What is your reaction when one of your friends changes their appearance? Maybe they have lost weight, gotten a haircut, dressed up for the first time or even had cosmetic surgery. Normally the reaction will be something akin to surprise and possibly admiration at their achievement, especially if they just completed a weight loss journey and look absolutely amazing.

This is the same feeling you will have when you see the new Lexus RX. This new SUV has a brand new skin to give you an upgraded appearance to enjoy but carries forward with the same interior as before. Step inside and you see the same five passenger luxury feeling that has been popular on the RX for many years. ON the outside the RX offers a new skin that begins with a larger spindle grill and a floating roof design that is the product of the C-pillars coming blacked out. While Lexus has been known for some of their bold style and impressive nature of taking risks the reaction to the new RX will be what tells us whether or not these risks were worth it.

The RX comes in two forms still, the 350 and 450h to put us in familiar territory. The reality of this change on the outside that is the same on the inside may be the most ingenious move for Lexus. They have been known to embrace bold style and the spindle grill could have caused this brand to lose a massive amount of sales when this new feature was introduced, which was accompanied by a bevy of interior upgrades as well.

With these two models we see the power will come from a 3.5-liter V6 which now makes 295 horsepower on the RX 350 while the 450h will be powered by a similar sized engine but also a pair of electric motors. the 450h can make as much as 308 horsepower and both of these models can be had in the F Sport version as well as make use of AWD to improve the control and performance of the vehicles.

Using the familiar eight-speed automatic transmission the RX in either mode can give you the drive you want with the push of a button, making this a familiar and fun SUV to drive. If you opt for the F Sport models you will have the option of using the Sport S+ setting to give you a drive the feels more like a sports sedan than a sport SUV.

The Lexus RX is one of those SUVs that has been around a long time and just keeps on getting better. This SUV offers you everything you already know about and a new dynamic look that will be the appearance you desire. Whether you want the 350 or the added power of the 450h the drive is smooth, planted and under control to allow you the fun of challenging this SUV on the open road and around a wide variety of curves that are not friendly to other SUVs.