2012 Lexus RX350: Interior
In a nice change of pace for most luxury brands, Lexus has seen fit to not raise the sticker price of the 2012 Lexus RX350 since last year, so prices start at $40,475 for an all-wheel drive equipped tester like ours. But once you dive into the very tempting (and pricey) Lexus option packages, then you will probably find yourself crossing the $50,000 threshold for a new RX with all of the “must-have” features. At least, look at it this way: the 2012 Lexus RX350 now runs on regular unleaded so you’ll be saving money hand-over-fist in that regard.
EPA Fuel economy estimates are 18 city/24 highway and over a week of mainly suburban use, we averaged 19.2 miles per gallon — but then we blame our fuel numbers on the fact that it is far too easy to find yourself traveling at 95 miles an hour in the RX when you think it feels like you are only going seventy. Try that one with a cop next time you: get pulled over for a ticket and see how well that works for you. Take heart knowing that each RX 350 comes with a fuel tank that holds over 19 gallons of fuel, which we are pretty sure is more than you can hold between pit stops.
Not surprisingly, our test 2012 Lexus RX350 came loaded to the gills with every option and, as such, found itself teetering just a few clicks north of the unhappy side of $50,000. Do keep in mind that this includes in-dash navigation (with a delightfully simple to use console mounted mouse-like controller), heated/cooled front leather seats, power moonroof, a tow package, back-up camera, rear seat DVD entertainment, 19-inch alloys, 12-speaker Lexus premium audio and even some really bright headlamps that turn as you corner and essentially do the thinking (and head turning as you drive) for you.
Cargo hauling abilities for any generation RX model have never been meant to rival Escalades but for such a relatively small and easy to maneuver SUV, the 2012 model with the second row seats in place still offers 40.0 cubic feet of space. When that perch is folded the figure grows to 80.3 cubic feet — perfect for those unplanned overspending occasions at Costco or Home Depot. If you are ever so inclined, the 2012 Lexus RX350 also has a 3,500 pound towing capacity but only if you include all-wheel drive and the extra cost tow package.