2016 Lexus RX: 2015 New York Auto Show Live Photos And Video

Lexus has unveiled a much more aggressively styled RX SUV at this week’s 2015 New York Auto Show. The RX nameplate is a significant one for Lexus, with three out of every 10 of the brand’s vehicles ever sold being one of the family-friendly SUVs, yet the design team has been brave enough to introduce a fresh, chiseled bodystyle for the fourth-generation model that we’re sure will polarize buyers.

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The front section adopts Lexus’ signature spindle grille and L-shaped headlights. Muscular front fender flares add to the vehicle’s sporty attitude, as does the blacked-out C-pillar, which creates a ‘floating’ roof look. At the rear, the RX features L-shaped tail-lights and integrated exhaust tips.

Moving inside, the designers have kept a conventional dash layout but there are some key changes implemented to emphasize the vehicle’s athleticism. For example, the gear shift lever, complete with leather boot, has been positioned away from the front of the instrument panel to optimize operation and create more space for the driver. There’s also an available head-up display and a digital tachometer just like in the LFA supercar.

Rear-seat occupants are treated to more leg and knee space than in the previous RX, and buyers can now opt for a panorama moonroof for the first time. Rear seats have a 60/40 split, and there’s also a rear-seat entertainment package that features dual screens affixed to the back of the front headrests.

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The vehicle’s underpinnings are shared with those of the latest Toyota Highlander, and we may see a seven-seat option on offer at some point. Thanks to increased use of aluminum in its construction, the new RX should be lighter than the outgoing model. It should also be stiffer as engineers have fortified the body structure to provide enhanced straight-line stability and control through turns.