If the exterior of Lexus’s mainstay crossover seems a sudden mutation, then the rest of the vehicle is the gradual progression that you expect. Outside it’s maximum cowbell, but in here you can’t hear the noise: the new RX drives better, the infotainment is more effective, it’s quieter, power is up, and handling is improved.

Indeed, the inside of the new RX is something of a prescription for relaxation. This is simply an immense improvement over the previous generation car, bringing things into line with the rest of the Lexus lineup, and making Lexus’s most popular machine competitive once again. Immediately, the updated dash layout looks more modern, ready to stand up against a BMW X5 without simply looking like a bit nicer Toyota.

The curvature of the seats in the F-Sport models are especially nice, and that available red leather interior livens things up wonderfully. Yamaha, a long-time Toyota sub-contractor, has done some pretty unique things to the wood treatment in the vehicle, laminating incredibly thin sections of wood to aluminum sheeting that can then be shaped to unique in-cabin curves and even laser etched in lines through to the base metal.

First out for a driving loop was an RX 350 with the F-sport package. Lexus, as you might expect, has a very simple layout planned for the RX, with just a half-dozen trim levels split between the two engines.

Standard equipment on the car is impressive: heated and cooled power seats up front, heated seats in the rear, a heated steering wheel, push-button starter, a 12-speaker audio system that performs very well, power moonroof, rear-cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring – and on it goes. Some of the details are quite nice too, such as the one-touch raising and lowering for all four windows.

Higher-end models such as our F-Sport version come with features like a panoramic moonroof, a 12.3-inch screen containing navigation and infotainment functions, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beams, and a move from the base 18-inch alloys to 20-inch rims. The difference between F-Sport and Luxury or Executive trims includes a wilder front fascia, more heavily bolstered seats, paddle shifters and a unique steering wheel, adaptive suspension, and a drive-mode managing system with a sharper “Sport+” mode.

Power to move the RX’s 1,995 kg along comes from the expected V6, now producing 292 hp at 6,300 rpm and 265 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm. This is a mild bump; the bigger change is the new eight-speed transmission, previously only available in F-Sport models. Official fuel economy ratings for the RX 350 are 12.2L/100 km city and 8.9 L/100 km on the highway, a nearly 10 percent bump over six-speed-equipped 2016 models.

Even with the theoretically sportier F-Sport model, compliance is the order of the day. Body motions are well controlled, and on a long run up a winding country road, the RX 350 displayed impeccable manners. Where speed was called for, it delivered, and it did so without complaint or feeling overtaxed.

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