Lexus RX 300 F SPORT: The Epitome of Sporting Soul in a Luxurious and Refined Design

Before we get to the main character of the article: the RX 300 F SPORT model, let’s learn about the sporty spirit that Lexus F embodies – a factor that not many people have been seeking in a Japanese luxury brand like Lexus.

Lexus F – a sporty gene deeply rooted in the blood

Going back in history before the birth of the Lexus brand, we can come across the letter “F” that has existed for a long time. Around August 1983, a top-secret program was launched by Eiji Toyoda – the founder of Toyota – aimed at creating top-quality models that were significantly different from the company’s ordinary products at that time.

This plan was only allowed to exist within the top leadership of Toyota under the code name “Project F”. From this root, the premium brand Lexus was born in 1989 with a series of renowned models, gradually putting its name among the world’s top luxury car brands.

And it was from here that the top-secret “Project F” was officially renamed as Lexus F – the high-performance division of Lexus. To honor its heritage, the elegant curves on the F SPORT logo are depicted in 3D, simulating the first curve of the Fuji Speedway racetrack – the testing ground before the launch of Lexus high-performance models.

Lexus F and F SPORT models in reality drew inspiration from the LFA – a supercar that took nearly a decade of hard work from the brand’s engineers to develop. The Lexus LFA was meticulously crafted to the point that the company had to consult and “invite” top audio engineers from Yamaha – the most famous musical instrument brand in Japan – to fine-tune every little detail on the car for the most “enjoyable” sound.

And to fulfill the development team’s desires, the Lexus LFA is deemed to have the most addictive and distinct V10 sound among supercars. Soon after its debut at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, all 500 units of the Lexus LFA were sold, and the production was discontinued once the limited quantity was reached.

However, in order for the speed and sports car DNA of the LFA to spread throughout the Lexus family, President Akio Toyoda gave the green light to the Lexus F models and the F SPORT line-up. The first was the Lexus RC F, introduced in 2014, followed by the GS F in 2015 and later a series of other F SPORT models, all inspired by the “flagship bird” LFA.

Different and outstanding appearance of the Lexus RX 300 F SPORT

Right from the front of the car, the RX 300 F SPORT model expresses its difference. The front face, although still featuring the familiar spindle grille design, has been transformed with an exclusive F SPORT L-shaped mesh pattern crossed on top of each other.

The surface of the grille is painted black, along with a smoked chrome trim that clearly conveys the sporty and youthful spirit of this versatile SUV model. This exclusive pattern also appears on the two air vents below. The lower bumper is also designed to be compartmentalized to provide stability and optimal aerodynamics.

On the top, the Lexus RX 300 F SPORT still features the Tri-LED headlights with three projectors on each side, ensuring optimal visibility at night. The sleek demi LED headlights have a sharp design, making the car’s eyes much more sophisticated and modern.

One noticeable detail on the car’s body is the embossed F SPORT logo placed prominently under the A-pillar rearview mirror. Next, another distinctive detail that makes it easy to recognize the sporty version from the regular RX 300 is the 20-inch wheels, with an exclusive F SPORT multi-spoke design in eye-catching gunmetal gray.

Even the side mirrors are designed in two colors, with a predominantly black tone and chrome trim for a touch of luxury. The rear door glass is cut into a tapering triangular shape, giving the impression of a sleek fastback sports car, making a strong impression on onlookers. While in reality, the rear of the car is very spacious, ensuring ample headroom for rear passengers and a very comfortable luggage volume.

As a design style that has been formed on the RX line-up from Lexus since the 2013 and 2016 introductions, but after 6 years, this design approach still exudes youthfulness and modernity, without quickly becoming “outdated” like many other car models. This is perhaps also the advantage of Japanese cars: durability from functionality to visual aesthetics.

Returning to the rear of the RX 300 F SPORT, the rear bumper has been lowered with a distinctive design, accompanied by an additional spoiler to optimize airflow when the car is traveling at high speeds. Underneath, the car is equipped with dual sporty exhaust pipes.

Sporty interior alongside luxury

Sitting in the driver’s seat, fastening the seat belt, and pressing the start button, the seat and steering wheel will automatically slide to the correct driving position, just as the Japanese employees bow deeply to welcome their guests.

As soon as the screen behind the steering wheel lights up, you’ll notice the difference. The RX 300 F SPORT model is equipped with a “special racing feel” instrument cluster. A circle in the middle focuses on displaying the engine speed – the most essential information for every car when it wants to conquer top speed. Of course, it is not hard to guess that this design is inspired by the elder statesman in the Lexus family – the LFA supercar.

A large 8-inch multi-information display behind the steering wheel can also monitor G-force – an exclusive feature only available on Lexus F SPORT models – allowing monitoring of the vehicle’s motion vector both horizontally and vertically, similar to fighter jets or professional sports cars.

The embossed F SPORT logo is also placed prominently on the steering wheel. This steering wheel is also an exclusive design for the sporty version, with a high-quality leather-wrapped three-spoke surface with perforations. It also features 4-way power adjustments and heated grips. The back of the steering wheel naturally cannot be without sporty paddle shifters.

Below, the driver’s position is also equipped with aluminum pedal covers in three positions: footrest, accelerator, and brake pedal. This metal decorative panel is also one of the exclusive features reserved for F SPORT models, along with the footboard area with a prominent Lexus metal threshold.

Together with the steering wheel and accelerator, one feature that the driver touches regularly is the gear lever, also exclusively designed in a sporty F SPORT style. This gear lever has a compact size, perfectly suited to Asian drivers, wrapped in leather, perforated, with a zigzag shift pattern, providing a familiar and friendly driving experience.

Meanwhile, the seats in the car are wrapped in natural leather with an exclusive F SPORT design. The surface of the seats is perforated and fully equipped with both heating and ventilated functions – essential conveniences for owners when the weather outside is too hot or too cold.

The seats also come with 8-way power adjustments, 2-way power-adjustable backrest, and 3 memory positions for the front seats. The seats also integrate the rebound technology, helping passengers on the car to maintain a stable sitting position in any driving situation.

For the rear seats, there are also fully adjustable electric reclining features, with a good reclining angle, along with heating and air vents as well as 2 charging ports for phones. All passengers in the car are carefully assigned a seating position for maximum comfort and warmth, creating a premium experience for Lexus customers.

In the F SPORT version, customers of the RX 300 can choose from three different interior color schemes, including: black, black – red, or black – white to express their personalities. The space inside the car is very spacious and comfortable for all 5 passengers. This is also the inherent strength of Toyota or Lexus in particular and Japanese car models in general.

The interior compartment is wrapped in premium materials, from leather to Shimamoku wood and even metal, providing an overall experience that is cozy, luxurious, friendly, and yet very modern, reflecting the Japanese hospitality spirit of Omotenashi.

In the very center of the center console is a large 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen placed horizontally. This screen integrates all the smart connectivity standards such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even the Amazon Alexa virtual assistant, along with wireless charging. A Trackpad is also arranged in the center console area, ensuring the best technology and entertainment experience for passengers.

A sporty driving experience in the most comfortable luxury SUV

In the Lexus RX 300 F SPORT, the car is equipped with a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. Combined with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 4-wheel drive system, it generates a maximum power of 233 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque.

This power is completely enough to provide a good driving experience on any road in Vietnam while ensuring comfort and reasonable fuel consumption. To serve multiple purposes, the car is equipped with 4 driving modes: Normal (Customize) / Eco / Sport S and Sport S+. Correspondingly, there are setups for the car to respond to the driver’s operations in very different styles.

In Sport S+ mode, the engine speed is always kept high and the accelerator is extremely sensitive, able to immediately respond to each step on the accelerator pedal. While the Normal mode provides a very smooth and comfortable driving experience for the whole family.

Different from the regular version, the car is additionally equipped with front and rear sports bracing bars, coupled with a front MacPherson strut and a rear double-wishbone suspension setup. The adaptive variable suspension system AVS continuously adjusts the damping coefficient of the shock absorbers while running, helping the RX 300 F SPORT to respond to every road vibration in a firm and sporty manner. And this is also the difference of a Lexus RX 300 F SPORT compared to the regular version, which prioritizes a smooth driving experience.

Contribute to providing an exciting driving performance, the car also comes with the integrated Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM Alpha), a software solution that intervenes and regulates the operation of a range of features such as ABS, EBD, BA, TRAC, VSC, EPS…

In addition, the Lexus RX 300 F SPORT is also equipped with outstanding weapons, such as wide-angle LED cornering lights with supplementary lighting when the car is turning, a blind-spot warning system with cross-traffic alert when reversing, front and rear proximity sensors, a rearview camera with a steering wheel display to assist in parking maneuvers. And most importantly, it is equipped with 10 airbags positioned in different places around the car.

Developed from a versatile SUV model with all the values of durability, comfort, and luxury it already has, the sporting spirit on the RX 300 F SPORT has been clearly demonstrated from the exterior to the driving features. In addition to targeting family customers, this stylish car model is also targeting young and dynamic business owners who believe in “Work hard, Play hard” and are confident to compete with high-end luxury models from Europe.

Anh Phan (Tuoitrethudo)