The Detroit News's view

“So what IS this?” our 16-year-old asked as he climbed into the prototype 1999 Lexus RX 300.

“What do YOU think it is?” we retorted.

“Well, it doesn’t really look like a station wagon or a sport-utility. I guess it’s a sevan.”

“Huh?”

“You know. A cross between a sedan and a van. A sevan.”

So what would YOU call it?

He: I know one thing about the new RX 300. There’s only one other vehicle even remotely like it on the market right now, and that’s the Mercedes-Benz ML320. Mercedes refers to its M class as an “all-activity vehicle.” When Lexus first displayed the RX 300 as a concept at last year’s Chicago auto show, they called it the SLV, for “sport luxury vehicle.” BMW executives have referred to their upcoming four-wheel-drive model alternately as a “sports activity vehicle” or an “extended mobility vehicle” – an SAV or EMV. Honda and Ford have made references to future MAVs, or “multiactivity vehicles,” based on passenger cars. But forget the goofy acronyms and labels. They don’t really help define just what the RX 300 is. It’s definitely not a truck, but it’s also much more than just a passenger car. And you know what? It’s pretty cool.

She: Now that you’ve thoroughly confused us, let me simply say the RX 300 is the perfect SUV. It’s built for the way most people actually use a sport-utility vehicle – not on the Rubicon Trail, but for Saturday trips to the cider mill or shopping mall. You won’t feel like you’re climbing up into a truck cab in the new Lexus. Yet you’ll be up high over the road when you’re behind the wheel. You won’t be kicking yourself because you’re only getting 13 miles per gallon, like you do in some sport-utes. You’ll get 22 mpg on the highway even with a 220-horsepower engine! I could go on and on. It’s perfect.

He: Considering the lifestyles of the people most likely to buy the RX 300, there seems to be surprisingly few compromises. My gripes are mostly minor. You can’t operate the heated front passenger seat separately from the driver’s seat.

She: That’s as awful as you having control of my side of the electric blanket.

He: Don’t be a wet blanket. It was also difficult to figure out how to control the brightness on the LCD screen with displays for stereo and climate control in the middle of the dashboard. And I couldn’t get the left-hand outside mirror to swing out far enough. Having said that, I found the new Lexus to be superior to the Mercedes in nearly every respect. And the price is actually reasonable, at $37,800 for a fully loaded model. That’s about what you’d expect to pay for an Explorer Limited or Grand Cherokee Limited, and far less than a Lincoln Navigator.

She: You know that the Lexus will have its critics, though. It goes so far outside of the classic SUV formula pioneered by the Grand Cherokee that some hard-core off-roaders will complain the RX 300 is a pretender – a wimp.

He: Not so. Although most owners are never likel y to need it, the RX 300 has exceptional traction and off-road capability. You get full-time four-wheel drive, with a viscous center differential that sends torque to the wheels with the most traction on slippery roads. Our prototype was also equipped with a Torsen limited-slip rear differential that compensates for a loss of traction between the right and left wheels.

She: Yes, but I can’t picture the RX 300 with mud on it. It’s almost too pretty, style-wise. It has the most beautiful face in the competition with a sculpted hood that seems to be the equivalent of high cheekbones and jewel-like headlamps. Far less trucky and fire-breathing than the Cherokee or Dodge Durango.

He: You’re drawn to its looks, but I admire its technical proficiency and its comfort and safety features. The RX 300 boasts ample ground clearance of nearly 8 inches, and yet the step-in height seems lower than on the ML320. The Lexus has a surprisingly powerful engine – a twin-cam, 3.0-liter V-6 wi variable valve timing that packs plenty of low-end torque. It’s the same engine that Lexus introduced last fall on the redesigned GS 300 sedan. In the RX 300, you can sprint from 0-60 in 8.8 seconds. Amazing!

She: I loved the cabin in the RX 300. The interior is much more luxurious than the Mercedes. Even in the worst seat in the house – the center rear – you’ll feel comfortable because the floor is flat. The rear seats can slide 5 inches front or back to create lots of leg room or cargo room. And the front seats can fold nearly flat, which is nice for napping, if you’re the passenger.

He: Another neat feature is the center console with the sliding drawer.

She: That’s probably one of the most critical features, because for the first time in a sport-ute, you actually have a space for your purse or that sack of White Castle hamburgers. The reason you have that space is because the shift lever is attached to the dashboard, not the floor. Somebody ought to win an award for that design.

He: I notice you keep referring to the RX 300 as a sport-ute. That’s almost limiting it. It’s probably more accurate to think of it as truly a multiactivity vehicle. For one thing, it doesn’t ride and handle like your typical sport-ute. The underpinnings were inspired by the ES 300 sedan. You’ll find the RX 300 is far easier to maneuver and park than a big boat such as the Lincoln Navigator. It also comes with one of the best standard safety packages in the business.

She: You get dual front and side air bags, power four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel antilock brakes, daytime running lights, height-adjustable seat belts and pretensioners. Granted, Toyota says RX 300 buyers are likely to pursue low-risk activities such as tennis. But they’ll be ready for anything with this baby. So do you agree that this is one terrific sport-ute?

He: No. I think it’s one terrific sevan.

1999 Lexus RX 300

Type: Front-engine, four-wheel drive, five-passenger multiactivity vehicle

Price: Base, $32,950; as tested, $37,800 (includes $495 destination charge)

What’s new for ’99: All-new model for 1999

Standard equipment: Automatic climate control, rear defogger, two 12-volt power outlets, cruise control, tilt steering column, one-touch up/down power windows, center console with sliding drawer, AM-FM stereo cassette, alloy wheels, 225/70R16 tires, heated power mirrors, variable intermittent wipers, rear intermittent wiper, auto on/off headlamps, LCD display, 10-way power driver’s seat, four-way front power front passenger’s seat, split fold-down rear seat with center armrest, rear tonneau cover, walnut trim, remote keyless entry

Safety features: Dual front air bags, dual side air bags, front seat-belt pretensioners, height-adjustable seat belts, antilock brakes, daytime running lights, vehicle security system with engine immobilizer

Options on test vehicle: Nakamichi premium audio system with six-disc CD changer ($1,600); heated front seats ($420); Torsen rear limited-slip differential ($375); power tilt/slide moonroof ($1,000); premium package with leather trim, driver’s seat memory, electrochromic inside and outside heated mirrors, programable garage door opener, air-filtration system ($1,860)

EPA fuel economy: 19 mpg city/22 mpg highway

Engine: 3.0-liter V-6; 220-hp at 5800 rpm; 222 lb-ft torque at 4400 rpm

Transmission: Four-speed automatic

Competitors: Mercedes-Benz ML320

Specifications: Wheelbase, 103.0 inches; overall length, 180.1 inches; curb weight, 4,037 pounds; legroom, 40.7 inches front/36.4 inches rear; headroom, 39.5 inches front/39.2 inches rear; shoulder room, 57.6 inches front/56.7 inches rear

12-month insurance cost, according to AAA Michigan: $1,382. Rates based on an average family of four from the Livonia area whose primary driver is age 40 with no tickets who drives three-10 miles each way to work. Rates relc multicar discount and, where appropriate, discounts for air bags and seat belts.

Where built: Kyushu, Japan