Lexus RX Leads the Way Forward for Unusually-Styled SUVs

Bold styling and a conventional SUV interior combine to create a vehicle that’s anything but mainstream, says UK’s Wallpaper.

Reportedly, SUVs and compact crossovers have quickly displaced sedans in the U.S. as the prime vehicles of choice. But that’s not the case for drivers across the pond in Britain, where high gas prices and strict emission regulations keep small sedans and hatchbacks at the top of the food chain. So, how does the Lexus RX 450h fair in the U.K.? Britain’s Wallpaper has the answer.

SUVs, as the Wallpaper points out, have always been bland, monotonous blobs capable of seating up to seven while carrying a decent amount of cargo. But the RX 450 is different. “As a result, the RX is a bold addition to a genre that was born deeply conventional,” says the outlet. “It is undeniably different, a rolling barometer of personal taste.”

While the exterior may be bold and different, the RX 450h’s ride is pure Lexus starting with the powertrain. “This is a car that starts and glides away in total silence, with the highly refined engine only cutting in when required,” says Wallpaper. And when the driver needs even more speed, the battery pack is there, waiting, ready to answer the call.

The interior follows the bolder, braver appearance of the exterior and, despite the downfalls of the navigation system, is still towards the top of the list in the automotive industry. “The in-car entertainment and navigation fall a little short of class best…” says the outlet.

All in all, the Wallpaper finds the RX 450h to be at the head of the pack when it comes to fuel-efficient SUVs. “The RX is still a class leader…” says Wallpaper. Even on the UK’s smaller, tighter roads, the SUV makes a clear case for itself.