The Lexus Remote Touch infotainment interface and controller has been around since 2009, when it first appeared in the third-generation RX. The latest version debuts in the all-new 2016 RX, and uses the same mouse-like controller setup we've tested in other cars from the luxury brand. Unlike BMW's iDrive, which started out problematic and later evolved into a benchmark for rotary controllers that other automakers have mimicked, Remote Touch hasn't outgrown its awkward stage, and even with this latest update it's still frustrating to use. Fortunately, the 2016 Lexus RX 350 also gains a massive 12.3-inch display that works in conjunction with the Remote Touch controller. But on its own, Remote Touch still needs some work.

Overview and Controller
As in other Lexus vehicles, the Remote Touch controller in the 2016 RX 350 is rectangular and positioned in the center console, with an arm rest right behind it. The controller moves forward, backward, and side to side to navigate through menu items on the dashboard screen.

In front of the controller are five buttons. A large MAP button on the left brings up the navigation map on the display and shows the vehicle's current position. On the other side is a MENU button to display the main menu, as well as a Back button above it. In between are two smaller arrow buttons to scroll through menu items or scale the nav map. On either side of the controller is a large ENTER button that can be used to select a menu item; you can also push the controller itself in to achieve the same function.

The 2016 RX 350 has a 12.3-inch dashboard screen that works in conjunction with the controller. It's split into two sections when not being used solely for navigation or the main menu. The larger section on the left features eight icons for (left to right) Destination, Radio, Media, and Phone on the top row, and Lexus App Suite, Info, Climate, and Setup on the bottom. The section on the right has smaller icons used to select (from top to bottom) Navigation, Audio, Phone, Vehicle Info, and Climate functions.

Needs Some Retouching
As the cursor for the Remote Touch controller moves over each icon, vibration-like haptic feedback can be felt through the controller itself. This "feedback force" is adjustable. Once something on the screen is chosen by pushing down on the controller or the ENTER button, a haptic feedback pulse confirms the selection.

While the menus are logically laid out and the 12.3-inch screen makes it easy to get around, selecting an icon, particularly the smaller ones, can be challenging. And we found that even with the feedback force of the controller dialed up to its highest setting, it can still be difficult to land on a specific icon without taking your eyes off the road. You can see an example of this from a similar Remote Touch system we tested in a Lexus LS 460 in this video.

Complicating matters is that when you want to enter information like a navigation address or a phone contact, you're required to use an on-screen QWERTY keyboard. As you can imagine, entering each character is time-consuming using the kludgy Remote Touch interface. Even more frustrating is that the voice recognition feature wouldn't work on some occasions, like when we tried to enter a search term into the Yelp app.

Conclusions
The Lexus Remote Touch interface does have some redeeming qualities, like the ability to rearrange on-screen icons in certain menus, which makes them easier to access. And Lexus Enform has one of the most comprehensive app platforms of any automaker (with options including Pandora, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Facebook Places, Movietickets.com, OpenTable, Yelp, and more) and uses a connected smartphone so that there's no separate subscription required.

The Lexus GX and LX both use touch-screen systems and nix the Remote Touch controller, while the Lexus NX uses a touchpad instead, which we found equally difficult to use. So if Lexus plans to stick with the Remote Touch interface, let's hope it becomes more refined, like BMW's iDrive. For now, it's a significant shortfall in a vehicle like the 2016 RX 350, and holds it back from truly standing out.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.