New Car Profile of the 2004 Lexus RX Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle
Description: Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $35,175-$36,575
Invoice Price Range: $31,128-32,367
Armed with a stronger engine and sophisticated electronic controls, the Lexus FWD crossover SUV rides on a revamped platform that stretches the wheelbase more than three inches longer than the original and expands the overall structure. The larger package creates more space in the five-seat passenger compartment and more room for cargo. It looks bigger but also stronger.
Up front, the aggressive face features a protruding body-colored bumper underlining the raked trapezoid grille dipped in chrome and flanked by corner headlamp clusters glimmering through multiple lenses. Note those front lights: With optional xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, Lexus adds a new adaptive front lighting system (AFS) where a pair of unique swivel lamps -- each keyed to the angle of the steering wheel -- rotates up to five degrees during turning maneuvers to keep a light shining on the vehicle's forward path.
Ride quality for the new sport utility vehicle feels incredibly smooth and refined, thanks to a revamped suspension system. An optional air suspension system comes with driver-selectable chassis heights. The highest mode elevates the wagon by 1.2 inches for crawling over rocky trails at speeds below 30 mph. A cruising mode drops the chassis by a third of an inch when moving above 62 mph, the low mode casts it further down to hug the ground during hard-wrought handling maneuvers, but a mode labeled Access powers the package down 1.2 inches to assist when loading people and cargo.
Many safety systems are in place, including side curtain-style air bags set above front and rear side windows plus frontal air bags for front buckets and large new seat-mounted side air bags to cover the rider's torso, abdomen and pelvis, even an air bag to shield the driver's knees. The cabin piles on luxurious elements including electro-luminescent instruments in a triple-pod display, power seats, mirrors and windows.
Options in package bring leather upholstery and wood trim in walnut or bird's-eye maple, the navigation system with rear video camera, a moonroof, performance gear with the air suspension and 18-inch wheels and tires, and a dazzling Mark Levinson audio system with six-disc CD changer in the dash.
