Lexus RX Review

The RX was doing the hybrid luxury SUV thing long before most rivals had properly woken up to the idea. That early start still shapes the car today, because Lexus has never really tried to turn the RX into a sporty, badge-led alternative to the usual German choices. Instead, it has stuck to its own formula.

That formula is easy enough to understand. The RX is designed to feel smooth, efficient and impeccably built, with electrified powertrains and a cabin that majors on material quality and comfort rather than minimalist theatre or aggressive driver appeal.

The current fifth-generation RX continues that approach, but now with a much broader range of electrified powertrains. The line-up begins with the RX 350h full hybrid, moves through the RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid and tops out with the turbocharged RX 500h performance hybrid.

That gives the RX a wider bandwidth than before. Buyers can now choose between a conventional hybrid setup that requires no plugging in, a plug-in model that can cover meaningful local miles on electric power alone, or a faster range-topper that adds more punch without abandoning the car’s comfort-first character.

What matters is that the RX still feels distinct. It is not trying to copy a BMW X5 or an Audi Q7. It is quieter, softer-edged and more laid-back than those cars, and that is exactly what gives it its appeal.

The trade-off is that buyers paying this sort of money are entitled to expect more than just serenity. They will also want space, intuitive technology and some degree of driver appeal. The RX delivers strongly on quality and comfort, but it is weaker on outright practicality and still takes a little too much effort to get fully comfortable with from behind the wheel.

For most buyers, the sweet spot is the RX 450h+ Premium Plus.

The plug-in hybrid makes the most convincing all-round case if you can charge at home, because it gives you enough electric-only range to make a meaningful dent in daily fuel use while still retaining the long-distance flexibility of a petrol engine.

Premium Plus is the trim we would target because it adds the extra luxury kit most buyers in this class will actually appreciate, without pushing as hard on price as Takumi. The RX 350h still makes sense if you want the simplest ownership experience and do not want to plug in, while the 500h is the niche choice for those who want more performance and like its F Sport flavour.

The current RX range starts at £63,445 for the RX 350h Premium. The 350h Premium Plus is £69,395, the F Sport Design is £70,395 and the Takumi reaches £77,895.

The plug-in RX 450h+ begins at £65,095 in Premium trim, rising to £70,595 for Premium Plus, £71,095 for F Sport Design and £77,345 for Takumi.

At the top of the line-up, the RX 500h F Sport starts at £80,995 and the F Sport with Takumi package costs £85,995.

Those are serious prices, and they place the RX firmly among premium-badge luxury SUVs rather than merely expensive mainstream alternatives. The good news is that the RX does at least feel expensive in the right ways. The cabin quality, refinement and equipment count all support the asking price, even if some rivals offer more badge cachet or greater practicality.

The BMW X5 is one of the most obvious alternatives if you want a luxury SUV that is more satisfying to drive and roomier in the boot. The Mercedes-Benz GLE and Volvo XC90 are also natural comparison points, particularly for buyers who want a more obviously premium badge.

The Range Rover Velar is worth considering if design and ambience matter more than seven-seat flexibility, while buyers wanting a more value-led take on plug-in hybrid luxury could also look at the Mazda CX-60.

The RX’s challenge is that there are no shortage of alternatives at this price level. Its advantage is that very few of them deliver refinement and build quality in quite the same way.

In keeping with the overall ethos of the Lexus RX, its interior is focused on delivering comfort above all else. The dashboard layout is angled towards the driver, with a high-quality but minimalist design.

A raised driving position makes for a commanding view of the road, while the seats themselves are incredibly comfortable. There is a huge amount of adjustment, helping you to find the perfect seating position, with plenty of support on long journeys.

Even the entry-level Premium Pack Lexus RX comes with heated and eight-way adjustable front seats, including two-way lumbar adjustment. Moving up to top Takumi specification sees the front seats become 10-way electrically adjustable items, while even the rear seats gain a degree of power adjustment.

Those in the front of the Lexus RX get a good deal, with plenty of space and an overall impression of airiness. The wide cabin means you will not be bumping elbows with your front-seat passenger, and there is also a number of storage options for small items.

In the rear, there is a respectable amount of space for two adult passengers, but adding a fifth to the middle seat could be a stretch too far. There is a wide hump found in the floor, meaning legroom for a middle passenger is limited

Where the Lexus RX lags behind the competition is in terms of boot capacity. With the rear seats in use, there is a total of 461 litres of luggage space. By contrast, a BMW X5 can accommodate 500 litres, while a Range Rover Sport is able to swallow up to 647 litres.

The Lexus RX measures 4,890mm long, 1,920mm wide & 1,700mm high. That makes it a large SUV by any normal standard.

Those dimensions give it road presence and help create the broad, airy feel in the front of the cabin, but they do not translate into class-leading practicality. That is one of the RX’s key compromises.

The RX uses a 14-inch central touchscreen that looks impressively modern and gives the dashboard a clean, contemporary feel. Response times are good and the display quality is strong.

The problem is usability. Lexus has improved its systems compared with older models, but the interface still takes some time to learn and some of the touch-sensitive controls are less intuitive than they should be.

At least the smartphone connectivity is strong. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are wireless charging, navigation and plenty of USB ports. Buyers who go for Takumi also get the superb 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, which suits the RX’s hushed character especially well.

The RX’s material quality is exactly what you would hope for from a Lexus. It feels rich, carefully assembled and expensive in all the key places.

Premium trim already sets a strong tone, while Premium Plus and above bring smoother leather and more visual indulgence. Takumi feels the richest of all, with semi-aniline leather and the sort of detail finishing that makes the RX feel genuinely luxurious rather than merely well equipped.

This is not a flashy or aggressively styled cabin. It is a quietly confident one, built around the idea of tactile quality and lasting comfort.

All versions of the Lexus RX now come with some form of electric assistance, leaving a choice between ‘self-charging’ or plug-in hybrid power.

The Lexus RX 350h combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors. With a motor on each axle, it gives the 350h standard all-wheel drive – just like all Lexus RX models, in fact. A combined output of 250PS sees the Lexus RX 350h accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds.

Lexus pitches the RX 500h as the performance model and it comes solely in F Sport trim. Its turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine can produce 272PS just on its own, with the electric motors taking the combined total all the way to 371PS. As a result, the car’s 0-62mph time drops to 6.2 seconds.

In contrast to the other models in the range, the RX 500h comes with a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox, while the RX 350h and RX 450h+ utilise what Lexus (and parent Toyota) calls an ‘e-CVT’ gearbox, which feels like a conventional CVT to operate, but is mechanically quite different (and has proven very reliable too).

The Lexus RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid has the same 2.5-litre petrol engine and electric motors as the 350h, but now with a combined output of 309PS. Its additional power sees the 0-62mph sprint take 6.9 seconds.

It may look sporty on the outside, and the press info even boasts about a dynamic driving experience, but the Lexus RX is a comfort-oriented car at heart. A kerb weight of between 1900kg and 2200kg, depending on the powertrain, is substantial – and naturally affects how the RX drives.

It has a relatively low centre of gravity, and the steering is neatly weighted, with just enough feedback. Four-wheel steering is fitted to the RX 500h, helping create the impression of agility, too. However, the degree of body-roll in the Lexus RX is likely to be higher than most drivers would expect, even if there is still plenty of grip. A BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne will feel instantly more planted and confidence-inspiring by comparison.

Despite the amount of lean, the Lexus RX also has quite a firm ride over bumpy roads. Most of the feedback from the surface is well damped, though, meaning passengers are not going to be thrown out of their seats. Adaptive suspension is included on higher-specification versions, allowing a greater choice between comfort and tautness.

The Lexus RX has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with particularly strong scores for adult and child occupant protection.

All versions come with Lexus Safety System+, including pre-collision warning, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and road-sign recognition. Higher trims add more advanced assistance systems including lane-change assist and front cross-traffic alert.

That all adds up to a reassuringly comprehensive safety story, which is exactly what buyers in this class will want.

Official combined economy for the RX 350h is between 44.1mpg and 44.8mpg, which is strong for a large all-wheel-drive luxury SUV.

The RX 500h still manages up to 34.9mpg, which is respectable enough given its stronger performance. The 450h+ plug-in hybrid will look sensational on paper, but its real-world efficiency depends heavily on how often you charge it and how many of your trips fit within its EV range.

The Lexus RX comes with a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty as standard. More significantly, servicing the car annually within the Lexus dealer network can extend that cover up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

That, combined with Lexus’s excellent reputation for reliability, makes the RX a reassuringly strong ownership proposition.

Insurance groups start at 42 for the RX 350h Premium and rise to 45 for the most expensive and powerful versions.

That is predictably high, but not out of step with the sort of luxury SUV the RX has become.

After year one, the Lexus RX pays the standard annual VED rate, currently £200.

Because every current RX sits above the £40,000 Expensive Car Supplement threshold for petrol, diesel and hybrid cars, the whole range also attracts the additional annual charge from years two to six. At current rates, that adds £440 a year, taking the total annual bill to £640 during that period.