Exterior

The new RX is clearly an evolution of the past generation's design, not a groundbreaking new look. That's OK, because the previous generation is the benchmark for the class; competing automakers tell us that directly, which is a compliment. The previous RX sold extremely well, and the new one is also selling well. That's why the new design, while slightly more aggressive up front, remains nondescript everywhere else, which shouldn't turn off any buyers.

The biggest change comes to the grille, which has an interesting vertical swoop at the bottom and, as far as I could tell, was actually made of metal — a rarity in today's plastic, fake-chrome world.

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    EXTERIOR
    The 2011 RX 350 says luxury without being ostentatious and offers soft lines and curves that create a perfectly well-rounded facade. From the outside, it's easy to see why so many people drive thi ...

    Safety
    Even with the issues Consumer Reports raised and the sales halt that followed, the federal government has not yet crash-tested the GX. Nor has it issued a rollover rating. Most large SUVs, like th ...

    Rear sunshade
    The rear sunshade can be raised and lowered by operating the switch shown below. Type A 1. Raise/lower Type B 1. Raise/lower The rear sunshade can be used when The “ENGINE START STOP” switc ...