I got to spend a whole week with the new Lexus RX 350 F Sport, and I miss it already. A week was more than enough time to get to know this little SUV with some amazing features, and very few detractors. Lexus was kind enough to let me drive it around, knowing full well I was going to have two boys in the back seat the whole week. We were successful in not trashing it to much, other than some “curb rash” that I’ll get to later.
Automated Everything
The first thing I noticed about this car beyond, the fantastic paint color and more aggressive front end styling, was the overwhelming number of buttons, screens, gadgets, and sensors. There is a parking sensor that beeps at you when you get close to anything directly in front, back, or in your corners while parking. There’s the navigation which is controlled by a mouse-like nob on the center console. The navigation, or lets face it on board entertainment and information center, has a huge array of screens and apps (yes apps!) available to you. The systems is a bit cumbersome to navigate, but once you do, you’ll find that it integrates seamlessly with your Bluetooth enabled device to stream and control music. With an XM Satellite subscription you can see traffic, weather, sports scores, stock reports, and listen to all of your satellite radio channels. And, if you download the LEXUS ENFORM® app to your smart phone you can even search Bing, listen to Pandora or iHeartRadio, buy movie tickets, find a good restaurant on Yelp, make a reservation there, and then check in on Facebook when you get to dinner. With all of that to distract you (not that it distracted me at all…) it’s great that there are a host of automated features to take a load off your mind. Automatic headlights, rain sensing windshield wipers, side mirrors that point down when you back up and fold up when you park, keyless start and entry, and powered rear lift gate. This all helps make using the car a breeze.
F is for FAST
I’m going to make the judgment/stereotype, that those who are going to spend 50k on an SUV, are going to do so, and have already decided on the RX350. But if you’re in that group, should you opt for the F Sport version? The short answer is yes. Is the 8k difference in price worth it? Absolutely. And here’s why; it makes the car FANTASTIC to drive. The Sport model adds in all wheel drive, F Sport-tuned suspension, 19 inch rims (I’ll get back to those in a second,) VDIM handling technology (don’t ask me to explain it, just know that it works,) and an 8-speed transmission. Add all of these together and you get one amazing ride. To me the transmission alone is worth the extra money. When I compare it to the transmission in my Dodge Journey, well, let’s just say it makes my 2 year old journey seem like a model T. In my Dodge, shifting in “manumatic” take about 3 days to shift gears, 4 if I have my foot down. The Lexus RX 350 F-Sport though, seems to shift before I even thought about it, on click of the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel and your in a new gear before you let go. Seriously, it’s that fast. The best part about shifting in manual mode in the Lexus is that you feel like you are part of the car. Add in the upgraded suspension and handling changes and the care handles perfectly, even driving in the rain had no effect, and I imagine snow and ice would be a similar experience. This car is a rock.
But Can it Carry the Kids?
I have two boys, aged two and four, so I have 3 basic qualifications beyond safety (which this car has more standard safety features then any car I’ve driven) for a car when it comes to them. One is easy to get the car seats in. In this case, if you’ve got a car seat with the latch system, you’re good to go. Two is does it fit our double jogging stroller. If you take a look to the right, sure enough, it does fit. The third and final consideration when deciding if a car will work for my family or not is the amount of real estate between the two car seats. If it’s too close, well, then you’ve got trouble.
By no means, can my boys be able to reach each other. and in this case, there’s just enough room for the two of them to have there own space. They do have enough
space however to attack me from behind with Nerf guns. The Lexus RX 350 F-Sport has an additional bonus of a fold down arm rest with cup holders, to serve as an additional barrier, and gives my little guy a spot to keep his drink.
But what about that “Curb Rash”?
There were very few problems with this car. The navigation was a little cumbersome to use with the five million options and screens to pick from. The keyless entry and ignition took some getting used to (that’s totally on me though, as it’s actually pretty cool. I just kept trying to put a key in the ignition like a bonehead.) The biggest problem for me were the 19 inch graphite finished rims. While they look good, they don’t seem to hold up very well to abuse. While I admit, totally my fault for getting to close to that curb, I’ve done it a million times in my Dodge, and never had a scratch. But one time with these, and boom, scratched up. But frankly, if that’s the biggest problem I had, opt for the standard rims, and you’re good to go. Oh, and one more thing, this is what War and Peace the owners manual looks like, but at least they have a cliff notes version.
Adam is a father of two crazy boys that keep him on his toes, strike that, running constantly. He also happens to be an extreme extrovert and thrives when surrounded by people he enjoys. You can trust him, he’s Canadian…Adam loves his family, his friends, and baseball (especially during the playoffs), cars, and tech. Adam thinks he’s pretty funny and hopes you agree. If you don’t, he respectfully requests that you just smile and nod, he won’t notice. You can find also find Adam at OC Family where he “helps dads be better dads” and on Twitter @adam_thedad
No compensation was received for this post. Lexus provided a one week loan of the vehicle above which helped facilitate this review. The opinions expressed remain solely that of the author.
- Discover Luxury at Sonesta Irvine: Your Ideal Staycation - August 8, 2024
- CHOC Walk Returns to the Disneyland Resort – Special Events and Ways to Support - June 28, 2023
- Beastly Ball Returns to the Los Angeles Zoo - May 8, 2023
Leave a Reply