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Just because you have to ferry a lively group of people around town doesn’t mean you can’t do it in style. Whether it’s rounding up the old boys for a weekend of golf at the country club, rolling up to your socialite friend’s glitzy wedding with the ladies or speeding off to that well-deserved, quarter-year beach holiday with the family in tow, there’s no telling when you might need extra passenger room afforded by the latest luxury crossover SUV from Lexus, the RX 350 L.

Just three months after its introduction at the Los Angeles Motor Show, the Lexus RX 350 L is now available to the Malaysian market. Key to this model is additional room for two more passengers in a third row of seating – a first in 20 years for the RX line, and a significant upgrade in passenger seating from its best-selling predecessor, the five-passenger RX.

Lexus RX 350 L: No skimping on good looks for space

Physical changes in the L version of the RX 350 might not be immediately apparent, with only subtle differences to its sleek silhouette. To accommodate the additional third row of full-sized, power-adjustable seats, the vehicle’s overall length has increased by 110 mm, whilst the roof and windows at the rear end of the vehicle is elevated slightly more than its predecessor, enabling better headroom for third row passengers.

Access to the back row is made easy, with just a touch of a lever to slide and fold the second row seats forward for step-in access. Still, it might be best to configure your seating arrangement in the RX 350 L to have the kids in the back and the seniors in the middle row, where the 40/20/40 split backrests configures a spacious style of seating for added comfort.

Fans of the two-row variant’s appearance will be pleased to know that the RX 350 L has maintained the original’s fashionable curves and aerodynamic bends, accenting the Lexus signature spindle grille up front, flanked by L-shaped LED headlights on either side.

Besides the blacked-out C-pillars that create a ‘floating-roof’ effect, the Lexus spindle theme repeats at the rear, with L-shaped LED taillights enveloping the tailgate and wrapping into the rear fenders. The lower section of the rear end now sports a single tailpipe instead of two.

Would-be owners can choose to view this variant’s design updates in one of seven glossy colours. Paint used has a high-performance macromolecular polymer, which creates a scratch-resistant, self-restoring coat for a long-lasting finish. Four choices are available for interior colour themes and trim.

Lexus RX 350 L: packed with impressive features and performance

Like its predecessor, the RX 350 L Luxury runs on a powerful 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine. Engineered for low noise and vibrations, the engine produces 289 hp at 6,300 rpm and 358 Nm of torque at between 4,600 and 4,700 rpm. Performance and efficiency are optimised by an eight-speed computer-managed automatic transmission.

Imported directly from Japan, the RX 350 L is the luxury version that provides top quality upgrades on some features and equipment. These include three-zone air-conditioning system (previously two-zone in the RX 350), with individual blower and temperature controls for rear passengers. And with Bluetooth connectivity, first- and second-row USB ports, and 12 speakers, a great road trip playlist won’t go to waste in the RX 350 L.

Drivers seeking better automation can test out Drive Mode Select, a feature that allows a driver to choose from three driving modes: NORMAL, for daily high performance and energy conservation; SPORT S for powertrain responsiveness; and ECO for performance at the highest energy efficiency.

Now, if only everything else in life provided as many features as  the RX 350 L, we’d be set.

RX 350 L is now available to reserve in Malaysia at RM475,000 (excluding insurance for Peninsular Malaysia private registration) for expected deliveries to begin in March. It is part of the 2018 RX range, which consists of consist of 6 variants – RX 300 Premium, RX 300 Luxury, RX 300 F SPORT, RX 350 L , RX 350 F SPORT, RX 450h. All the other variants continue with two rows of seats for 5 persons. Visit the Lexus Malaysia website for more.