However, there are exceptions to this: The trip odometer can be hard to read. Perhaps more annoying, the switch that moves the outside mirrors is positioned such that, when drivers get the seat positioned in a comfortable position, many can’t reach the mirror switch without leaning forward in the seat. Thus, they have to lean, adjust the mirrors and then lean back to check the mirrors from the position they’ll take while driving. This trial-and-error process reminds us of old sports cars or trucks where you get out of the car, adjust the mirror, get out of the car, readjust the mirror. And in one of our test cars, the electric steering column moved in un-Lexus-like skips and lurches, rather than with a nice, smooth motion.

Audio controls in the RX are low on the center stack. The radio has big knobs for volume and tuning that are easy to use without distraction from the task of driving. The standard audio system sounds great, with 132 watts of output, eight-speakers and a CD-changer. We like that Lexus still includes a cassette for old-timers as well as books on tape. The optional Mark Levinson audio system features 11 speakers, with a subwoofer and 210 watts of power.

The shifter for the automatic transmission is located in a pod in the center of the dash. This was novel when the RX series first appeared, and has been copied in other vehicles since. The lever follows a mechanical zigzag pattern to make sure you only move it one gear position at a time. We found this made shifting between reverse, drive, and the lower gears ponderous, particularly when we were in a hurry.

The RX bucks the SUV trend by offering no third-row seat. Lexus says buyers wanting more passenger space should look at its larger SUVs, the GX 470 and LX 470.

As it is, the rear seat in the RX is contoured for two, though it has belts for three. No surprise then that that RX is comfortable for four people, crowded with five. There’s a folding center armrest with cupholders and storage, and the rear seats fold forward 40/20/40. That means the center section will fold to create a long, narrow space for skis, shovels, or fly rods while still allowing four people to ride in comfort. This is a better solution than the typical 60/40 folding seats, which force one of four occupants to travel in the less-comfortable center-rear seat when carrying the aforementioned long items.

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