Our Opinion - 2024 Lexus RX Review The 2024 Lexus RX claims to be a smoother, more relaxing ride than other small luxury crossovers. It’s not even the RX500h F Sport Performance that’s fast or sporty enough. It does go fast; on our test track, it took 5.5 seconds to hit 60 mph. But drivers are more excited about it than they are about cars like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the Porsche Macan. If that’s okay with you, the RX has a luxurious look, a nice interior, and a smooth ride, and it has done all of these things for many generations. The new Lexus TX SUV, which takes the place of the bigger RX-L, has a third row of seats and a roomy interior that can fit both people and things. What's New? In 2024, the RX range will include a plug-in RX450h+ model with a battery that can let you drive for up to 35 miles on electricity alone. It costs more than $70,000 to buy the top model, the RX450h+. It is only offered in the Luxury trim, which comes fully loaded. The plug-in hybrid car has 304 horsepower from a four-cylinder engine and three electric motors. Moreover, it is equipped with all-wheel drive as a standard feature. The smaller NX450h+ is where the engine comes from. From now until 2024, the RX will mostly stay the same. Pros and Cons Pros Modern log cabin. It was a nice and quiet trip. The way well hybrids work. Cons Smaller than other options. It’s not athletic. Turning on some models could look better. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The 2024 RX comes with four different powertrain choices. The base model, the RX350, has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 275 horsepower. That model comes with front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic engine as standard. There is an option to purchase an all-wheel drive system. The all-wheel drive system, continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and electric motors that make 246 horsepower are all part of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid RX350h. During our first test drive, both of these powertrains worked great, but they will accelerate a little slower than their 2022 peers. When you get into the RX500h F Sport Performance, you can see that the engine is stronger. The electric motor and turbocharged 2.4-liter engine give it 367 horsepower, which is sent to all four wheels by Lexus’ Direct4 technology. Lexus could have made the new RX even better as a performer with the RX500h model, but its chassis experts didn’t add any more cornering confidence. This is a plug-in hybrid car called the RX450h+. It comes with an all-wheel drive, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and three electric motors. This engine is also found in the Lexus NX450h+ and Toyota RAV4 Prime SUVs. It adds two horsepower to this mix, making it 304 horsepower altogether. Every model we’ve driven so far, even the most stylish and well-balanced ones like the current RX, will please regular customers but not car fans. Safety The 2023 RX is one of many new Lexus cars and SUVs that come with a number of features that help the driver. The RX’s automatic emergency braking system (AEB) can tell the difference between motorbikes and people walking. Adaptive speed control with lane centering is standard on all models. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) webpages to learn more about the RX’s crash test scores. Some important safety factors are: Normal automatic emergency stopping that can tell the difference between bikes and people walking. Stay in your lane with the help of a standard lane departure warning system. Normal adaptive speed control that can center the car in its lane. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The new TX with three rows of seats can fit on top of the RX, which only comes in two rows and five seats. The RX’s interior looks more modern than the last generation. The RX350 models have open-pore wood trim, ambient lighting that looks rich, and textured cloth on the upper door panels. There are aluminum pedals, paddle shifters on the steering wheel, black interior decor, and front seats that are more padded in the RX500h F Sport Performance. The huge cargo area behind the second-row seats can hold a lot of food or luggage when you’re going by car. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The EPA says that the RX350h gets 37 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient RX model. For front-wheel drive cars, the non-hybrid RX350 got 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The RX500h is expected to get 27 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The RX450h+ is said to get 83 MPGe on the highway. The RX500h F Sport Performance got 28 mpg on our highway fuel-economy route going 75 mph, which is the same as what the EPA says it should get. The RX450h+, on the other hand, got 30 mpg in hybrid mode and 64 mpg in electric mode. Infotainment and Connectivity The updated RX’s dashboard has a 9.8-inch touchscreen for entertainment, and a bigger 14.0-inch screen is available as an option. The infotainment screen in the RX is slightly tilted toward the driver. It uses Lexus’s newest software interface and looks a lot like the screen in the smaller NX SUV. Navigation, a head-up display, and a Mark Levinson sound system can be added as options. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are already built in. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The 18.1-kWh battery pack in the RX450h+ can be charged with 240-volt electricity in just over two hours. The battery’s range for an electric car is said to be up to 37 miles, but in our tests, it only lasted 28 miles on a highway before it died. Price and How to Choose Even though it doesn’t look very sporty, the RX500h F Sport Performance is the most exciting RX SUV. It’s too bad it costs so much. We, as car fans, would only consider the most powerful model appropriate, but more laid-back drivers would be happy with the RX350 Premium Plus, which is even more laid-back and less powerful. This model is in the middle of the price range and comes with leather seats, an ambient lighting system, a bigger 14.0-inch touchscreen screen, and other features.
