more about this model The 2017 Lexus RX 350 is a direct descendent of a sneaky revolutionary, the 1999 RX 300 that pioneered the now-crowded luxury crossover segment. Thanks to a redesign for 2016, the RX 350 is more athletic looking and well-tailored than ever before. And with that bold grille right up front, it's undeniably distinctive.
Under the new skin is a more comfortable, versatile interior that's spectacularly illuminated with ambient lighting. The RX's leather-trimmed cockpit elegantly blends the best of a sedan's comfort with the usability of a utility wagon. There's plenty of legroom and headroom, plus enough onboard entertainment options to keep the kids amused until they have kids of their own.
While it's hardly optimized for off-road work, Lexus lifted the RX's all-independent suspension slightly last year, allowing it to clear more obstacles than you might think. The engine is a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 295 horsepower and matched to an unobtrusive eight-speed automatic transmission. Both front- and all-wheel drive are offered. The RX 350's brother, the RX 450h (reviewed separately), uses the same body shell and features a gas-electric hybrid drivetrain.
The EPA rates the front-wheel drive RX 350 at 23 mpg combined (20 mpg city/27 mpg highway), and the all-wheel-drive model at 19 city/26 highway).
Compared to previous Lexus RXs, this one handles significantly better. The standard RX 350 wheels are 18 inches in diameter, with the sportier F-Sport model equipped with 20-inch wheels and more aggressive tires. The F-Sport also gets an adaptive suspension, quicker and more responsive steering and F-Sport badges.
Sporty, however, is a relative term, as any RX 350 is more comfortable cruising on road than trying to set a track record. Ultimately, the RX is only modestly powerful, and the suspension is softly sprung. Moreover, if you need a third-row seat, you can't get one in the RX 350. But if you only need two rows, rest assured that the RX 350's sliding and reclining backseat is satisfyingly spacious, even for larger adults.
When the first Lexus RX went on sale way back when, it was the obvious choice in luxury crossovers. After all, it was the only luxury crossover. Now the market is overrun with the breed, so choosing the right one for you means doing some solid research. That's what we give you here at Edmunds.com. Use all of our tools and enjoy knowing you made an informed and confident choice.
Is the 2017 Lexus RX 350 a good car?
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Lexus RX 350 and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 RX 350 featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
All of our reviews are written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
How do people like the 2017 Lexus RX 350?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Lexus RX 350 and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 RX 350 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 RX 350.
Vehicle
F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
Review
I had two Toyota Highlanders before this Lexus RX350 FSPORT. The latest Highlander was an 08 Sport model. I got an FSPORT for the tighter suspension because the regular RX350 is supposed to be a little squishy for handling. I also test drove an Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Macan, Acura MDX and RDX, BMW X5 and X3 and a Highlander hybrid. Every one is a good SUV, but as a total package including reliability, I liked the Lexus. I have 5,500 miles on it right now. I have pushed it hard on a very curvy road to the neighborhood and it handles very well. There is just a hint of wanting to break loose when pushed to the limit, but body lean and steering are as good as it gets for an SUV. A Porsche might beat it, but not by much. The seating is comfortable, but my right knee wants to bump the underside of the dash or the center console when driving (I'm 6'1"). The seat and wheel move out of the way to enter and exit - nice touch. Mark Levinson sound system is very good and road and wind noise are hushed. Tons of safety features on my vehicle...radar cruise control is nice but ...more later, blind spot monitoring works very well, lane keeping assist is nice but can be annoying because it makes many small corrections, triple beam lights are very good, auto hi beams pretty good at detecting other cars but just a bit slow to respond at times, Acceleration is great but "Eco" mode constantly shifts back and forth at lower rpm's in lower gears. Visibility is good except out the rear sides where the C pillar blocks the view badly (backup camera makes up for that to some degree). Some of the safety features are tricky and at times annoying - they are not as refined as I would like. Examples: Radar cruise control resets based on the last set speed, not your current speed, unless you brake or cancel the setting and nothing tells you this; so if you set it at 35 and then accelerate to 55 and reset it, it will go to 34, not 55...not good for the cars behind you! Radar cruise will also bring the car to a near stop behind someone turning off to the right - so much so that a vehicle behind you may not expect it. Radar cruise will automatically trail and stop behind a car in front, but when you approach a car stopped at a red light, it is like a game of chicken - the car will stop, but it is too quick for comfort. When you reset radar cruise to a lower speed , it sometimes slows the car down by braking and other times it downshifts - unpredictability is not what I paid for. With a bike rack in a trailer hitch mount behind the car, you have to disable multiple safety features in order to be able to back up. You can override it temporarily by keeping your foot on the gas, but it is a tricky maneuver. The manual doesn't tell you this happens, so you get to call Lexus to ask how to make the car back up. The navigation display quit working as did the left side dash info screen for no apparent reason...restarted the car and it was okay. Nav system will take you on little back roads to save you 30 seconds rather than weighing time/distance with better roads - you will get there, but in a suboptimal way ... always check a map too. The A.C. system is anemic in cooling the car when it has been sitting in the sun - needs the fan to rev up more temporarily. Styling is a love it or hate it proposition and I am still undecided about that. You cannot get roof cross bars from Lexus if you have the panoramic roof - you must go to the aftermarket. Lexus says you have to modify the rear suspension on the FSport if you add their trailer hitch - but not if you buy a Curt hitch from etrailer! So, read all the footnotes for every option which is where this info is hidden. Given the price, reliability, handling, comfort, safety features, and interior space, this is a good bang for the buck, but disappointing in several annoying ways. I bought mine through Costco's auto buying program from a dealer 225 miles away and his price was $1,700 below invoice (not MSRP) with a few BS add ons to get $600 of profit back. I thought it was a good deal since it gave up all the regular margin and his 2% hold back. MSRP with options and delivery was $61,000.
See all consumer reviews and retings for the 2017 Lexus RX 350
How can Edmunds help?
Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color
Is the 2017 Lexus Rx-350 safe?
The 2017 Lexus Rx-350 earned a 4-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "GOOD" ratings from the IIHS in the following caregories: Side Impact Test, Roof Strength Test, Rear Crash Protection/Head Restraint, IIHS Small Overlap Front Test Results, Moderate Overlap Front Test Results, and a JD POWER overall quality rating of 3.0 out of 5. Among Edmunds' many tools and resources for finding your perfect car are detailed safety ratings and analysis from NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power, including overall ratings, frontal barrier crash ratings, side impact tests and crash ratings, rollover test results, roof strength tests, rear crash protection and head restraint ratings, side barrier ratings, combined side barrier and pole ratings, and more.
What options are available on the 2017 Lexus RX 350?
Available Lexus RX 350 2017 Submodel Types: SUV
Available Trims: Base, F SPORT, Crafted Line
Exterior Colors: Nebula Gray Pearl, Eminent White Pearl, Obsidian, Atomic Silver, Starfire Pearl, Nightfall Mica, Silver Lining Metallic, Caviar, Stargazer Black, Satin Cashmere Metallic, Matador Red Mica, Ultra White, Claret Mica, Tungsten Pearl, Smoky Granite Mica, Breakwater Blue Metallic, Deep Sea Mica, Crystal White, Truffle Mica, Millennium Silver Metallic, Autumn Shimmer, Flint Mica, Black Onyx, Classic Silver Metallic, Cerulean Blue Metallic, Fire Agate Pearl, Millennium Silver, Black, Golden Almond Metallic, Desert Sage Metallic, Neptune Blue Mica, Savannah Metallic, Black Sapphire Pearl, Crystal White Mica, Bamboo Pearl, Brandywine Mica
Interior Colors: Parchment leather, Black leather, Noble Brown premium leather, Black leatherette, Stratus Gray leather, Rioja Red leather, Light Gray leather, Saddle Tan leather, Light Gray premium leather, Ivory cloth, Black premium leather, Saddle Tan premium leather, Parchment premium leather, Black cloth, Ivory leather, Perforated Black leather, Stratus Gray leatherette, Cabernet leather, Light Gray cloth, Black/Cabernet leather
Popular Features: Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Auto Climate Control, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, 3500lb Towing Capacity, AWD/4WD, Bluetooth, Post-collision safety system, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Aux Audio Inputs, USB Inputs, Back-up camera, Keyless Entry/Start, Upgraded Headlights, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Cooled Seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Blind Spot Monitoring, Navigation, Upgraded Stereo, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Heads up display, 360-degree camera, Parking sensors, Towing Hitch, Remote Start
Engine/Mechanics: 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: regular unleaded, premium unleaded (required), premium unleaded (recommended)
Drivetrains: all wheel drive, front wheel drive
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
