With the RX300, Lexus has had the best-selling luxury SUV in not only America but the world. But the RX300 was introduced in 1998 and, with a growing number of challengers, Lexus can't afford to stand still. (No one can.) Therefore, the RX300 has been replaced by the all-new 2004 Lexus RX330.
Lexus calls the RX330 a luxury utility vehicle, and is bold enough to dub it an "LUV." The RX330 falls into that category of SUV that is based on a unit-body car platform rather than a truck frame, and it could be called a crossover vehicle. As such, the RX330 gives up some off-road ability but will do what most SUV buyers want: provide more cargo room than a sedan while conferring an over-the-traffic view and a sense of security from its elevated driving position.

The 2004 RX330 is longer and wider than the model it replaces. It comes with a leather interior that feels soft and warm and inviting with splashes of real wood trim. The front seats are positioned off the floor at a comfortable chair height and are snug and supportive and the back seats are roomy and comfortable.

Lexus RX330 joins the trend of zoomier styling on crossover SUVs, notably the new Infiniti FX35. RX330 is much sleeker than the RX300, making the older model look really dated. Unlike the RX300, which had a body-color C-pillar, the D-pillar is emphasized on the RX330, and is more steeply raked. There's more rake to the windshield as well, and the front facia and headlamps are reminiscent of the Lexus ES 300 sedan.

Although there are definite car cues to the new design, Lexus designers have also included meatier elements, such as the beefy front bumper and pronounced fender flares. Well-designed door handles are of the reach-through type that are more hand-friendly than the fingertip-grip variety, less chance of breaking long fingernails.

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A novel feature, something not seen on the U.S. market since the 1949 Tucker, is the Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS). This system swivels the left and right headlamp as determined by an onboard processor that calculates the optimum angle to provide the best illumination, allowing drivers to see around corners better. It's available only as part of the Performance Package.

A rear view of the RX330 reveals a visor over the top edge of the rear window, a short radio antenna at the right rear corner of the roof (promising better reception in marginal areas than the imbedded-in-glass type), and clear-lensed taillamps. The latter are trendy with the sport compact kids; we think they should stay there, as these don't seem to be as visible, especially in bright sunlight, as the old-fogy red lenses.

The Lexus RX330 competes with the Volvo XC90 ($33,350), Infiniti FX35 ($34,200), Acura MDX ($34,900), Mercedes-Benz M-Class ($37,670), and BMW X5 ($39,995), among others. The RX330 utilizes a modified version of the platform used by the Lexus ES 300 sedan, Toyota Camry, and Toyota Highlander sport-utility.