2020 Lexus RX 350 Review

[MUSIC PLAYING] TRAVIS LANGNESS: If you've been in the market for a luxury crossover any time in the last 20 years, you're probably familiar with what's behind me. The Lexus RX. This is the new 2020 RX 350, the F sport in this particular case. It's got some new details. We're going to check out what this mid-cycle refresh is all about and see what's new. [MUSIC PLAYING] Since it's one of Lexus' top selling models, and one of the top selling luxury vehicles in America, they haven't really messed with the formula on this one. There are small changes to the front bumper and headlights, as well as the rear bumper, exhaust pipes, but the profile of this car stays the same. It was only redesigned four years ago, so they're not going to mess with success. And that's it on the outside. Sure, you get some new wheels, but if you see the 2019 and 2020 model next to each other in a parking lot, you might have a hard time telling them apart. That's because the side profile is pretty much the same. But everything up front looks a little bit sleeker, more grown up, which is strange to say about a luxury vehicle. I think it's a big improvement for this Lexus. Under the hood, you get the same choice of engines as you did last year. There's a 3.5 liter V6 that puts out about 295 horsepower, as well as another 3.5 liter V6 paired with two electric motors for the hybrid model. That puts out about 310 horsepower. Both of those engines get the same horsepower and fuel economy ratings as the previous model year. Under the car and the suspension bits things have changed a little bit more. The F-sport is actually now broken into two different packages. You can get the appearance package or the performance package. And the performance package includes an adaptive suspension sourced from the Lexus LC. They're big sporty grand coupe. On the safety front, there's new equipment too. All Lexus RX models get the Safety System Plus 2.0, which includes cool stuff like Cyclist Detection and Pedestrian Detection. Great when you add it to the already full list of safety features available on our models. Along with the tech updates and the things on the outside, there's some styling changes on the inside in the form of a couple of new interior colors like this red, as well as a couple of different options for paint. You also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A first for this car. As well as this 12.3 inch optional touchscreen that moves 5 and 1/2 inches closer to the driver, not just controlled by this frustrating to use touchpad. That's going to be a big difference and might just change the game for the RX. So should you buy a new 2020 Lexus RX? Well, depends on what you want out of your luxury crossover. This one's well rounded. It's got lots of great standard and optional equipment, but it's not the sportiest in the bunch, despite the F-sport name. Other vehicles like the Audi Q5 might be better at that. And if you're looking at the long version, the RX 350L, you might look at something with more space in the back like an Audi Q7 or an XC 90 from Volvo. Those are going to be less cramped in the third row. And if you're looking at hybrid models, we also recommend a vehicle like the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid or the XC 90 T8 hybrid. But if you want a well-rounded luxury crossover, take a look at the RX. We think it's worth your time. For all the details on the RX 350, the F-sport, the 3-row version, and all of the RX models, go to edmunds.com. Take a look at our First Looks. Also for videos like this, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check us out on Facebook and Instagram.