• Cabin quality is up there with the very best
• Infotainment looks good, has fingertip control
• Passenger room is very impressive

How is the quality and layout?

Even before you get in, the RX oozes quality from every super-slim panel gap. The doors handles are fitted with Lexus’s E-Latch system, which means they don’t physically move when you pull at them to open the door – instead relying on electronic control to sense your touch and unlatching the door for you with a satisfying click. It might surprise you the first time you use it, but after that, it just becomes part of the Lexus luxury experience.

It’s lovely inside, too, especially if you splash out on the range-topping Takumi specification (the car in the images is the less expensive Premium Plus Pack model). Perhaps the best parts about the trim are its cream leather upholstery and enormous panoramic sunroof, which makes the interior feel even more spacious than it is.

It doesn’t just look good and smell good, though. All touch points are solid, have a precise action, and are more substantial feeling than any of the opposition. Even the glovebox and centre armrest open and close with a reassuring clunk that marks this out as a high-quality product.

Infotainment and tech

Overall, we like the infotainment system, but it’s not without its issues. Every version of the car comes with a 14.0-inch screen, which is crisp and responsive. Apple CarPlay is wireless, although Android Auto users still need to pair their phones to the dashboard with a cable, which is a bit disappointing. However, the Takumi grade’s 21-speaker stereo is great, if not wanting for a little more bass.

Compared with previous Lexus set-ups, which relied on joysticks or touchpads, this one’s an improvement. But the interface is still not as good as the class-leading BMW X3 and on the move, you’ll be reliant primarily on the steering wheel touchpads and the head-up display in order to navigate the various systems you might use.

This sounds good in theory, but in practice, it’s less than nice to use as the steering wheel controls are unmarked, multifunctional and touch sensitive. You need to look in the head-up display to figure out what does what, and even after a week of use, it was all too easy to activate the controls on the move by accidentally knocking the touchpads while driving. One day, Lexus might stop trying to reinvent the wheel in this regard…

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Comfort

• Comfortable in the front and rear
• Seats are firm and supportive
• Good amount of room for rear passengers

The front seats in the RX are excellent, offering plenty of adjustment, and all the space you’d expct in a car designed for the American market. For a luxury car, their initial firmness might come as a bit of a surprise, but they offer lots of support, and remain comfortable on the longest of journeys.

There is the option of four-way electric lumbar support too, and seat massaging with heating and cooling. The latter set-up works very well indeed, and can be left in an auto position to heat and cool as it sees fit, depending on the body temperature of the person sat in it.

Those in the rear also fare well, with a rear bench that easily accommodates three adults, although it’s best asset is offering luxury travelling space for two, divided by a well-equipped central dividing armrest.