Lexus’s unparalleled passion for perfection has often led it to exceeded expectations in areas like design, engineering, luxury, innovation and driving dynamics. This unique trait of Lexus has made it one of the most preferred luxurious automotive brands in the world.Recently at the 2016 Middle East Car of the Year Awards (MECOTY), the premier annual award ceremony for the region’s automotive industry, Lexus was honoured in the ‘Best Small Premium SUV’ category for its popular luxury crossover Lexus RX350. The RX350 was selected as the winner by a jury of 12 independent motoring journalists from leading automotive publications throughout the Middle East.

Sharing his excitement on the win, Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative of Middle East & North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “The appeal of the RX 350 goes beyond its stunning looks. It is a vehicle that blends elegance with utility while offering an abundance of luxury and safety features to pamper its occupants. The RX 350 also exhibits superb performance while offering a great driving experience and it’s not hard to see why the RX has been a perennial favourite with customers throughout the region.”

“We are delighted that the Lexus RX 350 has been picked as the best vehicle in its class at MECOTY 2016. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their support as well,” he added.

The Lexus RX is equipped with a 3.5-liter engine and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

With an interior space optimised for five passengers, the RX’s lowered rear floor section helps provide seating position comparable to that of the rear-seat passengers in the flagship Lexus LS luxury sedan.

Lexus designers and engineers have given a great deal of consideration to the layout of the redesigned centre console of the RX. Based upon the concept of Lexus’s Human Machine Interface (HMI) that allows the driver to concentrate on the road ahead with minimal distraction, a feature incorporated into the design of the new-look instrument panel is a large colour Heads-Up Display (HUD) system. The redesigned instrument cluster offers the driver instantaneous information with a quick glance at its large and easy-to-read gauge faces.

The RX utilises a front-strut and rear double-wishbone suspension system that has seen major improvements engineered to provide better steering response and ride comfort, which the RX has long been known for. A premium equipment option, Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) adjusts the damping force according to road conditions and irregularities.

The available Drive Mode Select system allows the driver to choose between distinct drive settings depending upon vehicle model and equipment. The ECO mode moderates engine power output, throttle response and the climate control system for increased fuel efficiency. “NORMAL” provides an even balance between engine performance and fuel economy. In “SPORT,” the driver is treated to more performance through enhanced throttle response and improved acceleration while sharpening the feel of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. The “SPORT S” setting (available with vehicles equipped with the Adaptive Variable Suspension system) offers even a higher level of performance with aggressive throttle mapping and quicker drivetrain response.

RX offers an eight-inch and 12.3-inch navigation system. The available eight-inch high-definition Thin Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display features a high level of contrasting clarity as well as minimal colour variation when viewed at different angles from either the driver or the front passenger seat. The available rear seat entertainment system now includes 11.6-inch dual screens affixed to the back of the front headrests with tilt mechanism enabling the rear passengers to adjust the viewing angle between 0 and 50 degrees.

Lexus has always stressed safety in all of its vehicles, so it should come as no surprise that the new RX has the latest safety innovations to protect its occupants. The introduction of the breakthrough Lexus Safety System+ helps the new RX avoid or mitigate collisions across a wide range of vehicle speeds under many different conditions. The Lexus Safety System+ includes the Pre-Collision System (PCS); Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC); Lane Keeping Assist (LKA); Automatic High Beam (AHB)/Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) to mention a few.

In Oman every Lexus vehicle comes with special benefits and privileges such as 6 years unlimited extended mileage protection and 24 hours on-road assistance from AAA. For more information visit www.lexusoman.com, www.youtube.com/lexusoman