Skip advert
Advertisement

Lexus RX review - parsimonious SUV is still no driving machine - Prices, specs and rivals

Luxury SUV is now available with a 2-litre turbocharged engine, but hybrid is still the car to go for

Evo rating
RRP
from £39,995
  • Luxurious and eco-friendly with lots of equipment
  • Not particularly exciting, turbo engine lacks sparkle

The RX range starts at £39,995, which is around £5000 less than the previous model thanks to that entry-level model now sporting four cylinders rather than a hybrid-assisted six. The cheapest you can spend on the hybrid is a little more than it was before, at £46,995. It'll take a while before you make up the purchase price difference in fuel and tax savings, but once again we'd say that the RX 450h's driving experience is much more pleasant than that of the 200t, so it's probably worth the extra.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Equipment levels are good whatever you spend. Standard kit in S trim includes an 8-inch display in the centre console, a 9-speaker stereo system with DAB, LED headlights, heated fabric seats, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

To this, Luxury models (£45,995 for the 200t, £49,995 for the 450h) add a 12.3-inch display, electrically heated, adjustable, anti-dazzle door mirrors, heated and ventilated leather seats and 20-inch wheels. The other grade available on RX models is F Sport trim (£48,995 200t, £52,995 450h) – this sporty line adds Adaptive Variable Suspension and interior and exterior styling tweaks.

On the RX 450h, there's also a Premier trim line available. For five grand more than the F Sport (a not inconsiderable £57,995) your heated and ventilated seats get semi-aniline leather, with four-way lumbar support and ten-way adjustment, a 360-degree parking camera and a card key.

The RX has always been a difficult car to categorise. It’s not a traditional SUV, as there’s no pretence that it’ll ever be used off-road. Likewise its size does pitch it somewhere between rival manufacturers’ cars like BMW’s X3 and X5. Indeed, in concept it’s not dissimilar to BMW’s X4, while Land Rover’s Discovery Sport looks like a more natural rival than the Range Rover Sport. For a choice as left-field as the Lexus itself, Infiniti's QX70 is worth a look - it's among the sportier models in this class to drive.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2025 review – the ultimate Nürburgring toy
Porsche 911 GT3 RS Manthey front
Reviews

Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2025 review – the ultimate Nürburgring toy

Did the 992 GT3 RS need to be made more extreme? Posssibly not. We're glad Manthey Racing has done it, though.
28 Apr 2025