Not many marques can claim to be icons of the developed world. One which can is Lexus, the luxury end of Toyota that features in the title of The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Thomas Friedman's chronicle of the division in the world caused by globalisation. Not bad for a marque that's been around only 14 years. Michael McAleer reports.
After touring a Lexus factory, Friedman read about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and noted a division in the world: one half lusting after luxury cars and the other fighting over who owned which olive tree.
A minor element of the globalisation debate is the popularity of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), in particular the luxury models that rarely get a run in the country. To some they symbolise avarice and waste. To others they symbolise choice and freedom. To more still, they are a stylish mode of transport.
Whichever school of thought you belong to, Lexus faces the heart of the debate with the latest version of the RX300. Claimed as the world's best-selling luxury SUV, the RX300 has sold over 355,000 units in the US since its launch in 1998. This Lexus represents the latest version in a segment of the 4x4 market where car makers create a SUV entrant with the cabin and fit of a saloon model - only a few centimetres more ground clearance. For some it has been a success. For others the jury is still out.
So what's the RX300 like to drive? Well, it meets the criteria of its chief engineer, Yukihiro Okane, that it be "a combination of fully-grown luxury car with a competent SUV". Key elements of the aims are "fully" in terms of luxury and "competent" in terms of SUV.
Inevitably nobody gets what they want and the result leans towards fulfilling one goal over another. For the RX300, the aim achieved is luxury. This is an astute company car with the benefits of better visibility thanks to extra height. It's also primed for executive pleasure, with a quality of interior finish to challenge the best in the company car park. In true Lexus style, the level of finish and the quality of build are very impressive. From its ergonomically sound layout to the solid clunk of the doors, it's a well-built machine.
The redesign has created improvements in space. The new body is 160 mm longer, 105 mm wider and 55 mm taller - this means improved head and legroom. Rear luggage capacity is increased by nearly 10 per cent, even with the more slanted rear end. Worries about carrying space for a trip to the DIY store proved unfounded. It does, however, make it look more like a car than a SUV. The slanted rear door is a dominant feature of the redesign and, with suggestions of Sportscross lines, it adds to its appearance as a big-wheeled saloon car.
Even the more pointed nose is contrary to the mainstream flatter, more imposing front on most 4x4s. It's a design, Lexus says, influenced by time in the wind tunnel, perfecting sound proofing and aerodynamics which contribute to comfort and coefficiency. Yet the sleeker, softer lines make it less dominant on the road than some of its more macho competitors.
The new version retains the 3-litre engine, only now delivering 204 bhp as opposed to its predecessor's 201. There's also an increase in 0-62 mph performance by 0.3 seconds to nine seconds, while top speed is up from 113 to 125 mph. Despite the output increases, fuel consumption has increased, from 21.7 to 23.1 mpg. The 3-litre engine is matched to a five-speed automatic, with the ability to switch to semi-automatic mode. This has the same smooth change we noted in the GS300 and there is no kickback when changing up or down. Nor is there the echo of high revs in the cabin. While Lexus highlights the off-road ability of the vehicle, with its four-wheel-drive distributing torque 50:50 between front and rear wheels, and a new traction control system, it omits some off-road gadgetry available on competitors. For example, there is no low-range transfer option as with the Mercedes M-Class, nor is there hill descent control, as with BMW's X5. In terms of off-roading, "competent" to use the aims set by Okana, may be the truth. Nevertheless, on an unpleasant evening with rain and howling winds, it managed to cut through the mud of our off-road test route without too much fuss.
While we refrained from hill climbing, our only worrying moment came when mud covered the lens of the rear-view camera and we were left using only the naked eye. It's amazing how you depend on this technology. Even when we left the RX300 back and moved to a regular saloon, we felt doubt about our reversing ability without the support of a colour camera.
Ride quality is very good; passengers feel no disturbance, even on our Irish roads. But our greatest qualm on the Lexus is the lack- lustre feel of the steering which often makes the driver feel like a passenger as well. Fine if you want to be carried from A to B without fuss, but a little lifeless for us. On the motorway, with the automatic transmission doing its thing, the cruise control maintaining speed, and the Lexus pointed in the right direction, we felt separated from the driving experience.
That aside, the RX offers comfort levels and ride on a par with upper end luxury saloons. With the eight-speaker stereo focused on the driver and the transmission in Drive, you can sink into the leather and be carried forth to your destination. This is also helped by the lack of noise in the cabin. Lexus proudly boast internal studies that show the RX to outperform petrol-powered competitors in terms of noise, vibration and harshness, or the NVH criteria, as known in the industry.
Certainly the silence from the engine and smooth ride can be misleading if you are used to more audible motoring. At traffic lights, the noise from the engine is negligible.
This takes getting used to, and it's best to keep an eye on the speedometer in the early stages before the Garda catch up with you. Otherwise you discover that, while it felt like 40 mph, you were doing 80 mph. Claiming superior NVH in court holds no sway with judges. References to wind tunnels in court surroundings are usually reserved for snide remarks between colleagues in the legal profession.
Our test car also came with the power back door which closes at the touch of a button, either on the boot or key. It's impressive the first time, less so the second and forgettable by the third. It scores well in the "impressing friends" stakes but those who use central locking yet still check the door handles, may hang round at the rear watching the boot, just to ensure it closes properly.
The RX300 begins at €63,500, rising to €67,150 for the Executive specification and €72,900 for the Sport specification. Lexus expects the Executive to be the top seller. And this version is €1,000 less than its predecessor. Options include the DVD sat nav system, the best yet in terms of usability thanks to the touchscreen technology, but pointless if you stray outside Dublin. Along with the park assist camera it comes at €4,860.
As for the SUV debate, we can't wait for the Lexus hybrid version due next year. It may clean up the SUV image of being a gas-guzzling polluter. Lexus say it'll be competitively priced and reports suggest performance figures better than the current petrol version. Can Lexus change the SUV image? Perhaps. After all, it's a global icon.
FACTFILE:
ENGINE: A 2,995 cc V6 24-valve WT-i petrol engine offering 205 bhp at 5,600 rpm and offering 283Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm.
PERFORMANCE: A top speed of 124mph with a 0-62 mph time of 9 seconds.
SPECIFICATION: High standard spec includes knee airbag for driver, cruise control, allow whells, A/C.
FUEL: Urban: 16.7 mpg. Extra urban: 30.1 mpg. Combined: 23.2 mpg.
PRICE: €63,500 - €72,900.
THE COMPETITION
Lexus RX300 Executive: 2995 cc; 9.0 (0-62); 124 max speed; 204 bhp; 23.2 mpg combined; €67,150.
BMW X5 3.0. 2979 cc; 8.5 (0-62); 126 max speed; 231 bhp; 22.2 mpg combined; €67,700.
Mercedes ML 350. 3724 cc; 8.8 (0-62); 128 max speed; 235 bhp; 20.0 mpg combined; €69,030.
Volvo XC90 T6 Geartronic. 2922 cc; 9.3 (0-62); 130 max speed; 272 bhp; 21.9 mpg combined; €70,400.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 Limited Auto. 3956 cc; 10.9 (0-62); 117 max speed; 188 bhp; 17.7 mpg combined; €63,635.