The Lexus RX used to come standard with a V6. Hence RX350 — the numbers after the letters denoting the size of the V6 (3.5 liters) it came standard with.
The V6 is gone now, but the number remains the same. Probably because “RX240,” which would denote the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine the current RX comes standard with, wouldn’t quite have the same ring to it.
But, there is another number, and another letter, denoting an RX that might have a better ring to it.
RX350 h — the “h” in italics to emphasize the hybrid drivetrain that propels this version of the popular RX crossover 37 miles (in city driving) on a gallon of gas. That’s 15 miles farther down the road than the RX350 — without the h — could make it. And 17 farther than the previous-generation (2022) RX350 — with a V6 — could make it.
What It Is
The Lexus RX is the original luxury crossover — the one that spawned them all.
Lexus took a luxury car — the ES sedan — and turned it into the RX, a luxury crossover. It had more room (especially for cargo) than the sedan it was based on and rode higher off the ground, which (along with available all-wheel drive) made it a far superior snow-day vehicle than a low-riding car (even with AWD). But it still rode like a luxury car, which made it more agreeable to drive than a truck that had been converted into a luxury SUV.
A star was born.
Fast-forward 24 years and most luxury brands are selling mostly luxury crossovers. Some sell nothing else. So, the RX has a lot of imitators as well as a lot of competition.
But it’s still its own thing.
Base price for the ’23 RX350h — which will be the focus of this review — is $49,000 (vs. $47,400 for the non-hybrid RX350). A top-of-the-line Lux trim stickers for $57,000. It includes suede Alcantara door trim, a head-up display, 21-inch wheels and premium perforated leather seats, among the highlights.
What’s New For 2023
The ’23 RX — hybrid and standard — are both heavily updated for the new model year.
A plug-in RX450h will join the lineup later this year, along with a higher-performance RX500h F Sport.
What’s Good
Multiple hybrid configurations available.
Entry-level RX350h’s buy-in cost is only slightly higher than the cost of the non-hybrid RX350.
Not as big and less expensive than rivals like the Acura MDX.
What’s Not So Good
More expensive than it was before.
Smaller, less powerful standard engine than before.
Not as much cargo space as rivals like the MDX, which still comes standard with a V6.
Under The Hood
The standard (non-hybrid) RX350 is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 275 horsepower, 20 fewer than the 3.5-liter, 295-horsepower V6 that used to be the RX350’s standard engine.
With the V6 off the table, Lexus probably realized it was better to put something else on the table. That would be the hybrid drivetrain in the RX350h. It also uses a four-cylinder engine, but a slightly larger (2.5 liter) one, working with a nickel-metal hydride (not lithium-ion) battery pack to summon a total of 246 horsepower and 37 mpg in city driving and 34 on the highway.
That is a big difference from the old V6.
It is also a big difference from the new four that’s used in the non-hybrid RX350, especially in view of the very slight-in-the-scheme-of-things difference in price (just $1,600) between the two.
AWD is also standard with the hybrid layout; it isn’t with the non-hybrid RX.
There are also two more hybrid options, as already detailed: the plug-in RX450h and the RX500h. The 2023 RX is the only model in this class or otherwise to offer three different hybrid combinations and a non-hybrid variant.
On The Road
Those considering an electric car might want to have a look at this part-time electric car.
The hybrid layout is objectively superior in numerous ways. You never have to worry about running out of range — and a long wait.
With a hybrid like the RX350h, you can drive as far as you like, which is more than 600 miles in city driving (and just shy of that on the highway).
The RX350h isn’t the quickest thing in the class. It gets to 60 in about 7.4 seconds. But it goes a lot farther than anything else in the class — electric or otherwise.
At The Curb
The changes to the RX’s cosmetics are more subtle than the changes to its mechanicals. If you park the ’23 beside the ’22, you will see the more angular lines of the new RX, the bolder-looking grille, and you may even perceive it as being a more substantial-looking vehicle than it was before, even though the new RX is exactly the same length (192.5 inches) as the old.
But the wheelbase has been increased by 2.36 inches and the track widened by about half an inch, both of which cause the eye to see it as larger than it was — unless parked beside the old model.
It is the right size for four adults, with room for five (three in back) in a pinch. The extended-length RX350L has been discontinued, so the RX is now a smaller-scale alternative to three-row available luxury crossovers like the Acura MDX.
The Rest
The new RX has a navigation system, as you’d expect. But it is a subscription-based system called Drive Connect. Pros of this system include faster and more up-to-date search results. The main con is that you have to pay continuously to use it, like satellite radio.
The Bottom Line
It’s not easy placating the regulators while satisfying customers. We’ll see how this new RX does with the latter.
Eric’s latest book, “Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!” will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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