2016 Lexus RX Comes With New Edges, Same Attitude

As Lexus’ top-selling model, the RX never aspired to be the most exciting crossover. Smooth, plush and with the daring of spirit of a tax accountant, it captured the hearts of middle-class suburbia. With the 2016 Lexus RX revealed at the New York Auto Show, you can expect the company to build on that mindset — even if the outside skin takes on a more chiseled look.

The first thing that strikes you is its ballooning size compared to its predecessor— the 2016 model is about 5 inches longer, and the wheelbase has been stretched by 1.9 inches, opening up the possibility of a seven-seater RX. Style takes center stage, with the RX showing off a “floating roof” D-pillar similar to the Nissan Murano. Up front it adopts the giant maw of the Lexus spindle grill, yet without the strip of LED lighting underneath the headlights the fascia looks cleaner than the NX. Love it or hate it, there’s a definite presence now. Inside the cabin has requisite French-stitched panels, but the pseudo-metallic trim lacks the upscale ambiance of an Audi Q5.