Lexus SUV to Florida for Fishing Funament

RX 350 and Mako Funament boat

Always ready to see what's biting out there

Traveling from the Lowcountry to South Florida requires right around an 8-hour commute time, with most of that time spent on I-95. Everyone knows that the Interstate system is overly taxed with traffic these days and that keeping moving and staying safe are the best ways to navigate from one point to the next. Fortunate to be driving the 2014 Lexus RX 350 I was able to use the onboard Nav system to enter my waypoint in Port St. Lucie, and follow the commands to reach the Mako Boats Funament sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. The 25 miles per gallon on the highway kept the pit stops for fuel down to a minimum, and the ice cold A/C shrugged off the Florida heat on my trip. The 12-speaker audio package includes a CD player, but the Satellite Radio choices keep the need for playing a CD a mute point. The driver assist option lets the driver know when another automobile is in the proverbial blind spot on either side of the car by lighting up an indicator in each side rear view mirror before one changes lanes. A video screen over the dashboard keeps track of what apps are being used, and the access for this video screen is controlled by a mouse on the center console in between the two front seats, and just below the gear selector. (Please view the VIDEO to see a demonstration of the mouse controlled onscreen options.) The entire screen changes over to the back-up camera when the RX is in reverse. There are lots of perks to driving a Lexus SUV crossover like the RX 350 including plenty of leg room, with a driver's seat that automatically moves back when exiting the car - which doubles for making it easy to step into the car as well. The leather seats have adjustable controls, and the second row of seats folds down easily to expand the cargo area if using the fifth door in the rear to load gear like my fishing rods. The back cargo area comes with a tie-down net, and a pullover sun shade that serves to preserve any items underneath. The Deep Sea Mica color on this vehicle was typical of any dark color catalyst as the interior of the car became very hot when the vehicle was parked in the open - which is par for the course in sunny Florida. Having spent time in a Lexus LX 450 and the Lexus ES 300 I can share that the RX 350 offers the same luxury handling and smoothe ride that the Lexus brand has become known for as the high end vehicle from Toyota. When on the road, it is not difficult to spot other RX models from past years, which speaks to their popularity with consumers and I'm sure that the 2014 model will continue that trend. Features like Intuitive Parking Assist can be added to the RX.

To view past blog entries about Toyota click here.

My fishing rods are ready to roll in the RX