2018 Lexus RX L: What Do You Think?
The Lexus 7-seat midsize SUV everyone has been clamoring for is finally real. And here’s what Club Lexus members think about it!
We’ve known, unofficially, that a 7-seat, three-row Lexus RX crossover was in the works for quite some time now. But now it’s official. Both the Lexus RX L 350 and RX L 450h are very much real. So now the question is, what do people think of the extended (by 4.3 inches) crossover? For the answer to that question, we turn to the tried-and-true enthusiasts here in the Club Lexus forums.
Obviously, today’s customers can opt for three-row seating in the GX or LX. But consumers like their crossovers these days, mainly because they’re more manageable in size and more fuel efficient. But as situman points out, that smaller size might lead to a lack of legroom. And the extra girth (with the same engine lineup) means that they’ll be slower, too.
“Interesting that they’re using the old body style. People will buy it anyways, regardless of how cramped or slow it will be.”
“Was always kinda cool that the RX was a 5 seat SUV,” adds LexsCTJill.“This third is just to make people think they can use it. Can’t imagine there will be any room for cargo with 7 people aboard.”
Despite these concerns, jadu points out that there is a very real use for those seats.
“The third row seats look very similar to the third row seats on our ’13 Honda Pilot Touring (minus the cup holders in the middle). It’s typically folded down. And when used, reserved for my daughter and nieces and nephews under the age of 8. I’m glad to see the RX finally have that option.”
And like Hoovey2411 says, this isn’t exactly an isolated problem. Even still, every other manufacturer of a three-row mid-size crossover is selling them like hotcakes. Which is probably why Lexus went to the trouble of making one before the RX received a full redo.
“It’s not breaking chains. It’s going to have the same problem the QX60, MDX, and everyone else in this class have with their third rows when fully occupied.”
And that’s a sentiment that JDR76 agrees with wholeheartedly.
“Overall, better than I had expected. The real weakness here, at least to me, is the rear cargo space with the seats up. One of my few complaints with my Highlander is how little cargo room there is left when all seats are up. This new RX, at 7 cubic feet, has about half of what my Highlander has back there (13.8 cu ft). This was way overdue and I think it’s going to sell like crazy.”
While many don’t seem to like the slight redesign, RXSF likes the styling of the Lexus RX L even better than the non-L.
“I actually quite like the proportions here and the extra 4 inches really makes the floating roof design flow better. The current one is a bit of a mess. At the same time, because it’s practically the same size, the 3rd row is unusable.”
And clearly, most people in the market for something like this are willing to overlook the cramped space and loss of cargo room.
“Not something I would necessarily buy,” admits mmarshall. “But get ready to see some big sales figures on it. My guess is that the factory probably won’t be able keep up with demand. And that could mean dealer price gouging.”
All of which pretty much sums up the meat and potatoes of the Lexus RX L family. Lexus saw a hole in the lineup and sprung to action, refusing to wait to capitalize on consumer demand. And they’ll most likely be richly rewarded for doing so. But we want to know – what do you think about the stretched RX? Head over here and chime in with your thoughts, and tell us if you’d consider buying one!
