2024 Lexus RX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Coming off of a full redesign last year, the Lexus RX is a bit of a mixed bag in regard to styling and design. The front end is dominated by an oversized trapezoidal grille flanked by two large air inlets. The grille's awkwardness is accentuated by starting in the bodywork instead of being a separate styling element. It's an odd choice that is even more jarring in lighter colours.

The hood also contributes to the bulky-looking face, with a large bump that reminds us of a protruding forehead. It's a far cry from the sleek and more cohesively styled RX models of the past. Down the sides, the RX continues to gain visual heft with the body panels that bulge out to envelop the rear fenders. Above it, a swooping chrome accent strip suggests a floating-roof design that other carmakers have been trying to gain acceptance for. Here, it looks just a bit out of place. The rear end gets a better treatment, with a tidy design that ties the taillights together with a single light strip.

The interior is far less polarizing, with a more conventional layout and design. In the higher-priced packages, faux suede inserts in the seats, doors, and roof pillars lend the cabin a softer and more inviting personality. An available large 14-inch infotainment touchscreen is situated high on the dash with neatly organized climate controls that remain at the bottom for easier use.

The wide centre console features a simulated woodgrain that isn't all that convincing. It both feels and looks like the plastic it is and can stand to be reinforced to feel more substantial. Even more glaring is that the genuine wood inlays on the steering wheel don't quite match the plastic substitute. Fortunately, the rest of the cabin is covered in premium leather and well-grained plastics with a sturdy construction underneath.

The 2024 Lexus RX is offered in four distinct models, starting with the base RX 350. It's powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. This engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. In Canada—where the RX is built at Toyota’s Cambridge, Ontario, assembly plant—all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on all models.

The RX 350h is the hybrid version with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine making 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque that is routed through a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The RX 500h F Sport Performance represents the sporty side of the RX lineup, with a turbo 2.4-litre inline-four combining with the hybrid powertrain to produce 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It sports a six-speed automatic transmission.

We drove the plug-in hybrid RX 450h+. It takes the RX 350h's powertrain and adds a much larger 18.1-kWh battery pack. Power output is increased to 304 hp and Natural Resources Canada estimates it can go up to 60 kilometres on electric power with a full charge. On a standard Level 2 charger, it should only take 2.5 hours to fully replenish the battery.

The RX 350 and RX 350h tend to feel underpowered when compared to other luxury SUVs, making you feel as though you need to floor the accelerator when merging onto a flowing highway. The weak sensation gets even more prevalent with the hybrid's CVT, which keeps the engine revs high as the engine groans the entire time.

That's not the case with the more powerful RX 450h+, as it can reach 96 km/h in a Lexus-estimated 6.2 seconds. That's about a full second quicker than the supporting models. It also feels more responsive, thanks to immediate initial electric propulsion, but it's still not as potent-feeling as many of its rivals. The brake pedal is appropriately soft for a luxury SUV, and you won't feel any of the old hybrid transitions from regeneration to the application of the physical brake pads.

On a winding mountain pass, the RX feels wider than it is which, when paired with its soft suspension tuning, doesn't encourage sporty driving. The suspension is definitely tuned for comfort and ably smooths over most imperfections in the road. This results in some rather noticeable body roll when cornering as well as some residual rebounds after encountering a bump. It's not so soft as to feel floaty though, and most luxury SUV shoppers should find it to their liking.

If you're seeking more athleticism on a twisty road, the available F Sport Handling trim for the RX 350 or the RX 500h might satisfy your craving. More likely than not, if you're interested in sharper performance, you'd be better served by the RX's competition. The Lexus RX's main mission is comfort, and it certainly accomplishes that with ease.

The front seats offer plenty of room for larger occupants, and with plenty of power adjustments, finding your preferred seating position should be easy. Heating and ventilation for the front seats is standard on all RX models sold in Canada. A massage function is not available, but considering how comfortable the front seats are on a long road trip, you probably won't miss it.

A rubberized wireless charging pad is included with a variety of packages and pairs nicely with the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also does an admirable job of keeping your phone from sliding around. Above it is another tray with additional USB ports. The cupholders can hold wider drink bottles and feature a novel drop-down surface to accommodate taller containers. Behind those, a double-hinged armrest lid allows easy access from either seat, and underneath is a deep storage bin. Combined with well-sized door pockets, you should have plenty of space for your personal items.

The rear seats are spacious enough for average-sized adults, with a little headroom and plenty of legroom to spare. There's also plenty of space under the front seats for your feet and the elevated rear seating provides good outward visibility. All RX trims also come standard with rear climate controls and USB charge ports to keep your devices topped off. A power liftgate is standard, and kick-activated hands-free functionality is available.

Behind the rear seats, the RX has up to 838 litres of cargo space, which is on the small side for the class, but the trunk is very usable and will easily hold bulkier objects. The load floor is slightly taller than competitors though, requiring more effort when loading heavier hauls. Folding the second-row seatbacks expands the capacity to 1,308 litres, and available one-touch power-folding buttons near the hatch make accessing this space easier.

Thanks to the 2023-model-year redesign, the RX ditched the trackpad infotainment controller that was one of the most frustrating interfaces ever put in a vehicle. The new infotainment system is much more conventional, with a touchscreen that measures 9.8 inches in lower-priced configurations and a much larger 14-inch display for higher-end models. The on-screen menus are fairly logical in their layout, and the system is bolstered by sharp graphics and quick responses.

The system also accepts natural speech commands. You can simply tap the voice button and say, "set temperature to 21 degrees," or "where's the closest Starbucks?" and it will automatically adjust the climate control or give you options for destinations. It's not as feature-rich as the Mercedes-Benz MBUX system, but it is certainly helpful in many situations.

On the steering wheel are two multi-function pads. On the left, you can toggle between phone and music controls, and on the right, you have cruise control buttons and some additional settings. For the most part, it's easy to use and it helps that when you touch the pads, a diagram pops up in the available head-up display to let you know what each button does. It's not as intuitive as some other systems, but after a very short amount of time, it's easy to get used to the operation. You do need to activate the buttons by touching them initially, then pushing, which can be slightly annoying since you feel as though you need to tap the button twice.

All RX trims come with a cloud-based navigation system, but it’s sometimes prone to connectivity issues and is also only available as a subscription service with a three-year free trial. Remote monitoring and control via a smartphone app are also part of this trial and subscription. Considering the connectivity issues and subscription, most owners will likely opt for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. They're both wireless and operated without incident in our experience.

Audiophiles would do well to add the available 21-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system. It delivers powerful bass, crystal clear highs, and isn't nearly as pricey as some rival premium audio upgrades.

In crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2024 Lexus RX earned five-out-of-five stars in overall and side collision protection and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2024 RX its highest score of "Good" in all crashworthiness evaluations except for the new moderate frontal overlap test, where it was rated the worst score of "Poor". Despite this, the RX was named a Top Safety Pick, the Institute's second-highest honour.

All RX models come standard with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite of advanced safety and driver-assistance features. These include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a rear passenger safe-exit system, and parking proximity sensors. A head-up display, digital rearview mirror, a surround-view camera system, a semi-automated parking system, and a highway driving assist system that combines adaptive cruise and lane centring are available features.

Some of these features may be tuned a bit too conservatively for drivers, resulting in a few unnecessary warning beeps, but many of these systems can be adjusted for sensitivity or disabled altogether. When trying to maneuver into a tight parking spot, the cabin is filled with a cacophony of chimes and alarms that can be annoying and overwhelming. Otherwise, the safety features all function as they should.

Pricing for the 2024 Lexus RX start at $63,190 (including a $2,250 destination charge and other fees) for the base RX 350. This trim is estimated by NRCan to return 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres in combined city and highway driving.

Stepping up to the hybrid RX 350h will set you back $65,190, just $2,000 more, and its combined fuel efficiency is estimated at an impressive 6.5 L/100 km. The RX 500h performance model starts at $84,840, and burns an estimated 8.6 L/100 km combined.

The plug-in hybrid RX 450h+ that we evaluated has a starting price of $90,286, making it the priciest model in the lineup. Its 2.8 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometers combined fuel economy estimate and 60 kilometres of electric-only range could make it a good fit for those with consistent access to chargers. You'll certainly lower your carbon footprint, but it will be difficult to recoup the added cost with electric savings, especially since the RX PHEV is too expensive to qualify for existing federal and provincial/territorial EV rebates in Canada. For these reasons, the typical driver will be best served by the supporting RX 350h.

Compared to other luxury SUVs, the Lexus RX comes up short in regard to performance and driver engagement, but it should appeal to those who prioritize comfort and refinement. Alternatives to the gasoline RX include the Acura MDX, Genesis GV80, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid and supporting RX 350h hybrid gain a big advantage in fuel economy, making them standouts in the class. Other plug-in alternatives include the Audi Q5, BMW X5, and Volvo XC60. Among these, the BMW X5 holds an edge for its 63-kilometre EV range and its sportier performance, but it costs even more than the plug-in RX 450h+.

Note: Images show a US model.