It’s an outdated myth that Dads aren’t cool but regardless, the universal truth is that when you’re cool you know it and don’t have to flaunt it. If you’re passionate about driving, subtly flaunting said coolness can be done through a choice of a stylistic vehicle. The Lexus RX is already a cool looking vehicle but in today’s automobile market that isn’t enough. The “volume” has to be cranked up. When it comes to the RX, cranking it up means going all in on dark accents, kick-ass wheels, and a slew of visual upgrades that crank up the style factor. Oh, and complimentary luggage. Yeah, luggage. All this additional coolness comes as part of a new edition of the RX called Black Line.
Yeah, even the edition name is cool.
Lexus is all about affordable luxury and the Black Line editions elevates that luxury experience across several models in their lineup. In 2021, the RX is the latest to receive this edition and it might be one of the more exciting vehicles to come out of Lexus. It also might be the rarest. There are only 1,000 RX Black Line edition units available in 2021 and only 250 of those units are the 450h model. Talk about a unique vehicle.
I tested the RX 450h Black Line model which meant two things. One: During my week reviewing this vehicle I was a rare sight to any vehicle passing me on the road. And Two: I needed to be extra careful to keep the RX as pristine as when it arrived. Luckily, the RX is an excellent vehicle to handle and thus provides a safe and comfortable experience.
Oh and don’t worry, we’ll get back to that whole luggage thing.
What This Dad Digs about the 2021 Lexus RX 450h Black Line Edition
Black Everywhere – It’s not called the Black Line Edition for nothing. Black is the motif that inspires the core of this edition’s design language—that and us as the consumers, apparently. Lexus says it has listened to what their customers want and what they want is apparently black. There’s a new blacked out grille, blackened headlamps, black side mirrors, black 20” wheels and back roof rails. All this black looks absolutely sick, especially against the exclusive Black Line paint jobs our RX came in called Grecian Water. It’s a shade of deep blue that certainly turned heads. Walking toward it in a crowded parking lot, this RX stands out, which is why you pay for a vehicle of this stature in the first place. Try waiting in a parent pick-up line with this vehicle and your kids might not be so embarrassed to trot over to the car.
The exterior doesn’t get to have all the fun either. Inside the RX the Black Line Edition brings some special black floor mats, cargo mats, and black seats that pop with white and blue stitching. I was also impressed with the wood grain elements integrated throughout the dash—it’s a nice touch of luxury that fits right in with the RX design aesthetic.
New Standard Safety Tech for 2021 – Lexus (and it’s sister company Toyota) always score high marks for safety features but new for this year, Lexus is throwing some of it’s more popular safety features as standard equipment on the RX. Specifically, Lexus added blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert as standard features. The RX’s safety features don’t stop there either — lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and a back up cam are also part of the onboard systems that keep driver and passengers safe. In use, all of this tech worked smoothly. I particularly like the bright, vivid back-up cam that displayed a wide range of viewing.
A Peppy Hybrid Engine – A vehicle that looks this modern should be on the cutting edge of technology and the hybrid V6 engine under the hood of this RX 450h is certainly there. With 308 horses at your disposal, the 450h’s engine is powerful, capable, and well connected—it’s paired with not one but three electric engines and a nickel-metal battery. I was fascinated to learn that one of those electric motors pairs the V6 engine with the transmission while the other two handle the front and rear wheels separately. Working together in harmony, this combination of engines deliver solid fuel economy numbers — 31 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. The transition from gas to electric power was hardly noticeable and I never felt lacking for power. The RX’s handling was confident enough and the overall vehicle felt surprisingly light and nimble. Reaching 60 mph from a standstill took a solid 8 seconds which isn’t going to break any records but acceleration in practical use was more than satisfactory.
Luggage – There was a time when a customer might get a toaster with a new car purchase. Oh, how times have changed. A swanky edition of a luxury car deserves a companion gift worthy of the Black Line edition. So it makes total sense that a spunky SUV like the RX would come with an exclusive Black Line luggage set made by Zero Haliburton. A part of the Edge Lightweight Collection, this luggage set comes with a 22” Edge lightweight International Carry-on and a 26” Continental travel case. The cases are distinctive, sporting features like a chrome logo badge etched into the case, sumptuous interior lining featuring a Lexus grille motif and a Lexus embossed leather Lexus logo badge. They look tough as nails and of course only come in – you guessed it – black.
What Gets a Dad Downvote
Cluttered Dash – There is a lot to love about the interior of the 2021 RX but the dash configuration isn’t one of them. I LOVE the super widescreen 12.3 inch touchscreen that sits high on the dash (there is also an 8-inch option available) but as your eye travels down the center stack of controls you’re met with a variety of buttons and knobs that steal the spotlight. I understand why all these controls are necessary—with the infotainment screen so high up on the dash, the driver needs access to all these controls. But I wish Lexus had found a way to condense some of these controls or lay them out in a more inconspicuous way.
The Sloping Roofline – The way the RX’s roofline slopes as it approaches the rear of the vehicle makes for a super sexy profile, but as a practical design choice, it fails in that it impedes on cargo space. As a parent, I’m constantly loading strollers, diaper bags, portable potties, and other toddler odds and ends into the truck of any vehicle I drive—in the RX I had difficulty cramming in what I needed. For instance, our one seat stroller fit just fine in the 7.5 cubic feet space behind the second row but our longer two-seater wouldn’t allow for the cargo door to close. To fit the two seater in, we would have to push the second row down for the extra space, leaving no room for the occupants of those strollers.
Making a Statement
As special editions go, the Black Line Edition is a trim that’s both easy to understand but has the ability to improve upon the Lexus design language in subtle and complex ways. Sure, other auto manufacturers can black out their rims and grills and call it a day but Lexus goes the extra step and does what it does best–reinvigorate through luxurious innovation. Acquiring an RX Black Line Edition raises the starting price of Lexus’ SUV to about $50k and that price only goes up the more options you use. However, what you’re paying for here is exclusivity. With so little Black Editions available, the RX Black Edition makes a statement.
Initially, I curiously pondered how many Dad Drivers would care to make that kind of statement but then I realized that I have fellow dad friends who totally splurge on themselves in this way. If you live somewhere where you’ll drive on a daily basis, dropping extra cash on a vehicle that makes a personal statement might make sense. For some Dad Drivers, that means owning a special edition luxury vehicle that’s in limited availability. My daughters are too young to appreciate the cool features the Black LIne addition brings to the table but one day they will, and when that day comes, these Black Line editions will be even rarer.
Phillip is a filmmaker, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and craft beer aficionado. He writes about cars, car tech, and various other cool Dad things. He lives, works and plays in Dallas, Texas.
