For more than two decades the Lexus RX has been the epitome of quiet and comfortable luxury cruising. Through those years, RX owners have also benefited from a reliability record that’s about as stout as they come. Unfortunately, both the conventionally-powered RX 350 and the RX 350h Hybrid have lost some refinement, mostly to the adoption of four-cylinder powertrains in place of the previous V6 engine. But, both models see notable improvements in fuel economy.
But alas, the cabin isn’t as supremely quiet as before (in part due to the engine), and the ride isn’t as plush. On the other hand, we appreciate the new RX’s slightly sharper handling, moderately less confusing controls, and that the cabin is as finely finished as ever. Even with a few small steps backward, the overall result is that the fifth-generation RX remains a pleasant midsized luxury SUV, and one that is likely to be reliable down the road.
The RX 350h Hybrid combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric drive for a combined 246 horsepower, which gives it plenty of scoot. It can propel itself on electric power alone at low speeds, and it transitions seamlessly back and forth between gas and electric as needed after that. It’s when you want a quick burst of speed, say to merge onto a highway or extra oomph to climb a steep hill, that the four-cylinder engine sounds a bit buzzy. It doesn’t help matters that its electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) allows the engine revs to pile high with a rather loud, monotonous drone when extra power is required.
But, those faults are mostly offset by the impressive 34 mpg overall the RX 350h managed in our testing—not only is that a 5-mpg improvement over the outgoing V6-based RX Hybrid, but that’s 10-mpg to the good over the conventional RX 350 with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine. To further hit home the point that the RX 350h is unequivocally the version to go for, the hybrid model is only a few tenths slower from 0 to 60 mph than the regular model.
The RX’s handling has been slightly improved, with a more responsive feel through corners, but the suspension still leans on the side of soft rather than taut, with pronounced body roll when you pick up the pace. It doesn’t possess the athletic feel of a BMW X5 or Genesis GV80. The ride is still comfy overall, and the suspension does a good job absorbing most bumps. But it doesn’t isolate occupants as well as the old RX when the road gets rough.
As we’ve come to expect of a Lexus, the RX’s cabin is nicely finished with lots of padded surfaces, soft leather, exposed stitching, and solid materials. We found the front seats comfortable, with ample seatback side bolstering to hold you in place through corners. Some drivers felt the cushions were a touch too firm, and that support and comfort waned after about an hour in the saddle. It’s also disappointing that you have to step up to the fourth-tier Luxury trim to get four-way lumbar adjustment, vs. the two-way in our tested Premium Plus. The cockpit proved well-suited to drivers of various shapes and sizes, with ample headroom, an elevated seat height, a clear view of the gauges, and a padded center console where it infringes upon right-knee space.
The rear seat is impressive, in terms of both space and comfort. The elevated seat delivers good thigh support, the cushions are plush, there’s decent foot space under the front seats, and the seatback has ample recline range.
When it comes to infotainment interfaces, Lexus just can’t seem to get it right lately. First there was the awkward computer-mouse-like system for navigating around the display screen. Lexus eventually tossed that disaster in favor of an also-fussy touchpad-based infotainment system. This time around Lexus has gone all-in on the touchscreen approach. While it’s an improvement in general functionality and usability over the two previous systems, we don’t like that the new setup consolidates media and climate controls into a single screen, or that some relatively simple tasks require multiple steps. It’s also unfortunate that the optional head-up display on our tested RX 350h brings with it unlabeled steering-wheel controls, which are distracting to use while driving.
The electronic exterior door handles are annoying, as there is a momentary pause after you pull on the handle before the door opens. Also, the RX’s stubby electronic gear selector is odd to learn and annoying to use, with a confusing pathway and diagram for how to go between Reverse and Drive.
The RX comes with the “Lexus Safety System+ 3.0” suite of active safety and driver assistance systems. Standard features on the RX include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.