2018 Lexus RX 450

Seven-Seat Lexus Rx: Space, Flexibility And Convenience – Feb 22, 2018 – Aichi, Japan (Techreleased) – Lexus has provided more space, flexibility and convenience for customers of its luxury RX SUV by installing a two-seat third row that expands seating capacity to seven occupants.

The new three-row RX “L” variants have the same premium levels of style, safety, luxury and performance that Lexus customers have come to expect.

An exterior redesign provides excellent head and leg room for the third-row passengers while offering more cargo space behind the third row than competitor vehicles.

Lexus designers extended the body 110mm, raised the roof peak 10mm and adopted a steeper power-operated tailgate.

The third row can accommodate passengers as well as a child seat and there are two cup holders.

When the 50-50 split-fold third row is upright, a segment-leading cargo length of 566mm provides ample space for a large stroller.

At the touch of a button, the third-row seats can fold completely flat, liberating 432 litres of cargo space, measured to the tonneau cover.

For easy third-row access, one-touch levers on both sides of the vehicle are used to fold and slide the second-row seats forward. Slide length for these seats has been extended 45mm forward.

The second row is positioned slightly higher for the third row, creating more foot room for rear passengers.

A new three-zone air-conditioning system provides third-row occupants with dedicated vents and controls.

Curtain-shield airbags have been extended to protect third-row passengers. An additional child-seat anchorage point is also included.

The Lexus Safety System+ is standard, upgraded across the entire RX range to include pedestrian detection as part of the pre-collision system.

Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson said the third-row seats offer the comfort and luxury expected in a large luxury SUV.

Lexus offers RX “L” customers the choice of two powertrains delivering more than 200kW – V6 petrol for the RX 350L and the Lexus Hybrid Drive system in the RX 450hL.

Maximum output is unchanged for the seven-seat hybrid variants with a combined 230kW, delivered to the road through an all-gear electronic CVT with six-step sequential-type shift.

V6 output is reduced slightly to 216kW and 358Nm, due to a packaging requirements resulting in a single rather than dual exhaust system. The engine is mated to a smooth eight-speed sequential-shift intelligent automatic transmission.

Fuel-economy figures are within a few tenths of the five-door models at 6.0 litres/100km for the RX 450hL and 10.2 litres/100 km for the RX 350L.

The hybrid is also equipped with the Lexus E-four intelligent on-demand all-wheel-drive system that incorporates a 50kW electric motor on the rear axle.

The V6 adopts the compact, lightweight Lexus Dynamic Torque Control all-wheel-drive system to control torque distribution automatically between the front and rear axles.

Front seats are heated and ventilated with 10-way power adjustment and driver’s seat memory. Leather-accented upholstery covers the first two rows of seats while the third row offers a durable synthetic covering to support regular folding of the seats.