Lexus RX review

Being ahead of your time can be tough – if you launch a revolutionary product before most buyers are ready for it, it's likely to be a flop. Luckily, the Lexus RX hybrid car has been well received over the years.

You see, the RX's combination of an electrified engine and a family SUV body made it a pioneer. And while other car makers have been relatively slow to produce rival models, this is the fourth generation RX to use hybrid technology. There are currently two regular hybrids and a plug-in hybrid to choose from.

In this review we’ll tell you how we rate the Lexus RX against the key rivals you might be considering, including equivalent versions of the BMW X5, Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90.

We’ll include what it's like to drive, how pleasant it is for passengers, what safety kit it has and whether you'll find it costly to buy and run. We'll also let you know whether it should be on your shortlist – or is best avoided altogether.

All the engines in the Lexus RX range use a petrol engine and an electric motor to drive the front wheels, with a second electric motor driving the rear wheels and giving you four-wheel drive.

To kick things off there's the 350h, which uses a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that works with the motors to produce a combined output of 247bhp. The official 0-62mph time is 7.9 seconds and it’s very pleasant to drive, with plenty of everyday performance on tap.

Then there's the 500h – the quickest and most powerful RX – with its turbocharged 2.4-litre engine, combined output of 366bhp and 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds. It’s not exactly thrilling, but it's eager to rev and there’s plenty of low-down grunt, helping you get up to motorway speeds with very little effort.

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) RX 450h+ sits comfortably between the two, using the same 2.5-litre engine as the 350h but producing a brawnier 304bhp and an official 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds. That’s slower than rival PHEVs – including the BMW X5 xDrive50e, Range Rover Sport P460e and Volvo XC90 T8 – but it still feels sprightly.

While the engine chips in when needed, the electric motors respond quickly to the accelerator pedal before eagerly picking up the pace and doing much of the leg work in everyday driving. Switching to Eco drive mode dampens down that immediacy, but there’s still enough poke to maintain momentum.

In our tests on a route that simulates varying driving conditions, the 450h+ managed 33 miles on electricity alone – around 10 miles short of its official figure. The XC90 T8 matches the RX’s official electric-only range (44 miles), but the X5 can travel much further (64 miles) while the Range Rover Sport P460e is the most impressive, at 72 miles.

However, while rivals run only on the engine when the battery is depleted, the 450h+ can maintain enough charge to run like a regular hybrid. That means the motors can help out in short bursts to bolster performance and fuel economy.

Higher-spec Takumi and F Sport models come with adaptive suspension, which can be stiffened or softened to suit your mood. Other models come with conventional springs.

The PHEV’s ride on conventional suspension is at the firmer end of the scale, but it absorbs bumps well and remains settled most of the time. Occupants won’t be jostled but they’ll occasionally feel minor fidgeting over sharp-edged ruts. The X5 and Range Rover Sport PHEVs have even calmer rides.

The F Sport model is the firmest-riding RX. Thankfully, it’s never harsh or violent enough for you to wince over speed bumps or large potholes, but occupants will subtly move around in their seat more. While it can struggle to settle down at low speeds, it does smooth out once you’re on a motorway.

There’s a bit of body lean in corners, with a hint of body movement when tackling mid-corner bumps before it settles down again. The firmer F-Sport is much more composed, keeping a tighter rein on body movements, but it’s not quite as good as the sportier X5, which also has more grip.

The RX's steering responds accurately and is well-weighted, allowing you to build up a rhythm quite quickly when you encounter a series of bends. It’s not quite as sharp or precise as an X5’s, but it’s more reassuring than the light steering in the XC90. The 500h comes with four-wheel steering as standard to help it feel even more manoeuvrable at low speeds.

While the ride isn’t as relaxing as the best rivals, the RX is quiet enough to comfortably cover long distances in. There’s hardly any wind noise, and while you tune into a minor level of road noise, that’s because you're so well isolated from other sounds.

As for the noise from under the bonnet, the RX will run almost silently when on battery power, and the changeover between electric and petrol power is hardly noticeable. Even when the engine wakes up, it remains hushed.

The 350h and 450h have smooth CVT automatic gearboxes and the revs do soar when you put your foot down to accelerate harder. The six-cylinder engines in the X5 and Range Rover Sport are even quieter and smoother.

The 500h's six-speed auto gearbox behaves in a conventional manner, shifting through gears before the engine becomes vocal. The response when you take control of gear changes using the paddles on the steering wheel could be quicker thought. If you work the engine hard you hear a digitised engine note piped through the speakers to add a bit of theatre. Thankfully, it’s quite subtle. 

The RX's brake pedal responds quite sharply at first, but once you're used to it its consistent weighting makes it easy enough to slow down smoothly. As is common with hybrids, a regenerative braking system charges the battery as you decelerate, but it’s very gentle so you’ll use that brake pedal a lot.

"I’m not the biggest fan of CVT gearboxes but I do like how smooth and responsive they feel when you gently need to build up speed. There are no gears for it to change down to, unlike in rivals cars." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

From behind the wheel, the Lexus RX feels luxurious, with very comfortable seats, and a wide range of electric seat and steering wheel adjustment to help you find the perfect driving position. 

You have a commanding view out and the large windows all round aid visibility. The front windscreen pillars are wide but their angle and positioning makes them easy to see around at junctions. You shouldn’t have any trouble parking either, because all models come with front and rear parking sensors. Premium Plus adds a 360-degree camera, while top trims gain an auto-parking system.

LED headlights come as standard on all versions, with an adaptive system standard on F Sport trim and above. The adaptive system automatically shapes the light pattern to avoid dazzling other road users, allowing you to keep the main beams on.

The standard digital driver's display is easy to read but looks a bit basic and doesn’t offer a choice of lay-outs – although all trims except Premium also get a head-up display. The 14in infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard is easy to reach from the driving seat, and the raised centre console means you don't have to stretch to use the gear selector or storage areas.

You get proper dials to set the climate-control temperature but pretty much everything else is controlled using the touchscreen. That can be a bit distracting when you're driving, but you'll have a similar similar problem in the BMW X5, Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90.

The RX's touchscreen has clear graphics and a quick enough response to you prods but it's not the most user-friendly system around, with sub-menus hidden away and shortcut buttons that could be bigger. At least you get built-in sat-nav, wired Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless charging for your smartphone and plenty of USB ports.

Top-spec Takumi trims come with a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system but the standard 12-speaker stereo is clear and punchy enough.

Everything in the RX is very well finished, with the fixtures and fittings feeling robust and lending the car an upmarket feel. The choice of bright upholstery colours goes a long way to lift the ambience. That said, it’s outclassed by the softer, more expensive-feeling leathers that adorn almost every surface in a BMW X5 or Range Rover Sport making both rivals feel even more luxurious.

‘Takumi trim is pricey but I do like the bamboo trim on the centre console and steering wheel. It makes a change from gloss-black plastic or wood." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The Lexus RX comes with five seats – two fewer than the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 (which are seven-seaters as standard). That said, unless you need to ferry around more than four passengers, you’re not going to struggle for space.

There’s plenty of room in the front and the interior lay-out promotes a suitably airy feel. Big door pockets, multiple cupholders and storage cubbies mean you have plenty of places to put your phone, wallet and other paraphernalia.

In the back, there's loads of space for two 6ft adults to stretch out their legs when sitting behind people of a similar height.

Head room is plentiful provided you stick with lower trim levels that don’t have a panoramic roof. That's because it eats into head room enough that a passenger in the raised middle seat is likely to have their head touching it. You don't get the same problem in the more spacious Range Rover Sport.

The middle rear passenger also gets a raw deal when it comes to fitting in their feet because of the wide hump in the floor in front of them.

Rear storage space is generous, with map pockets on the backs of the front seats, door cubbies large enough for drinks bottles, and a centre armrest containing a large square cubby and two pop-out drinks holders.

In terms of outright capacity, the RX’s 461 litre boot is smaller than the ones in the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. It’s quite shallow but we still managed to squeeze in nine carry-on suitcases up to the parcel shelf. That’s one more than we managed in a Range Rover Sport.

You also get some underfloor storage and hooks on either side, as well as a power socket. A powered tailgate comes as standard, with a gesture-controlled one on Premium Plus and above.

The RX's back seats fold in a 40/20/40 split and can be dropped using buttons in the boot to increase the load bay area. You can also recline the back rest for additional passenger comfort or to free up a little more boot space behind.

"You can tell the RX was designed as a plug-in hybrid from the start, with storage for the charge cables under the floor. I have to keep the cables in the main load area in a Range Rover Sport." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The entry-level Lexus RX 350h costs about the same as the cheapest Volvo XC90 mild-hybrid petrol, while even the most expensive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version will cost less than a BMW X5 or Range Rover Sport. You can check the latest prices using our free New Car Deals service.

If you're planning to run an RX as a company car, you'll want to go for the 450h+ PHEV because it sits in a lower band for BIK tax than the other versions. Even so, it’s worth noting that the plusher Range Rover Sport’s longer electric-only range makes it even cheaper tax-wise, despite its higher price tag.

When it comes to charging, the 450h+ can get from 0-100% in around three hours using a home EV charger. Its maximum charging speed of 6.6kW isn’t far off the 7.4kW of the X5 xDrive50e but the Range Rover Sport P460e can charge at up to 50kW using a public EV charger.

You won’t be disappointed by the amount of equipment you get on the RX. The entry-level Premium model comes with 19in alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, rear privacy glass and keyless entry, plus parking aids and infotainment kit. It's our pick of the range.

Premium Plus trim adds ventilated front seats, a head-up display and a memory function for the driver’s seating position.

F-Sport, which is limited to the 500h, brings a sportier appearance with 21in alloy wheels, silver pedals and a sports steering wheel.

The top-spec (and pricey) Takumi and F Sport Takumi trims add a digital rear-view mirror, and heated and ventilated rear seats with electric adjustment.

When tested by the experts at Euro NCAP, the RX was awarded the full five-star rating in 2022. Adult protection could have been better but it scored slightly better than a Range Rover Sport while achieving similar (full marks) for protecting children in the rear.

All versions get plenty of standard safety kit, including two Isofix child-seat mounts and active safety systems, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping assistance.

If you’re looking for a trouble-free ownership experience you’re unlikely to go wrong with an RX. Lexus always ranks highly for reliability and customer service in our surveys, and finished second in the chart in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey.

A three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is standard and can be extended for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles if you have your car serviced at a franchised dealer every 12 months or 10,000 miles. The hybrid components and battery are covered for five years or 60,000 miles.

"When we tested the RX plug-in hybrid with a depleted battery, I was impressed by its fuel economy figure of 36.6mpg. You’d struggle to see 30mpg in other PHEVs of this size." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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