2024 Lexus RX

Pros

• Elegant interior design and good building quality.
• Seats that are both comfy and roomy.
• Rates that are lower than those of a number of European competitors.
• The RX 350h gets good gas mileage.

Cons

• Both the RX 350 and the RX 350h move slowly.
• Tools can be difficult to use.
• The F Sport Handling version has a ride that is a little too hard.

From whence does the RX get power? The test car had F Sport Handling trim. All-wheel drive allows the RX to travel from 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds without adding power. That is somewhat faster than its V6-powered predecessor, slightly slower than the four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz GLE 350, and more than two seconds slower than the Genesis GV80 and GLE 450. Since the RX 350 has no engine option, customers who desire greater power can consider the RX 500h.

At 132 feet, emergency stops from 60 miles per hour aren’t as good as what the competition can do. On the other hand, the RX’s strong and sensitive brake pedal makes it easy to stop with full trust in a wide range of street conditions. Even though the F Sport version has a suspension that is tuned for sport, the RX is not very fast on a back road. The RX’s capable chassis makes it easy to drive, while the F Sport has few benefits.

Prospective buyers don’t need to worry that the RX doesn’t have a V6 engine like the RXs of the past. The 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine has enough power for daily driving, and the eight-speed automatic gearbox makes gear changes quickly and accurately. This engine is very up-to-date.

How comfortable the RX is? Our test car was the F Sport Handling model, which had 21-inch wheels and a sport-tuned, adjustable suspension. The F Sport wasn’t good for the previous-generation RX because it had a ride that was too stiff and didn’t improve handling in any obvious way. Even though some buyers might find the new F Sport a little too stiff, it has a better balance overall. Also, the seats in the F Sport are different. They are stronger, but still soft and comfy, like the seats in a regular RX. The back seats of our test RX had a better shape and more support than normal, and they heated and cooled quickly.

Most ways to control the temperature are easy to use and easy to get to. Even though we thought the middle vents were too low to work well on a hot day, the three-zone climate system did a great job of keeping the temperature the same. Even though there was no wind noise inside, there was more tire hum than we expected. Noise levels inside are usually low.

How’s the inside? Lexus pays attention to detail, but the RX’s interior is confusing and often unpleasant. The 14-inch tablet display looks beautiful and responds promptly. The RX has a gorgeous new interior, but most settings are easy to find and the learning curve is low. The huge center screen benefits from the clear backup camera and surround-view video system, if available. It makes RX movement easier in tight spaces.

But the shift switch works in the strange way that the Toyota Prius does, which made us choose neutral when we thought we were in drive. Another thing that can be annoying is that the buttons on the driving wheel are not labeled. Even though Lexus made them smartly flexible, you can only see what they can do on the head-up display, and even simple tasks require too much focus.

Even though the back seats of the Acura MDX don’t have as much legroom as the front seats, most people will be fine. The driving position of the RX can be changed quickly to fit a wide range of body types. There isn’t much room for taller riders’ heads in the back.

How good is the tech? Our test car had a 14-inch display that caught our eye. People like the fast responses and clear, easy-to-read graphics, but the menu layout could be better set up. Our test car also had a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system. If you have the money to improve, it is very powerful and very clear.

Cell phone connection is incorporated into most phones, but not navigation. Lexus charges for cloud-based service use after the trial term (every two years at the time of writing). Even in densely populated Southern California, we had problems connecting to the cloud-based system. Although the RX’s voice controls may change the radio station and turn on the lights, they were disappointing due to their poor response.

The RX comes with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 as standard, which has almost all of the high-tech driving aids you’d expect. Response times were slow, but there were no fake alarms.

What about putting things away? The RX has enough room for cargo for a mid-size SUV. The liftover is a little high, but the cargo area doesn’t have any weird forms or pockets. With the seats up, the RX only has 29.6 cubic feet of room, which is less than competitors like the Mercedes GLE (33.3 cubic feet) and the Acura MDX (39.1 cubic feet behind the second row of seats). When all of the seats are pulled down, the RX has a lot less space than its rivals.

A wireless phone charger keeps your phone safe while driving in the center cabinet, which can be accessed from any side. The large pockets on the front and back doors are not lined with felt, so little items may rattle within. The RX’s second row anchor points are easy to access and the rear seatbacks may be adjusted, making car seats straightforward to install.

Towing is not a popular thing to do in the RX, so it is less impressive. The RX can only pull a maximum of 3,500 pounds when it is fully loaded. Competitors like the Acura MDX, Genesis GV80, and Mercedes GLE can pull much more than the GLE.

How well does it use gasoline? The RX is one of the more fuel-efficient SUVs in its class. The all-wheel-drive F Sport gets about 24 mpg combined (21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway). The RX got 25.4 mpg on our 115-mile test run, most of which was on the highway. That’s a lot better than the Mercedes GLE, Genesis GV80, and Acura MDX, which are some of its rivals.

Is RX expensive? Even in our test car’s F Sport trim, the Lexus RX is a good deal in this competitive segment because it is well made and comes with a lot of nice features as standard. The other best deal in the class is the Acura MDX. The RX series costs little over $50,000. But when you compare the Lexus RX to cars like the Mercedes-Benz GLE in terms of features, it really stands out.

The Lexus comes with a normal bumper-to-bumper warranty of four years or 50,000 miles and a powertrain warranty of six years or 70,000 miles. There is free roadside help for four years with no limit on how many miles you can drive. However, there is only one year of free maintenance.

Even though the RX has a new, sleek look, you don’t have to worry that it won’t be as quiet and nice as other Lexus cars. In fact, the RX is basically a much better version of what it used to be. The engine is more agile without making driving less fun, and technology is getting better and better at a very fast rate.

Even though the RX has some problems, mostly with its technology, and we’re not totally sold on the F Sport version, it’s still a much better and more interesting choice that has no major problems. Even though it’s not very fun to drive, the RX is a nice place to spend time and does everything it sets out to do well.

At the time this article was written, Lexus had not made any official announcements about the 2024 RX. If anything changes, we’ll change our suggestion, but based on the RX from the year before, we’d suggest getting the Premium version of the RX 350h. It has a good mix of luxury, effectiveness, technology, and value. We’d add a panoramic sunroof, a system of cameras that help with parking, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.

Models of Lexus RX

The Lexus RX is a midsize luxury SUV with room for five people. It comes in three different models: the RX 350, the RX 350h with a hybrid engine, and the RX 500h, built for speed. The main parts of these three forms are all the same. Read on for a more in-depth look at the RX’s standard and optional features.

There are four trim levels for the RX 350 and the RX 350h hybrid: base, premium, premium+, and luxury. People who want a more challenging ride and sporty handling can get the RX 350 F Sport Handling version. All-wheel drive is standard on the RX 350, which has a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The RX 350h’s hybrid system comprises a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 246 horsepower and 233 pound-feet of torque and an electric motor that drives the back wheels.