Wobble wobble, watch that throttle

In fact, as any Kardashian knows, cosmetic enhancements usually don't indicate anything about what is happening under the skin, er, hood. They create a distraction or a diversion, at best. The fact is proved by how this space invader feels when you drive it.

The RX F Sport is kind of fast for a car this size, achieving about 100km/h in a fraction less than eight seconds. But its 295-horsepower engine is far slower than, say, that of the Audi Q5, which costs less, gets the same mileage and has better handling. (Elsewhere, the entry-level Cayenne is a hair more expensive but again, much more powerful and quicker off its feet –not to mention better looking, and that's saying a lot.)

The overriding drive impression of the RX, though, comes not from how it does on the straightaways but from everything else: how it feels around corners, threading through traffic, avoiding potholes. It's not good. Even with the new, eight-speed automatic transmission and the additional stability and ride control systems that elevate the price of the AWD RX F Sport, it wobbled like jelly when I drove it.

I have a feeling that if half the mums who drive this car also tested a new BMW X5 or that Cayenne, they'd never look back.

The cosmetic enhancements don't indicate what's going on under the bonnet. Supplied

Here are some nice things: The brakes performed well. There's lots of visibility through the newly thinner A- and C- pillars. The crash avoidance controls (pre-collision with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane keep assist and departure alert, steering assist and intelligent high-beams) functioned without reaching the level of intrusiveness other cars often reach. And Lexus safely retains the same 3.5-litre V6 engine and hybrid variants of its previous generations; stay with what works, the thinking goes.

This car has sold well for a reason – millions of mums can't be wrong, right? I'm not going to say it's bad to drive, per se. But I will say that this version, at least, is inferior to its competitors.


Confusing interior

Inside, the car is a fun house of contradictions. The special bolstered F Sport seats, with their quality leather trim and heating/ventilating capabilities, felt lovely to my long back. The $US1600 panoramic sunroof enhanced the generous feeling of space in the back seat and storage areas, even though the expensive power-folding option seemed a little extravagant.

But the technology system, run on a 30 centimetre-long screen, set what seems like miles back in the dash, far away from any connection to anyone inside the vehicle, is the worst I've encountered. Its main problem is the weird rectangular joystick that is supposed to control it from the middle of the centre console; the controller was somehow simultaneously imprecise in its motions and overly sensitive to any sort of input. It was so bad I tweeted my frustration with the system while pulled over (forced to listen to a pop station while I frantically tried to switch the radio channel). The next day, a company representative emailed me about my complaint, offering to send a representative to "resolve the issues." (By which she meant: train me to use the radio.)

The new Lexus RX line. Supplied

Call me old-fashioned, but unless I'm in a rocket ship, I don't think an official training session should be required in order to listen to something other than Hansen. (In Lexus's defence, a knob to the far right of the dash can control some settings on the radio, but it is positioned at such a distance from the steering wheel and the road ahead that I was loath to distract myself sufficiently to use it.)

I would also gently inquire about the (optional) heads-up display with which Lexus has graced us. It has the spitting image of an Infiniti logo indicating the cardinal points as you drive. It seems odd to put anything even remotely resembling the image of a competitor in your vehicle. Talk about mixed messages.

Still with me? If you move forward with a purchase, opt for the $US1085 Premium Package (leather trim, rain-sensing wipers, defrosting mirrors) and the $US1615 pretty triple beam headlamps. The comforting ambient lighting, roof rails, auto dimming mirrors, and UV-resistant glass all come standard. It's a nice touch.

Have I sounded spoiled, calloused, nitpicky? I don't mean to be. But I do want you to have a very clear picture of what you're getting into when you buy this car – if you buy this car. It is sure to sell well to persons such as my friend, whose father bought a previous model for her as a safety precaution more than anything. She would appreciate its large size and premium leather interior. But if you care about drive performance, chic design, and flawless technology, choose something else. The RX F Sport is not the car for you.

The SUV has a new look inside and out. Supplied

Bloomberg