Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
2021 Lexus RX 350 F Sport. Photo: Lexus
The 2021 Lexus RX 350 all-wheel-drive F Sport is a midsized luxury SUV that tries to look young and athletic, but isn't.
The big picture: Way back in 1999, the RX introduced the first "crossover" — an SUV built on a car chassis.
- Back then, it was a tradeoff by engineers who didn't have a truck chassis to work with.
- But people loved it, and the RX set the standard for all the crossovers that followed.
Yes, but: Today's RX seems to be struggling to keep up with the competition. It puts on a brave face, with sharp angles and creases that suggest a youthful swagger. But it's all cosmetic.
- The F Sport performance package, starting at $49,675, adds sportier tweaks, but under the hood, it's the same V-6 engine that comes standard on other RXs.
- At least the interior remains quintessential Lexus, with tasteful styling and premium comfort.
- Another plus: Lexus got rid of the aggravating trackpad-controlled infotainment system and replaced it with more traditional touchscreens.
There are some added safety benefits in the 2021 Lexus, too.
- Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard equipment, joining other driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking.
- On a two-lane, 35-mph stretch in my neighborhood, the lane-keeping system kept wrestling me for control, to the point that I was tempted to turn it off — defeating the purpose of the active safety technology.
The bottom line: Lexus' loyal customers will come back for the premium quality and customer service, but if they're looking for driving thrills, they won't find them in the RX 350 F Sport.