2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vs 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid borrowed styling elements from the Tacoma pickup, featuring a trapezoidal grille and upright fascia that gave it a rugged look. However, its side profile introduced a softer character line, reminiscent of the Toyota Supra and Sienna, which added unnecessary visual weight and made the vehicle appear somewhat bloated. The rear design echoed the front grille, but the overall aesthetic felt disjointed compared to more cohesive designs like the Kia Telluride or Honda Pilot. Inside, the Highlander Hybrid's unconventional asymmetrical dash was less jarring, with a metallic styling element that spanned the passenger side, creating a useful storage tray. The infotainment touchscreen was positioned high on the dash, reducing driver distraction. The Bronze Edition featured unique 18-inch bronze alloy wheels and light grey fabric upholstery with a triangle motif, which seemed more suited to a paper towel than a car. The Softex synthetic leather substitute felt more like vinyl, and genuine leather was only available in the top trims. The rear seating area had more hard plastics, typical for family SUVs, but the third row was particularly uncomfortable with its unyielding armrest.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid, while not traditionally beautiful, maintained its popularity with a blunt-nosed design that carried too much visual weight over the front wheels. The wheelbase stretch reduced the rear overhang, making the SUV look smaller despite its similar size to the outgoing model. Inside, the RX adopted a cleaner, minimalistic appearance with fewer switches and an improved Lexus Interface infotainment system. The RX 350h Luxury model featured Macadamia semi-aniline leather and Ash Bamboo wood trim, exuding luxury, while the RX 500h F Sport Performance had a sportier all-black interior with artificial suede and dark grey aluminum trim. The RX 350h started at $63,436 in Canada, while the RX 500h began at $83,086, reflecting its performance-oriented features.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and hybrid system, producing 243 horsepower. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD) with an electric motor powering the rear axle. Toyota estimated it could reach 100 km/h in just over eight seconds, slightly slower than gasoline-only SUVs in its class. The hybrid powertrain provided a quick but tepid response from a standstill, with the gasoline engine supplying more power as speed increased. The CVT's lack of gear shifts resulted in an uninspired drone, especially when ascending hills. Braking was traditional, with a soft pedal feel and seamless transition from regenerative to physical brakes. The ride quality was soft, with the suspension smoothing over road imperfections, and the cabin remained quiet on highways.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid offered two hybrid versions: the RX 350h and RX 500h F Sport Performance. The RX 350h, with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, produced 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, achieving 100 km/h in about 7.5 seconds. It was more fuel-efficient, averaging 6.5 L/100 km in combined driving. The RX 500h F Sport Performance, with a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine, delivered 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, reaching 100 km/h in around 6 seconds. It featured a six-speed automatic transmission and Direct4 AWD system, consuming 8.6 L/100 km. The RX 500h's adaptive damping suspension, upgraded brakes, and rear-wheel steering enhanced its athleticism, while the Sport mode kept the powertrain responsive. However, accessing drive modes required navigating the infotainment system, and fuel economy fell short of estimates. The RX 350h offered better fuel economy, averaging 7.4 L/100 km, and felt more secure in curves due to its lower centre of gravity.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid offered well-cushioned front seats with ample adjustments, though the driver's door armrest was awkwardly positioned. Storage was plentiful, with trays, a centre armrest bin, and large door pockets. The second-row seats were spacious, accommodating tall passengers with ease, and featured sliding and reclining captain's chairs. A second-row bench was available, increasing passenger capacity to eight. The third row was less accommodating, suitable for children or short trips due to limited headroom and legroom. Cargo space was 453 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,370 litres with the seats folded, and 2,387 litres with the second row stowed.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid's RX 350h Luxury trim featured ten-way power-adjustable front seats with premium leather, seat heating and ventilation, and three-zone automatic climate control. The RX 500h F Sport Performance had eight-way power-adjustable seats with larger bolsters and standard-grade leather. The hybrids' battery packs were located under the rear seat, providing excellent leg support but tight headroom. Cargo space was 838 litres behind the rear seat and 1,308 litres with the seat folded, matching the standard RX 350 and significantly improving over the previous model.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, with a 12.3-inch option available on top trims. The system was responsive, with logical menus and physical shortcut buttons. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless charging on Limited and Platinum trims. Navigation and an 11-speaker JBL audio system were also standard on these trims.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid introduced a new infotainment system, requiring subscription plans for full functionality. The Lexus Interface offered Drive Connect with cloud-based navigation and an Intelligent Assistant. The system worked well, though it struggled with some requests. The touchscreen displayed one menu at a time, and reflections were an issue. The head-up display, available with dual-function touch-sensing control pads, was problematic with polarized sunglasses.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The systems generally worked well but required some fine-tuning.

The 2023 Lexus RX Hybrid came with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring motorcycle detection, evasive steering assistance, intersection turn assistance, and curve-speed reduction. Proactive Driving Assist was also included, slowing the RX when releasing the accelerator. The front cross-traffic alert system and curve-speed reduction tech had some issues, and the driver monitoring system could be obstructed by certain driving positions. Traffic Jam Assist and Advanced Park were available but not tested.