By Rosie Ogden
FIVE years after the original Lexus RX300 created the luxury sport utility segment and became a best seller (more than 500,000 have been sold worldwide), the new generation Lexus RX300 further raises the segment benchmarks. The new variant arrived in Cyprus this week, and MotorMail will test it in the near future.
The original was impressive enough, but Lexus say the new car “improves on every aspect of the outgoing model, making a quantum leap in safety, driving dynamics and refinement to move it even further ahead of other vehicles in the luxury SUV segment.”
The power of the high-performance 3.0-litre V6 engine is increased to 201bhp by improving the intake and exhaust systems. The powerplant, which already complies with the 2005 EURO IV emission standards, is complemented by a new five-speed automatic transmission with a sequential gear change and a new drivetrain in which the torque distribution between the front and rear wheels is controlled electronically by the Traction Control (TRC) system.
A more aerodynamic body and higher-performance tyres increase the top speed from 112 to 124mph, and improves combined fuel consumption by more than six per cent, achieving a best-in-class figure for luxury SUVs equipped with six-cylinder petrol engines.
Class-leading aerodynamic efficiency is matched with a bold new look, though the RX300 still shares styling cues with other Lexus models: distinctive grille design, clear glass lamps front and rear, strong wheel arches, a rising window line and a distinctive ‘c-post’ rear pillar design.
The distinctive shape also gives a passenger compartment that is bigger and roomier than most of its segment rivals. At 4,740mm in length, the new Lexus RX300 is 160mm longer than its predecessor and 30mm wider, with refined packaging giving an extra 100mm of wheelbase for additional luggage load space. Despite the greater length, the turning radius remains a compact 5.7m.
A further comfort and convenience feature offered by the new generation RX300 is a power-operated rear-tailgate, which comes as standard on the SE and SE-L; automatically opening and closing at the touch of a button. It can also be activated remotely by the vehicle’s key. To ensure safe operation, the system features a warning buzzer. By receiving information from the touch sensors and the electric motor, the system ECU can stop the door and reverse its movement when there is any obstruction to its closing action.
Rear-end styling and safety are enhanced by lamps which use the latest LED (light emitting diode) technology rather than traditional filament bulbs. These are more energy efficient — adding up to one per cent to fuel economy — and a significant active safety item. The LED elements light up 10 times faster than a conventional lamp, in 2 to 15 milliseconds as opposed to 150 to 200msec. This equates to six metres of reaction time at 62mph.
In terms of active and passive safety, the excellent driving dynamics are aided still further by Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC) and Brake Assist (BA) technology. The new RX300, say Lexus, also “carries more safety equipment than any other vehicle in its segment”.
The Lexus Parking Assist Monitor, for example, is effectively a TV camera mounted in the rear, and is a unique feature among luxury SUVs. When reverse gear is selected, an image appears on the navigation display screen on the dashboard, allowing accurate manoeuvring, and minimising the risk of collision with low-level objects.
To further advance passive safety performance the new RX300 features as standard equipment dual stage driver and front passenger SRS airbags and a first-in-segment driver’s SRS knee airbag. New Extra-large Side Airbags (protecting torso, abdomen and pelvis) and standard side curtain shield airbags offer supplemental protection for occupants in side impacts.
A new Air Suspension System, fitted to the RX300 SE-L, offers a higher level of performance and refinement and provides greater ride control, together with an auto-levelling function and the ability to alter ride height through a range of 45mm.
Intelligent AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System), a world-first for SUVs, radically improves night-driving visibility when cornering. Unlike other systems, which either use additional lamps or are merely directly linked to a car’s steering, the Intelligent AFS microprocessor controller calculates the optimum swivel of the lighting area from the vehicle speed and steering angle. It is combined with xenon headlights with an automatic leveling system and headlamp cleaners for the best night-time vision.
Though the new car will cost some £2,000 to £3,000 more than the older version, it boasts lots of new features as standard, including the five-speed steptronic gearbox, air suspension, high discharge headlamps, a memory function for the seats “and lots of other extras,” says Lakis Macheriotis, Manager for the Lexus Centre in Nicosia.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
