2016 Lexus RX 450h Review: Curbed with Craig Cole

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Is Lexus genuinely building more exciting products these days, or has it simply mistaken passion for outlandish styling? At first glance, the 2016 RX 450h looks like the victim of too much angst in the design department.

Folks at Lexus have been working overtime to transform this platinum-grade Toyota division into something more than just a purveyor of dependable but drowsy vehicles. One look at products like the GS F sedan, its new NX compact utility vehicle and the RC coupe range clearly illustrate how it is trying to up the style factor. But it may have taken things too far with the new RX crossover.

Will orthodontists and cul-de-sac parents still flock to this premium vehicle now that it’s traded in gentle curves for more creases than a piece of origami? The RX was Lexus’ top-seller in the U.S. last year, with nearly 101,000 sold, making it a keystone product in the brand’s range and this redesign an unexpectedly risky move.

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