2023 Lexus RX 500h | The Japanese flagship
The new Lexus RX is designed to make your heart beat faster. Or so Lexus states! The -already- 5th generation of the Lexus RX was unveiled in May 2022 and needs to take on the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 in an ever growing SUV market. Let’s take a closer look!
Evolution or revolution?
A lot has changed since the first Lexus RX, already 25 years ago. But if you look and compare the fourth and fifth gen, nobody will blame you if you talk about evolution instead of a revolution. Be aware, looks can be deceiving. The car is fresh from front to back and stands on a new GA-K-platform. The scalable architecture (apparently, that’s what they call it) is shared with the new Lexus NX, only one size larger. The 5th generation has grown -comparing it with the previous gen- in track width and (maybe more critical) wheelbase. The last one with 60 milimeters and the interior benefits from that. In the driver seat, there’s more than enough leg- and headroom. But also the people in the back seat can’t complain about the sea of space. Furthermore, the trunk has grown by 8 liters. Not a world of difference, but a nice bonus.
People in the Lexus RX can enjoy the feeling -and smell- of pleasant materials and high quality while the driver is making himself comfortable. While the driver seat is ultra-adjustable and mega comfy, the steering column could use a little bit more adaptability to fit that large steering wheel into your hands. The digital dashboard still gives us Lexus LFA vibes, but can easily be forgotten thanks to one of the best head-up displays we have ever worked with. Only by a touch of a button on the steering wheel, the head-up display will directly give you the function of that button. Easy as f*ck. The center console consists of a 14-inch touchscreen with HD graphics and a processor 3,5 times faster than before, not only making the infotainment one of the biggest in its category but also one of the fastest reacting. All this contributes to the “Tazuna-Cockpit concept”, which was first applied on the NX and RZ, Japanese for “reins of a horse” and should give the driver direct and intuitive control. Let’s hope he is in control!
Intuitive control can be something you could argue about. The infotainment system is certainly not a maze, but the system of -for example- Mercedes-Benz is just that little bit more sophisticated making it easier to use.
The most powerful of the three
The new Lexus RX comes in 3 flavors (for Belgium). The 350h is a hybrid petrol with 250 hp, the 450h+ with 309 hp is a plug-in hybrid and our RX 500h with a massive and fine-sounding 371 hp out of its 2.4-liter turbo petrol with electric engine -this combo being a first for Lexus- and a 6-speed “conventional” automatic gearbox. Not like the first two with their CVT. All of the cars come as standard with four-wheel drive, but only our 500h comes with four-wheel steering as well. Making a tight or a fast turn easier. Acceleration-wise, the Lexus RX500h hits 100 km/h in just under 6 seconds and afterward on to 210 km/h. And with a weight of 2.1 tons, that isn’t half that bad! Those figures will make you think the Lexus RX 500h is a sporty vehicle, but it isn’t that straightforward. When it comes to cornering that weight and the comfortably set suspension makes the car lean in the corners pushing it into understeer. So keep the RX in its comfort zone and enjoy a car with an immense level of luxury.
We should also give a shout-out to the driver aids and safety features. The new Lexus RX comes standard with a whole battery of electronic assistance systems. Some are new and others getting more refined. A good example is the lane assistant that keeps the car neatly within the lines without swaying, not only on the straights but certainly on more winding routes. A nice novelty is the “Safe Exit Assist”, this ensures that when a cyclist drives into the blind spot when getting out the door cannot be opened.
An SUV with over 370 hp and 2.1 tons should only use 8,2 liters per 100 kilometers if you can trust the word of Lexus. But everything under 10 liters would be acceptable for us! And guess what, our Lexus RX 500h clocked in at 9,1 liters/100 km. The Lexus RX passes this test as well.
Still sexy
Lexus has figured it out! The sexiest color on a car is … blue! Definitely, this dark blue called Sapphire Blue. The combination of the lines, the color and the 21-inch mat black, 10-spoke wheels just make sense.
In the front, the Lexus RX can enjoy the typical Lexus L-styled day-running lights linked to a number of sharp lines. The big Lexus grill has changed a little bit through time with a bigger “forehead” above the Lexus logo. Personally, I like the styling of the grill from the 4th gen RX more. But, nobody will tell you the sporty looks -with massive air intakes under the headlights- are unpleasant. Moving to the side and the sharp lines make place for softer and rounder shapes. Wonderful how these shapes enhance the color and softly adjust it in different light angles.
The sweeping lines take us to the back of the car where the first thing you will notice is the continuous taillight. A fashion I’m not the biggest fan of. Other notable features: dropping the Lexus logo for the written “Lexus” and facilities for the exhaust minus the actual exhaust. That last one is a pretty funny look.
Flirting with 100 K
A good thing about the Lexus RX 500h is the fact the car is almost full option! On our RX 500h, Lexus only specced the Sapphire blue (+1.800€) and the panoramic open roof (+1.900€) making the car a full option. Believe us, just take this spec! Adding those costs to the starting price of the Lexus RX 500h F Sport performance (95.750€) and the 100.000 € mark is pretty close. Too expensive for you? The RX 300h starts at 70.130 €.
Conclusion
The Lexus RX has always been a slightly smaller player in the SUV market. We hope to see a change in that stat because the RX is worthy for more! This Lexus RX 500h is definitely a good alternative to the SUVs at the beginning of this article. Lexus certainly scores good points on their exam “How to build a luxury SUV”.
