operated with a frankly frustrating mouse-like control, while its navigation display is difficult to follow with no 3D option.
THE VERDICT
The Lexus RX L makes sense if you’re a previous RX customer looking for the ability to carry seven but without straying away from your current machine.
The differences — third row aside — are few and far between, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, this feels like a missed opportunity to update a model which hadn’t set the SUV market alight when it was launched in 2015.
That said, this is an extremely capable long-distance cruiser and a very comfortable one for occupants in the first two rows - and for children in the third - with plenty of equipment to justify the cost.
