Lexus RX 350 Review

The Lexus RX 350 is a vehicle that's comfortable in its own metal. And why wouldn't it be? Ever since its debut more than a decade ago, this midsize luxury crossover SUV has been a consumer favorite thanks to its plush ride, spacious interior, strong reliability record and appealing high-tech features. While the RX 350 doesn't promise much in the way of driving passion, its combination of comfort and convenience is hard to top for a luxury crossover.

Current Lexus RX 350
The midsize RX 350 comes with a 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel or all-wheel drive is offered.

Standard features are typically plentiful, with 18-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate, keyless ignition/entry, power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and a nine-speaker sound system included. Available features include leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a navigation system, a rear seat entertainment system, a rearview camera and a blind spot monitoring system. Lexus also offers an F Sport package that adds unique styling tweaks, a sport-tuned suspension and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, the Lexus RX 350 seats five people; no third-row seat is offered. But for those five people, interior room is generous. The RX can also hold up to 80 cubic feet of cargo. Interior quality is high, as authentic wood trim and high-quality leather lend an air of opulence. The optional Mark Levinson audio is also one of the best sound systems on the market. We're not as fond of Lexus' Remote Touch electronics interface, as it requires a little more concentration to operate while driving than other rival systems.

On the road, we've found the latest RX 350 provides a plush ride and composed handling. The 3.5-liter V6 is notably quiet, but it's also powerful enough to swiftly accelerate this crossover with ease. We don't recommend the RX 350 F Sport, as it suffers from an overly firm and poorly damped ride, with no appreciable increase in driving feedback or involvement.

Used Lexus RX 350 Models
The current Lexus RX 350 represents the model's second generation, which debuted for the 2010 model year. Compared to the previous RX 350, this version is slightly bigger and has more safety and luxury features. The 2010 and '11 models produced a bit more power (275 hp), but also required premium fuel. Otherwise, these used models are very similar to the current model, with the main exception being different exterior styling that debuted for 2013.

Introduced for the 2007 model year and running to 2009, the previous-generation Lexus RX 350 luxury SUV was essentially the same as the 2004-'06 RX 330 but with the addition of a slightly larger, considerably more powerful engine and more sound insulation. The 350's 3.5-liter V6 made 270 hp and 251 pound-feet of torque and came paired to a five-speed automatic transmission. Again, buyers could still choose either front- or all-wheel drive.

As is tradition with the RX series, there were plenty of luxury features on these models, such as one-touch windows all around, dual-zone climate control, 10-way power seats and a power liftgate. Options included leather seating, a moonroof, a navigation system, a DVD entertainment system, a superb Mark Levinson audio system, an adjustable air suspension, adaptive cruise control, a back-up camera and adaptive headlights. Safety was a strength as well, with stability control, side curtain airbags and a driver's knee airbag all standard. Crash test scores are excellent.

The Lexus RX 350 pretty much drove like a quicker version of the RX 330, itself already sprightly enough. It coddled occupants with a soft, quiet ride along with confident composure in the turns, especially if equipped with the optional air suspension that tightened up the handling.

Read the most recent 2014 Lexus RX 350 review.

If you are looking for older years, visit our used Lexus RX 350 page.