by Joe LaMuraglia

I am in St. Simon’s Island, GA for the launch of the new Lexus RX. Originally launched in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Lexus RX was the first car-based luxury SUV. Since then, Toyota’s luxury edition has sold over 780,000 RX’s. It is a core model for Lexus and when planning a new one, they took an evolutionary approach.
I’ve been experimenting with updating via Twitter and so far, feedback has been great. So here we go again. I’ll be tweeting all day as we drive the 2010 Lexus RX350 and RX400h. A slide show of the 2010 RX350 and RX400h are below the Tweetbox. Enjoy.

Note: The Tweets will post in reverse chronological order.

Bottom Line:
The new 2010 Lexus RX is a clear evolution of the original luxury crossover SUV that Lexus introduced as a 1999 model. It is bigger, more fuel efficient and arguably more luxurious than the vehicle it replaces. From the limited time spent behind the wheel, I think current RX owners will generally be happy. For those of you looking for a sporty experience in your luxury SUV, don’t even bother stopping at the Lexus store. Sure, the Hybrid is quick but it is far from an engaging driving experience. If speed, handling and road feel aren’t on you list of “must haves”, then the RX is worth your consideration.
We look forward to spending a week in the new RX and giving you a more in-depth review. The MSRP for the front-wheel-drive RX350 is $36,800 and $38,200 for the AWD version.