If you’re after a luxury SUV but don’t want to go do a full European, don’t discount a Lexus.
The Lexus RX is a solid car with a number of models in the range costing from around $72K, to over $110K.
I test drove the RX 350 F Sport which costs $93,970, before on-road costs and extras, so it is getting up there price-wise, competing with the Range Rover Velar, Land Rover Discovery Sport, and Volkswagen Touareg.
This one is a five-seater, though it does come with seven seats, if that’s what you’re after. Here’s how it did over a few weeks with my family of four.
Lexus RX350 2022: F-Sport
Engine Type | V6, 3.5L |
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Fuel Type | |
Fuel Efficiency | 9.6L/100km (combined) |
Seating | 5 |
Price From | $70,180 - $80,630 |
Safety Rating |
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How does it look?
It’s a sizeable car, and sticks out when parked at the local Woolies car park.
It’s very Japanese looking with curved angles, a narrow nose and large grille in black, which is a point of difference to the squarer European cars on offer in this category.
The design of Lexus looks… fast. Like it’s a little more aerodynamic, which is good for such a large SUV.
Inside feels great to sit in, and so it should at this price. There are leather seats which feel luxe and a leather steering wheel.
This model has seriously cool aluminium accents on the steering wheel, centre console and pedals, befitting its F Sport name. The whole effect is that of a luxury sports car with an SUV body.
How spacious is it?
Inside the RX 350 F Sport there is ample space for a family of four. The front seats have enough legroom even for taller passengers, and lots of space in between driver and front passenger. Head space is good but not amazing for taller people.
Rear passengers enjoy loads of legroom. It’s very spacious back there. My two children, aged seven and nine, can stretch their legs forward without immediately hitting the seat in front, and you don’t have to compromise on space between them and a tall front passenger.
It will fit three child seats across the back row, I did it with two boosters and a baby capsule.
The boot is huge, because in other RX models you’d find two spare seats in there, but in the RX 350 F Sport it’s just a whole lot of boot space.
It says 506L on paper but it feels much larger. We fit two suitcases side-by-side, and you can fit a double pram in there.
It will take sporting equipment and won’t struggle if you’re off on a weekend camping trip.
How easy is it to use every day?
It’s keyless entry, which I appreciate, so the car unlocks as you approach the door, rather than you having to tug on the handle twice like some cars.
The park brake turns on and off automatically. There is a power tailgate. The front seats are power operated and you can set your seat positions. They’re also heated and cooling.
For storage there are two cupholders in the front, a spot for keys and a phone that’s also a wireless charger, a large centre storage bin and bottle holders in each door.
There’s also a handy phone storage slot, which is the perfect size to hold your phone safely in place while driving.
Rear passengers get two cupholders in the centre armrest, directional air vents and bottle holders in each door.
It’s a good height off the ground to climb into and everything is within reaching distance once you’re in the driver’s seat.
How does it drive?
The RX 350 F Sport has a 3.5L V6 engine which means it has enough power to carry around such a large car effortlessly, and makes it feel almost nimble.
It’s quick off the mark for such a sizeable vehicle, too, and handles very nicely around corners.
If you’re after a hybrid, there’s the petrol-electric RX 450h.
This model feels very smooth to drive. It’s quiet, even though it’s a V6, and builds up speed quickly. You’ll be confident overtaking on highways, and it zooms up hills well.
It’s quite long to park, so be warned you’ll need larger spaces, but there is a good reverse parking camera and 360-degree camera to help, and the steering wheel turns nice and easily.
How safe is it?
The Lexus RX 350 is fully kitted out with advanced safety including auto emergency braking (with day/night pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection), adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane trace assist (like lane keep assist that aims to keep you centred in your lane).
There are airbags for driver and front passenger and side curtain airbags that extend to the back row, plus side airbags for front and back rows, which I appreciate having family members in the back.
It has two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points to fit kids car seats in safely, and scored a maximum five ANCAP stars when it was tested in 2015.
What’s the tech like?
The RX range scored Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in a 2021 model year upgrade, and it’s still sporting the same technology, which syncs immediately to your phone’s main apps for navigation and audio streaming.
You can control it with the touchpad down by the gears (definitely not my first choice, as I still haven’t mastered it, and have been driving the car a few weeks) or the 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is faster and within easy reach.
It’s got 12 integrated speakers, turn the sound up, it’s worth it.
How much does it cost to own?
The Lexus RX 350 F Sport costs $93,970, before on road costs and extras.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 9.6L/100km and I averaged 10.3L/100km driving mostly in suburbia with a few highways thrown in. You’ll need 95 RON premium petrol across the RX range.
It’s covered by Lexus’ four-year/100,000km warranty, which isn’t amazing, but better than the three years offered by many European competitors.
Servicing is required every 12 months/15,000km. Capped price servicing is offered at $595 annually for the first three years.
Verdict
The Lexus RX 350 F Sport feels luxe, looks amazing, has a huge interior, lots of boot space and drives superbly. Plus it has great safety and technology for a family.
I gave it a family rating of 4.1 out of five, and my kids gave it the same, they love the big touchscreen.
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