Lexus RX 350

Lexus toned down the styling of the RX 350 when it released the fifth-generation model in 2023. It still sports a version of the brand’s spindle grille, but it no longer has the excessive front overhang from the previous generation. It also got a stiffer and lighter platform, dropped the V6 engine, and offered a choice of larger touchscreens inside. 

The engine in RX 350 models is a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that delivers impressive power and offers fuel economy as high as 25 mpg combined, according to the EPA.

Inside, Lexus offers a 9.8-inch or 14-inch touchscreen, as well as a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. This generation has only two seating rows, with the long-wheelbase seven-seater version of the last generation no longer available.

Driver-assist technology is plentiful, too, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and a limited hands-free system for driving at lower speeds.

The fourth-generation RX 350 arrived with a longer, creased body and a “floating” roof characterized by dark accents separating the roofline from the body sides. It got larger inside and added a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that ran through a mouselike controller on the center console. 

Two powertrains were available at launch, a strong and smooth 3.5-liter V6 backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with a pair of electric motors and an available third motor for all-wheel drive. Both powertrains offered front- or all-wheel drive. 

The RX originally seated five, but a three-row version with seven-passenger capacity called the RX L arrived for 2018. The rear seat was very small.

Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were available.

For its third generation, the RX 350 got slightly wider, moved to larger wheels, and went to a double-wishbone rear suspension for improved ride quality and better cargo space. It largely kept its rounded, jelly-bean styling. More equipment meant a roughly 400-pound weight gain.

Under the hood, the RX still sported a smooth and powerful 3.5-liter V6, but the automatic transmission added a gear for a total of six. A hybrid model also remained in the lineup, and once again the RX was available with front- and all-wheel drive.

Inside, the RX added the Lexus Remote Touch infotainment system with a mouselike controller for its center screen. The system required some manual dexterity and looking back and forth from the center console to the dashboard screen.

Lexus gave the RX a styling update for 2013 and added the first F Sport package that year. The package included firmer suspension tuning and upgraded from a six-speed to an eight-speed automatic.