2023 Lexus RX 350

Despite a complete overhaul for 2023, Lexus’s RX SUV retains its soft-riding road manners that seem tailor-made for its faithful buyers. A quartet of powertrains is on the menu including a new plug-in hybrid version. The RX’s new styling looks much sharper than the outgoing model’s and up front, there’s a new version of the brand’s wide-mouthed grille and Lexus’s recognizable L-shaped running lights. Interior accommodations are more deluxe this time around, and the cabin features a large infotainment touchscreen and the latest tech features. The outgoing model was offered in either two- or three-row configurations but the 2023 RX is strictly a two-row affair. A three-row variant may join the lineup later or Lexus may choose to launch a new, larger SUV above the RX with a standard seven-seat layout.

While it’s hardly as sporty as it looks, the RX500h F Sport Performance is at least the most exciting variant of the RX SUV—too bad it’s so expensive. While driving enthusiasts like us would find nothing but that range-topping model suitable, we think more casual drivers will be happy with the less powerful and even more relaxed RX350 Premium Plus. That mid-range model comes with added luxuries such as the larger 14.0-inch infotainment screen, genuine leather upholstery, an ambient interior lighting system, and more.

The 2023 RX is offered with no less than four different powertrains, starting with the base RX350 model which is powered by a 275-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. That model comes with an eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive as standard, but all-wheel drive is an option. The hybrid RX350h pairs electric motors with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine to make 246 horsepower and comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. On our first test drive, neither of these powertrains delivered notable performance and we estimate both will deliver slightly slower acceleration than their 2022 analogues. Stepping up to the RX500h F Sport Performance unlocks a punchier powertrain. It combines the turbocharged 2.4-liter and electric power to make 367 horsepower and utilizes Lexus’s Direct4 system to route that power to all four wheels. Lexus had an opportunity to recast the new RX as a performer with the RX500h model, but its chassis engineers regrettably chose not to dial in any additional cornering confidence. All models we’ve driven so far are just as softly-sprung and luxury-focused as the outgoing generation RX, which will please faithful buyers but won’t attract any driving enthusiasts. A plug-in hybrid model—dubbed RX450h+—will join the lineup later, and although Lexus hasn’t released specs on that yet, we expect to see the same 302-hp powertrain that’s offered in the Toyota RAV4 Prime and Lexus NX450h+SUVs.