Volume 15 Issue 1 » 51
2018 Lexus RX 350L
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Lexus aims to further the success of its huge-selling RX crossover
SUV with the introduction of the longer, three-row 2018 Lexus
RX 350L and RX 450hL. The RX 350L earns the last letter of its
name for the added room that Lexus has tacked onto the rear to
accommodate the extra row of seats.
Equipped with seating for up to seven, the RX L model boasts an
additional 4.3 inches of overall space behind the rear axle. Although
the wheelbase is unchanged from the regular RX, the stretched RX
provides the brand with a competitor to three-row crossovers such
as the Infiniti QX60.
The longer RX features a redesigned tail with a more upright rear
window, the better to maximize third-row seat space. The new two-
passenger, 50/50 split power-folding third-row bench seat has two
integrated cup holders, and separate climate controls and air vents
for those in the rearmost row. The standard 40/20/40 split second-
row bench seat has room for three; alternatively, a pair of available
bucket seats drops the maximum passenger capacity to six.
With all three rows of seats upright, there’s seven cubic feet of
luggage space behind the third row. Fold down the third row, and
that volume increases to 23 cubic feet, bettering the standard-length
model by five cubes.
Like the standard RX, the RX L is available as a 3.5-litre V6 in
the RX 350L or as a hybrid that supplements the V6 with a pair of
electric motors in the RX 450hL. The RX 350L pushes a formidable
290 horses to all four wheels. The hybrid has a few more ponies for a
total of 308 horsepower.
The 2018 RX 350L starts at an MSRP of $66,050.