Used 2019 Lexus RX 350L Luxury SUV Review

For a long time, car shoppers looking for a three-row crossover SUV at a Lexus dealership were out of luck. But Lexus finally remedied that last year by stretching the wheelbase of its bread-and-butter midsize RX and adding an extra set of seats to create the RXL. The 2019 Lexus RX 350L is the culmination of those efforts but, alas, the end result is an uncompelling stopgap.

While it technically seats up to seven, the RX 350L doesn't offer as much cabin space or cargo room as its primary rivals. These competitors, which include the Acura MDX, Infiniti QX60 and Land Rover Discovery, truly feel as if they were built with three rows in mind from the very start, and many can fit adults in the very back.

Slip behind the wheel and you'll find the RX 350L is nearly identical to the regular RX. The interior is properly luxurious, featuring high-quality materials and construction, high-quality materials and enviable noise dampening. Unfortunately, it also shares the RX 350's weaknesses, including an uninspiring driving experience and a subpar infotainment interface.

If all you're looking for is an RX 350 with a little more cargo room or space for a couple extra kids in a pinch, the 350L might satisfy. But overall we think you'll be happier with one of the aforementioned rivals.

The 2019 Lexus RX 350L is a midsize luxury crossover available in a single, well-equipped trim. It comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine (290 horsepower, 263 pound-feet of torque), an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional. Seven seats are standard, but the second-row bench seat can be switched out for optional captain's chairs, reducing seating capacity to six passengers.

The base 350L model comes with 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, roof rails, a power liftgate, keyless ignition and entry, tri-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable steering wheel, leather upholstery, driver-seat memory settings, power-adjustable front seats, a 40/20/40-split second-row seat, and a power-folding and 50/50-split third-row seat.

Other standard equipment includes a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, Lexus' Safety Connect emergency communications, a suite of drive safety aids (the Safety System+ package, including lane departure warning and intervention, and forward collision warning and mitigation with automatic emergency braking), Bluetooth, an 8-inch display screen and a nine-speaker sound system.

The Premium package adds a sunroof and wood trim. The Luxury package adds the Premium package, along with 20-inch wheels, a heated steering wheel, rear door sunshades, upgraded leather upholstery, and four-way lumbar adjustment and thigh extension for the front seats.

The Navigation package pads on an integrated navigation system, the Remote Touch tech interface, a larger 12.3-inch display, the Lexus Enform App Suite and a 12-speaker sound system. The Navigation package is also available with a 15-speaker Mark Levinson sound system.

Other options include a Cold Weather package, second-row captain's chairs, heated and ventilated front- and second-row seats, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and automated braking, a 360-degree parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, upgraded LED headlights (with 18 individual LED accent lights) and a color head-up display.