2013 Lexus RX Total Car Score Analysis

The 2013 Lexus RX earns an above average Total Car Score for the Luxury SUVs & Crossovers segment. 
 
A combination of smooth ride, plush interior, high-tech electronic features and contemporary design make the RX 350 very easy to live with. The RX 350 doesn’t try to squeeze in seven passengers, so there are few, if any, complaints about a compromised back seat. The powertrain, available in front- or all-wheel drive, is powerful and efficient. Praise was given for the ride quality. 
 
The few negative remarks for the RX 350 were related to its driving dynamics: Several reviewers described its handling as ranging from uninspiring to lackluster, but these critics admitted most buyers desired a pleasant-driving people mover, not a canyon-carver.  
 
For 2013, The Lexus RX receives a significant exterior styling refresh, especially in the front where designers have bestowed the current corporate design theme unto the RX.

2013 Lexus RX Model Line-Up

The 2013 Lexus RX 350 is a five-passenger SUV offered in front- and all-wheel-drive models. (A RX Hybrid, the RX 450h, is covered separately.)  
 
Standard equipment aboard the RX includes 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and pushbutton start, automatic climate control, a powered tilt/telescope steering column and a nine-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with Bluetooth.  
 
Among the many options available for the RX are 19-inch wheels, HID headlamps, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, a hard-drive-based navigation system, head-up display, a rear-seat DVD system, backup camera and dynamic radar cruise control. Many of these options are bundled into equipment packages -- the Premium Package, Luxury Package and Navigation Package, for example -- for ease of ordering.  
 
An F-Sport package is new this year and adds slightly different exterior styling. Performance enhancements include a stiffer suspension and an eight-speed automatic transmission mated to a mandatory all-wheel-drive system. Interior enhancements with the F-Sport package include perforated leather seating surfaces and white-accent interior trim.  
 
All versions of the RX 350 are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 producing 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission directs power to either the front wheels or all four, depending on the model.  
 
The EPA found the 2013 FWD RX 350 achieves 18 mpg city, 25 highway and 21 combined; the AWD version is just a tick below that at 18/24/20.  
 
Properly equipped, the 2013 Lexus RX 350 can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

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