Exciting news for Lexus fans. For 2018, Lexus has added a new model to the RX line, the Lexus 350 RXL. What is new? They’ve added a 3rd of seats. The same luxurious ride but now with a 3rd row.
Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Palm Springs, CA with A Girls Guide to Cars. Palm Springs is a truly amazing place for test driving cars. The weather was perfect so we could roll down the windows and open the sunroof. The views are amazing – the mountains, the palm trees, and the mid-century modern design.
The Lexus RX has been one of the best selling luxury SUVs for the past few years and it’s easy to see why. Luxury. Comfort. Reliability. I’ve been driving SUVs for years and don’t see that changing anytime soon. The visibility of being higher in an SUV and the added space are the two reasons why SUVs are perfect for me. Owning a home, there always seems to be trips to the hardware store or other large purchases. There’s also driving my son around and all his baseball gear. We love to camp (but car camping, not major off roading into the wilderness) and its great to have the space for all our gear.
5 Things I love about the Lexus RXL 350
- Driver’s seat experience. This is top for me. It doesn’t matter to me what a car looks like, what is the best selling, what’s cool and any other opinions from others. It’s how it feels when I sit in the driver’s seat both for comfort and drivers experience. Can I easily see the road and other cars around me? Can I easily reach all important controls? Sitting in the driver’s seat, it feels right. IT feels more than right – the back support and the curve of the seat feels like its hugging you in luxurious comfort. As someone with back problems this is welcome and who doesn’t want to feel wrapped in luxury? Visibility is important to me (one reason I prefer to drive SUVs) and visibility is great. All the controls are within easy reach. I’m 5’9″ and I felt that there was plenty of leg room and height for me to feel comfortable.
- 3rd row seats 3rd-row seats with the option to fold up or down. With this configuration change, Lexus has managed to do this adding only 6 inches to the length of the vehicle. This isn’t a car for a large family that always needs the extra seats but perfect for those that need the extra seating on occasion.
- Luxurious smooth ride
- Essentials like cup holders and USB ports throughout the car. Even the 3rd row has cup holders.
- Lexus reliability and service
The screen with map and music controls is larger and prominently placed on the top of the dashboard. The controls for the screen are between the two seats – my first inclination was to use the screen as a touchscreen. A learning curve but easily mastered. As a lefty, I’m always challenged with controls on the right side of the driver’s seat which is standard for any car.
New for the 2018 Lexus RX, 3rd row of seats
The RXL. The seats are very easy to put up and down. I was impressed by the 3rd row – the size and how it looks like a permanent row of seats (compared to some of the cars where the 3rd-row pop up is so much smaller than the rest of the seating). The storage space when the seats up is impressive and would hold my day to day grocery runs or my son’s baseball gear.
As a smaller family, the 3rd row of seats is useful. Great when I’m driving my son and his friends around. Or during the holidays love that everyone can fit in the car when out looking at holiday lights or heading to dinner. Day to day, the seats down for more storage.
The second-row seats have center cup holders with fold-down armrests which also allow access to the rear 3rd row. Easy for kids to access, which adults may find it more challenging.
To put the seats down there’s a button in the rear cargo area. It does seem to take some time for the seats to go up or down but most people will leave the seats either up or down depending on the most used configuration.
disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with A Girl’s Guide to Cars, Lexus and Greater Palm Springs. All opinions are my own.