2023 Lexus RX 350h Review

Recent years of the Lexus RX have had three primary attributes to potentially win over midsize-SUV shoppers: distinctive styling, a lower-than-average price tag among its peers, and the perceived reliability of its parent company. But it's also been not all that exciting to drive, and it's let down by a non-touchscreen infotainment system with a frustrating and distracting user interface.

At least, those are the traits exhibited by the prior-generation RX, which dates back to 2016. Lexus is debuting a redesigned RX for 2023, replete with a range of new powertrains and other upgrades. Chief among them is — finally! — the removal of the much-hated touchpad controller.

We'll be covering the standard 2023 Lexus RX 350h hybrid model here, but you should know that there's also the standard RX 350 that features a new turbocharged engine, the RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid (or PHEV) and RX 500h performance hybrid. All are covered separately on Edmunds.

The 2023 RX 350h serves as a replacement for last year's RX 450h as the 2023 450h+ is now a plug-in hybrid. The RX 350h uses a more traditional hybrid powertrain, although unlike last year's model, it now employs a 2.5-liter inline-four engine rather than a V6. So we can expect slightly improved fuel efficiency over last year's model. Final EPA estimates haven't been announced, but Lexus expects 33 mpg combined compared to the last model's 30 mpg combined.

All that said, the RX 350h makes much less power — 246 horsepower — than the RX 450h, which packed 308 hp. If that's not enough grunt, it's worth checking out the new-for-2023 RX 500h F Sport Performance that makes 367 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Power is fed through a continuously variable automatic transmission. The RX 350h does come standard with all-wheel drive, and despite the power loss, Lexus' 0 to 60 mph estimate of 7.4 seconds is right on par with the last RX hybrid Edmunds tested.

The RX 350h brings not only a change in powertrain but a change to the whole RX experience. In our time behind the wheel of the 350h, we felt this model best represents the new RX by combining efficiency with the comfortable qualities we've come to expect from Lexus. Ride control is excellent. Even with the additional weight of the hybrid powertrain, the 350h never felt too soft, nor did it lack composure down a twisty back road. The steering is well tuned, accurate and not overly light or heavy, no matter which drive mode was selected.

Of course the combination of the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) doesn't typically result in the smoothest or most refined powertrain on offer, but Lexus has worked its magic. We've found this pairing to be less than agreeable in other Toyota products, but with the extra isolation provided in the RX, the coarse and sometimes buzzy nature of the engine is all but eliminated in typical driving conditions. The added boost from the hybrid system brings a little extra oomph as well, making the hybrid a very easy vehicle to drive.

The outside might not look radically different from the outgoing RX but the inside certainly does. Dominating the experience is a fully digital dashboard combined with a choice of a 9.8-inch or a 14-inch horizontally oriented touchscreen display. Everywhere you look it's a step forward from the previous model and the interior of the RX looks both more youthful and luxurious. Even in its most opulent trim level, the new RX doesn't ever look or feel like your elderly aunt's old Lexus. Build quality, as you'd expect, is exceptional.

The new chassis gives the RX a slightly longer wheelbase and that pays dividends for rear seat legroom. We had the occasion to spend nearly an hour in the back of an RX and came away noting the excellent legroom and comfortable sculpting of the rear seats themselves. Unlike the outgoing model, Lexus says it had no immediate plans to offer an RX with a third row of seats.

Lexus has finally done away with the much-maligned touchpad controller that made the user interface so clunky and difficult to interact with in the old RX. It instead uses a simple touchscreen, albeit punctuated with a pair of physical dials that allow you to quickly input the desired temperature for the front-seat climate system. We've tested this interface in several newer Toyota and Lexus products — including the new Toyota Tundra and Lexus NX — and while it's not as user-friendly as we'd like, it is significantly easier to navigate around the menus.

Navigation is available but only as a subscription, much like satellite radio. While we're not entirely sure how that will play with Lexus buyers, we did find the system easy to read at a quick glance and very accurate. Audiophiles can rest easy knowing the new RX continues to offer an excellent Mark Levinson system — this one features 21 speakers, 1,800 watts and a 9-inch subwoofer.

Standard on all RX models is Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, a suite of advanced driver aids that includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, emergency steering assistance, lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. We had ample time to experience the RX's adaptive cruise control and lane centering and came away impressed with their smoothness. Though we're not enamored with the touch-sensitive multifunction steering wheel mounted pads that activate the system, it was definitely stress-relieving on longer highway stretches and it's nice to see the safety suite as standard equipment.