2018 Lexus RX 350 Review
Pros & Cons
- Attractive cabin with top-quality materials and construction
- Ride quality makes almost any road feel smooth
- Advanced safety features come standard
- Wide cargo bay makes it easy to load luggage and groceries
- Optional tech interface is distracting to use while driving
- Less overall cargo capacity than competitors
Other years
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Which RX 350 does Edmunds recommend?
The RX 350 is available in just two versions, and we think it's worth spending a bit more and upgrading to the F Sport trim. The F Sport, despite its name, isn't as sporty as some vehicles in the class such as the Porsche Macan, but it does bundle several desirable options together, including the adaptive suspension dampers and heated and ventilated front seats. The F Sport also gives the RX a more aggressive look and 20-inch wheels as standard.
Edmunds' Expert Review
Driving
The 3.5-liter V6 and eight-speed automatic make a great team. The RX 350 chassis also steers, handles and brakes with poise and balance unless you push it quite hard. It's engaging enough for most people but stops short of being a truly sporty SUV.
Comfort
It's easy to see the RX 350 as a pleasant place to spend a long road trip. It has comfy seats with available intelligent heating and cooling, the cabin is quiet and serene, and the ride is mostly smooth. We say "mostly" because this current-generation RX favors control over pillowy softness.
Interior
This easy-to-master cockpit is a spacious and comfy place to pass the miles. Overall it's excellent, but the huge rear entertainment screens should give you pause, and the cargo area isn't as versatile as those of some rivals.
Utility
Bold styling comes with a cost: reduced cargo capacity. Bulkier items are less likely to fit, and the rear seatback doesn't fold totally flat. Unless you're looking for max cargo and max luxury, don't consider it a deal-breaker. The optional hands-free liftgate is a nice touch.
Technology
Befitting a luxury crossover, the RX 350 offers a generous set of standard safety and convenience tech. A robust list of options also covers a wide range of priorities, including a glorious panoramic sunroof, audiophile sound quality, heated surfaces, and decadent interior trim and upholstery.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Lexus RX 350.
Most helpful consumer reviews
AL,06/25/2018
4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
Coming from 2016 Accord V6-EX sedan, which is already a very feature packed vehicle, the first impression on 2018 RX 350 AWD is the much smoother and cushy ride. Accord had a very jerky transmission I had to fight with and an aggressive fuel savings (25-35 MPG on Accord vs 15-20 on RX) from which the gear switching and the ride comfort suffered. RX seems to have a much better sound system - at least it has the mids, comfortable and more adjustable seats - compared to the headrest tilting too much forward, and a large 12 inch entertainment screen (comes with NAV) - though it is not a touch screen and the controls are awkward and sluggish as compared to the touch screen and nearly perfect integration with smartphones as well as fast response time on the Accord. RX has a much larger and versatile storage / hauling capabilities, although the two are not in the same category. Looking further, the RX has a working Sport mode, where on the Accord the sport mode seems to ride two gears down from where it is supposed to be - driving at 4-5k RPM at 40-60mph makes one look like an idiot on the Accord. The Accord seems to have better dash and door materials and they are not as marr prone as on RX where after a week you can definatelly notice dust and smudges in places you touched them with your hands. No wonder my neighbors are washing and cleaning their RX every week. Paint seems much better and thicker on the RX where as on the new Accord models it is skin deep - after two years of driving on the highway, the front is littered with paint deeps and chips from tiny road dirt. One thing however that is not acceptable from Lexus is the requirement to pay to use the remote starter ($80-96/yr, even though it is already installed with push start) and the fact that once the vehicle is remotely started the vehicle shuts off as soon as you enter it - some safety nonsense. Accord also has a remote starter built in and it works at get go from the key fob; you can get into the car and press break+start to continue without the car ever shutting off - again this is the ideal implementation here and shame on Lexus for making us pay for a half baked nickel and dime solution. If you leave the remote inside Accord, the car won't let you lock and will beep at you, while the Lexus does none of that. Another thing to note is how loud the engine is on the RX from outside compared to the other new cars which are barely audible when new. There is also some loud knocking heard from the engine while parked as well as some whining when driving at 70 mph or higher and slightly holding the gas pedal - it generates noise similar to engine being revved up and let go (like it is running out of gas), all the while you are pressing the gas pedal consistently. Read some reviews and some suggested to wait a few thousand miles at which point the noises should disappear. Until then, these are my observations. To be continued.
KMRice,03/14/2019
F SPORT 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
This is our 4th RX350. I have loved every one until this one. It drives HORRIBLE. The transmission is HORRIBLE. It's as though it can't make up its mind where it wants to go. When you are attempting to accelerate, the transmission has downshifted so low that you can't go at all. The anti collision has come on and attempted to break on the highway when a car was at least 2 or more car lengths in front of me (and turning off the highway) nearly causing an accident. When you attempt to accelerate to get on a highway, it will very often loose traction and spin or skid while accelerating. We have had the vehicle into the dealership multiple times and they had kept it for several days. They said they could see and feel all the things we complained about and that they had communicated with Lexus and that it was just how that model was and there was nothing wrong with it. Also they drove another vehicle on the lot just like ours and it drove just the same. This car is dangerous and I hate to say that if it causes me to be in an accident someday, Lexus will be paying out a nice chunk of change!!!!
Zoolander090,10/14/2018
4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
We bought this 2018 RX350 in June of 2018 so we've had it for almost 4 months and 3000 miles. My wife is the primary driver but I drive it about twice a week. The reason I give these details is because while shopping for a car for her, we agreed that I also had to like it. We test drove the 2019 RDX with SH-AWD and the 2018 Q5 with Quattro. We opted for the RX because it has a great interior design and quality of built in all areas. This is my second new Lexus and have owned new Acuras, BMW's and Audis. So far, Lexus has been our best ownership experience and together with the interior, we opted for the RX. Audi offers better exterior design but their reliability is poor in my experience and we want to keep this car past its initial warranty where Audi just falls apart. The RDX had the best drivetrain and handling but I couldn't get over the interior and center stack. Our RX comes with the premium sound, premium interior (I forgot the name of the packages) but it does have the wood accents and nicer leather as well as the Navigation package. It's a FWD. We live in sunny California and the AWD system of the RX is a snooze compared to Quattro and/or SH-AWD and only activates upon slipping so not much use for us that justified the premium pay.
ACBENOVA,06/03/2018
F SPORT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
My 2015 RX350 F-SPORT was almost done. Lexus was offering to pay for last 3 months and disposition fee if I stayed loyal to the brand. Normally I would've just leased another Lexus but the spindle grill had me on the fence. I looked at 2018 Range Rover Velar and 2018 Audi Q7. The Velar was a stunner but questionable reliability and first year production scared me. I actually looked at the Audi Q5 first but liked the Q7 better. It was a toss up between the RX and Q7 but I would've had to buy the 4 cylinder Q7 just to be close to the RX's lease deal and that's not even counting the the 3 payments plus disposition fee Lexus was giving. In the end I couldn't pass up the Lexus. I leased an F-SPORT because I actually liked the aggressive design. The 2018 RX F-SPORT is better in every way to my previous RX F-SPORT except for seat comfort. I think the new seats are a tad bit too aggressively bolstered. I'm getting used to it however. I also highly recommend getting the Levinson stereo . It's simply divine. I'm happy with my decision. Lexus service is second to none and they make the best vehicles.
Safety
Our experts like the RX 350 models:
- Lexus Safety System+
- Bundle includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation and automatic braking, and lane departure warning/lane keeping assist.
- Lexus Enform Safety Connect
- This system can automatically alert emergency services in the event of a crash or distress. Also includes a stolen-vehicle locator.
- Panoramic Rearview Camera
- Maximizing the 12.3-inch widescreen display, the panoramic rearview camera gives a broad look at what's behind you before you back up.
