2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport review

When the Lexus RX and Mercedes-Benz M-class bowed for 1998, if somebody said “crossover,” my mind immediately went to the punk/metal musical style practiced by artists like D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies. “Camry-based Lexus SUV? I'd rather be sleeping!”

Our observed fuel economy was 21.9 mpg

But in fits and starts, Toyota's been attempting to shake off the case of the blands that has dogged its mainstream and luxury brands since they gave up on things like mid-engine sports cars and RWD compacts. The new Toyota Avalon is sublime, offering near-LS-grade appointments and comfort at an ES price. The Scion FR-S has the kids talking. Its hybrids are actually starting to become enjoyable to drive. And the GS is a simply wonderful thing.

But the RX is the target that everybody in the luxury-crossover game wants to hit. Cadillac gloated like mad a couple of years ago when the SRX managed to come in second, as if they winged an otherwise-implacable foe.

The EPA fuel economy ratings for the RX is 18/26/21 (city, highway and combined)

Updated with the new corporate spindle grille, the RX 350 seems to play it safe in every other regard. Even in F Sport guise, Toyota's fabulous 3.5-liter V6 doesn't sound as mechanical or musical as it does in the GS. The black interior in my tester didn't do it any particular favors, either, washing everything into a black blob of bland.

Lexus' Enform infotainment system works well enough; the mouse-like controller takes a bit of acclimation, but operates in a relatively intuitive manner. The graphics, however, need help. BMW's iDrive and Audi's MMI are lovely to behold. Enform looks just like what you'd find in a Camry, which in turn is something that looks just like what you'd find on a circa-1998 webpage.

The RX 350 F Sport starts at $47,895 while ours stickered in at $52,224

Toyota seems to be experimenting around the margins right now -- employing Subaru to do the heavy lifting on a sports car, making its Japanese Buick way more luxurious, honing the slow-selling GS into a fun driver and sending us a true two-box Prius.

The fact that the flagship LS and mainstay RX have seen revamps mainly relating to exterior and interior design either signals that they're confident in the models' continuing viability in the market or that they're too afraid to fully redesign them until the fruits of their other experiments are ripe.

The interior was solid overall, although a bit bland with the option of black

Otherwise, what do you say? It's comfy, safe, and save for the grille, it's anodyne, reliable, ubiquitous semi-luxury that you can drive to the snow. It's the RX. And the F Sport is the RX, too. It just has a badge on it that says F Sport. People who listened to crossover back in the '90s will probably want to drive something else.

2013 RX 350 F Sport

Base Price: $47,895

As-Tested Price: $52,224

Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; AWD, eight-speed automatic

Output: 270 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 248 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,510 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 18/26/21 mpg

AW Observed Fuel Economy: 21.9 mpg

Options: Navigation system including voice command, Lexus Enform, Lexus Enform screen multimedia display, destination assist, eDestination, app suite, SiriusSM NavTraffic, NavWeather, stocks, sports and fuel prices with one-year subscription ($2,775); Mark Levinson premium surround sound including single DVD/CD player, HD radio with iTunes tagging, 15-speakers ($995); blind-spot monitor ($500); cargo net ($59).

The RX is the benchmark for the luxury crossover market