UNTIL 1998, the only time the word ‘premium’ was used in the same sentence as ‘Japanese’ and ‘SUV’, was to describe a distinct absence of anything fitting that bill. In fact, aside from the venerable Range Rover, there wasn’t really any vehicle in the mid-’90s that could offered a high-riding seating position while treating its occupants to a little luxury. That was until the Mercedes-Benz ML and the Lexus RX 300 arrived in 1997, creating a rift in the high-rider landscape that other brands simply couldn’t ignore.
Today, virtually every crossover that offers a reasonable blend of on and offroad ability wrapped up in a premium shell owes a little of its existence to these two vehicles, with the RX being the unsung hero of the pair. In the ensuing years, however, perhaps a little too much of the Toyota family resemblance started to wear through its gilding, prompting some to label the latter generations a bit pricey.
Now, though, the fifth-generation RX has arrived and it brings some significant changes, including a company-wide strategy to appeal to more driving enthusiasts, creating more breathing space from parent Toyota and a very different looking line-up.
Let’s make something quite clear – the new RX is not a light revision of the previous model; there’s very little beyond a boot badge to connect it to the fourth generation. Under its radically revised styling, the RX has now adopted the Toyota New Global Architecture K platform, except for Lexus’s purposes it has dropped the TN to leave just GA-K.
Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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