Australian specifications and pricing have been announced for the 2018 Lexus RX L range with the seven-seat SUV starting at $84,700 plus on-road costs.
Channelling the same premium levels of style, safety, luxury and performance Lexus customers have come to know, the new three-row RX L variants offer more seats for the money.
Changes needed to be made to accommodate the rearmost pews which now allows for head and leg room as well as a claim to more cargo space than any competitors. The body is extended by 110mm, the roof peak grows 10mm and the power-operated tailgate now sports a steeper gradient. The second-row seats are also positioned slightly higher to allow for some foot room for the farthest row.
As well as passengers, of whom a cup holder for each is included, the third row will also be capable of having a child seat fitted.
With a child seat fitted in the third row, Lexus claims the 566mm of cargo space behind the 50-50 split-fold seats will accommodate a large stroller. With the touch of a button, after removing said child seat, the third row will fold flat providing 432 litres more cargo space measured to the tonneau cover.
To access the third row a one-touch lever can be found on both sides of the vehicle which will fold and slide the second-row seats up to 45mm forward. For added comfort once seated, a new three-zone air-conditioning system allows for dedicated vents and controls back yonder.
For added safety, the curtain-shield airbags have been extended right to the rear to protect those in the third row. The Lexus Safety System+ is also standard, as it is with the entire RX range, and includes pedestrian detection as part of the pre-collision system.
Powering the 2018 Lexus RX L are two powertrain options. Firstly there is the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine which develops 216kW/358Nm. This option is mated to an eight-speed sequential-shift intelligent automatic transmission and is equipped with a lightweight Lexus Dynamic Torque Control all-wheel-drive system to control torque distribution automatically between the front and rear axles.
For the power hungry, yet economically minded buyer there is the option of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system which produces 230kW and incorporates the Lexus E-four intelligent on-demand all-wheel-drive system that uses a 50kW electric motor sending power to the rear axle. This is mated to a CVT with six ratios.
The RX L will be available in two equipment grades, Luxury and Sports Luxury.
Luxury RX L variants are equipped with LED headlamps, DRLs and front fog lamps as well as an 8-inch audio display screen, satellite navigation, 12-speaker audio, 20-inch alloy wheels with black centre caps, smart entry and start, roof rails and rear privacy glass.
Front heated and ventilated seats with 10-way power adjustment and driver's seat memory are also included with leather-accented upholstery covering the first two rows of seats while the third row offers a durable synthetic covering to support regular folding of the seats which is available for a $3,300 premium above the two-row models.
A $3,500 optional enhancement pack which adds a colour head-up display, moon roof and smart key card is also available.
Or the colour head-up display, moon roof and smart key card are available as part of the Sports Luxury grade with the moon roof replacing the panoramic roof fitted to five-door variants and the second-row seats being manual instead of power-operated, all for a premium of a bit over $1,600.
Found in the top grade Sports Luxury trim level is adaptive variable suspension, 14-way power adjustment for the front seats, a 15-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, 12.3-inch display screen and panoramic view monitor.
All other RX safety features are carried across, including 10 airbags, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, reversing camera, hill-start assist control and tyre-pressure warning system.
2018 Lexus RX L pricing (excluding on-road costs):
350L Luxury - $84,700
450hL Luxury - $93,440
350L Sports Luxury - $101,500
450hL Sport Luxury - $110,240
Options:
350L Sports Luxury - $101,500
450hL Sport Luxury - $110,240
Options:
Enhancement pack (Luxury) - $3,500
Premium paint (all variants) - $1,500
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