Lexus RX vs MG HS

What's the difference?

It’s hard to look past the value equation of the RX350h Luxury 2WD when comparing it to almost all its competitors. The pricing is on point, but there are some features missing.

However, there are very few (if any) rivals with a true hybrid powertrain (sorry, mild hybrids do not count), so the RX will capture buyers looking for environmental credentials and efficiency without going full EV.

The drive experience is much better than before and it’s all wrapped up in a very stylish package. The Lexus RX should not be ignored.

The MG HS Excite is a mixed bag and difficult to score. What it does well, it does really well. And what it does poorly, well...

The pricing is great, the driving is pleasant (when those alerts are switched off) and the new design is sharply styled. Plus the space in the cabin will offer even larger families room to move.

However, the overall comfort, technology and some of the big safety systems need serious work and let down an otherwise decent mid-sized SUV.

Across its five generations, the RX has held significant visual appeal - especially the still-handsome second-gen version that was the first RX sold Down Under. The first-gen model skipped Australia.

The new model that launched in 2023 is a clear evolution of the car that came before, but it’s been softened and sharpened in the right areas, giving it one of the most appealing designs in its segment.

The proportions and design elements like the squat stance, unique C-pillar treatment, slimline headlights and nicely sloping roofline give it a sporty look.

In fact, I reckon it might be the best looking Lexus available today - not including the jaw-droppingly beautiful LC coupe and convertible, of course.

The interior is modern and feels like an evolution of Lexus’ previous cabin design - but elevated. The gloss black section of the dash helps here.

Levels built into the dash break up the bulk, but the interior is very grey. It could do with a dash of colour.

The synthetic leather seat trim doesn’t look premium. If you want a more expensive feeling RX, you need to pay more for a higher grade.

The previous shape of the HS was pleasant, if unremarkable but the new-gen model offers bigger dimensions being 81mm longer, 14mm wider and riding on a 45mm longer wheelbase.

A new grille with slim LED headlights headlines the redesign but the body features crisp pleating that runs into a shapely rear. It's bolder, more distinct on the road and far sharper than before.

The new design should make it a firm competitor against rivals like the Sportage and CX-5, which offer a sportier vibe for the segment.

Head inside and the interior has had a thorough look-in, as well. Additional soft touchpoints are scattered throughout to elevate the premium feel. There's a new steering wheel and a heavier use of soft materials versus harder plastics.

The dashboard is slick-looking and features an eye-catching technology panel that houses the dual 12.3-inch screens.

There is still a lack of personality inside that seems inherent with these more affordable Chinese makes but it looks far more premium than its grade level might suggest.

The RX is a five-seat only proposition in this generation - the previous model had a seven-seat option - so if you need a third row you can look at the Lexus LM people mover or massive LX 4x4 SUV, or at any number of other three-row lux SUVs like the Volvo XC90 or new Mazda CX-90.

That doesn’t mean the cabin isn’t practical. 

Up front the seats offer excellent comfort levels and ample upper body support, but not a lot of hip support.

Lexus has changed up the door handles for the new RX and it can be complicated - initially.

The interior handles bamboozled every new person that got in my press car over the three week loan. But once you realise it’s a simple push of the thumb on the handle’s thumbpad and a gentle push, it all makes sense.

Lexus calls the electrically activated door handles an ‘e-latch’. Is it tech for tech’s sake? Probably. 

I recently reviewed the Lexus LM and commented on how much I like Lexus steering wheels and that’s true of the RX, too.

It has clearly identifiable controls and feels nice in your hands. Thankfully, the cruise control buttons are housed on the wheel too, so no annoying stalk on the wheel.

There’s plenty of space across the front row so you should avoid the awkward driver-passenger elbow bump on the centre armrest.

Under the armrest is a huge central bin that opens on the driver and passenger side. There’s also a big covered storage nook forward of the shifter and another ledge above that, as well as a sizeable glove box. 

The doors have ample storage room for bottles, but the space is almost too wide. My bottle slid around when driving so I had to lay it down.

The centre console houses two big cupholders with adjustable depth in one of them. Clever touches like this and the central bin add to the appeal.

As with the Lexus LM, I am a fan of the new Lexus multimedia set-up. It has an easy-to-navigate menu along the side, easy wireless Apple CarPlay connection, and visually appealing graphics.

It’s a world away from Lexus’ previous system. That frustrating touchpad is, thankfully, in the bin.

I quite like the gear shifter with its unusual gate and even the indicator feels and sounds premium.

Small rear windows make for a rear three quarter blind spot, but visibility is otherwise good.

On a side note, the RX has very strong air conditioning - perfect for an Australian summer.

Jumping into the second row, there’s plenty of space all around and no shortage of head, leg, knee and shoulder room. Although foot room under the front seats is tight.

As with the front seats, the rear row offers comfortable seating. Kids should be happy back there.

There’s only a small transmission tunnel so middle-seat legroom is good. And in great news for passengers, the rear backrests recline. 

Lowering the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats for more cargo space is done via a lever on the side of the outboard seats, or by a button in the boot area. There are ISOFIX clips on the two outboard seats.

Other amenities in the second row include map pockets, two USB-C ports, knee-level air vents, climate control, and a pull-down armrest with pop-open cupholders.

Open the power tailgate and you’ll find cargo space of 612 litres with all seats in place, or 1678L with the second row stowed.

That’s a decent amount of space but not class leading. The Mercedes-Benz GLE has 630L and the VW Touareg can swallow 810L.

There’s no under-floor storage because that’s where some hybrid hardware is housed. You will find audio speakers, nice carpet, a cargo blind, two 4.0kg hooks and three top tethers. No spare, only a tyre repair kit.

Access and space for both rows would have to be class-leading and you don't feel like you're in a 'mid-sized' SUV.

When it comes to comfort you're bang out of luck, though, as the front seats aren't the most comfortable, even on shorter trips.

The driver's side is the better of the two (the front passenger seat isn't as wide) but both are too hard, narrow and the front passenger side sits too high. Limited adjustments are available and you miss out on lumbar support, which is crucial on a longer trip.

The and higher than drivers side and no height adjustment is available on the passenger side.

The back seats are marginally better with more padding under the butt but there's still a bench-seat element in cornering, which means you'll be jostled in turns.

The back seat is wide, though, so you can take advantage of the three top-tether points if you have a few tots in tow.

Storage is average for the class and the cabin lacks some of the clever cubbies competitors feature but the glove box and storage bins are XL and there is a dedicated phone tray up front.

Four cupholders, two drink bottle holders and two map pockets round out the individual storage.

The boot now offers 507L of luggage capacity and that’s plenty big enough for a decent grocery haul but it is on the lower end for the class.

You get a temporary spare tyre under the floor but no powered tailgate, and the lid is heavy to open and close.

The technology isn't great despite looking flash because the touchscreen on the multimedia system is slow to respond and most systems are accessed via the menu screens with limited physical buttons available.

That means its a punish to access climate control or music while on the go.

Climate control is a bit dodgy as the AC function seems to dip in and out and will just blow air occasionally despite the car not having an auto start/stop function which might have explained it.

The built-in satellite navigation is clear, however, and easy to use but it alerts loudly whenever you enter a new suburb and in the city, that means it chimes a lot.

Coupled with all of the other alerts this car bangs out, which I'll get to in the Safety section, it’s a bit much.

You only get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means a messy cable in the cabin and charging options are basic with four USB-A ports and a 12-volt socket. Big brand rivals have it beat on that front.

The model line-up for the new HS includes three petrol-powered variants, the version on test for this review being the two-wheel-drive mid-spec Excite.

There are hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants arriving in 2025, to offer further choices.

Its direct rival is the Haval H6 Lux, which has the same drive-away price of $36,990, but the nearest and similarly-specified big-name competitor, the Kia Sportage SX+ 2WD, costs $42,050 MSRP while the Mazda CX-5 GT-SP starts at $50,310 MSRP.

While it offers better value than most, the price point for the HS has jumped $5000 for the new-gen model but some great features are included as standard like synthetic leather upholstery, a 360-degree view camera system, satellite navigation, dual 12.3-inch tech screens and MG’s 'iSmart Connect' app.

Other standard features include keyless entry and start, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity, fog lights, LED exterior lights, a temporary spare tyre, a retractable cargo cover and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Powering the RX350h is a series parallel hybrid system consisting of a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a front-mounted motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery. 

Lexus doesn’t provide combined torque outputs for the hybrid, but total power for the system is pegged at 184kW.

This drives the front wheels only via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The new HS has a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine that produces 125kW of power and 275Nm of torque, outputs that are both slightly up from the old model.

If that combo doesn't ignite any passion, there are new hybrid and plug-in hybrid models coming in 2025.

The HS is front-wheel drive only and has a new seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission that is very smooth with its gear changes.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure for the RX350h 2WD is 5.0 litres per 100 kilometres, with CO2 emissions of 114g/km. You won’t get figures like that in a petrol or diesel competitor.

Over three weeks of mixed city, country, urban and freeway driving, I recorded 6.8L/100km which is not too bad given some of my spirited driving. The trip computer said 7.0L which is close to my figure.

The RX350h takes premium unleaded petrol and has a 65-litre fuel tank, so expect a range of around 950km based on our real-world consumption number.

The Excite has a low official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy figure of 6.9L/100km and based on its 55L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 797km, which is respectable for a family SUV.

My real-world usage sat at 6.6L/100km after mostly open-road driving with a smattering of urban stuff thrown in. It's a great result but may be higher in a straight urban environment.

The old RX was competent and even nice to drive but not a patch on the likes of the BMW X5. The new-gen RX improves on that in a big way.

It offers solid acceleration from a standing start. Lexus says 8.1sec from 0-100km/h - without giving you chills. The sportiest RX is the 500h Performance hybrid and that covers the same distance in 6.2sec.

The transition from electric power to petrol propulsion is more evident in this model than it was in the LM350h people mover I tested recently - the RX is a little noisier. The CVT doesn’t help this, offering up an uninspiring engine note.

It is, however, a much more fun car to push into tight bends than the previous RX. It remains reasonably flat in corners, and pulls out of tem with ease, but can’t compare to the dynamics of the dearly departed IS sedan.

The 19-inch tyres have large sidewalls and as a result soak up harsh bumps on the road. The non-adaptive suspension is tuned for better dynamism, meaning the ride quality is on the firm side.

The front-wheel drive RX lost traction for a second on a sweeping uphill section of my drive route, but the electronic traction systems otherwise kept the big SUV in check. 

But around town in urban areas, there is very little to complain about behind the wheel of the RX350h.

The new HS is better than the previous model with power delivery and on-road performance. You feel like you have a decent well of power to dip into and it’s delivered promptly - making the Excite a pleasant open-roader and a fun urban dweller.

The handling is well-tuned with good suspension that lets you ride over bad bumps without too much fuss and the steering is direct, which makes it feel nimble and sure footed.

The cabin is more refined with very little road or engine noise creeping in, even at higher speeds. Visibility is excellent thanks to wide windows and none of the pillars get in the way.

It’s great to see the addition of the 360-degree view camera system and although it’s not the best quality it’s a bonus for a family SUV.

The reversing gear is pretty much the only blip on an otherwise great transmission, though, as it tends to judder and feels hesitant when you are reversing into a spot.

The new-gen HS just received a five-star ANCAP safety rating. It has seven airbags, including a front centre bag.

The Excite also includes a long list of crash-avoidance features like AEB, blind-spot monitoring, rear and front cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure alert, emergency lane keeping, forward and rear collision warning, tyre-pressure monitoring and a 360-degree view camera system.

It's nice to see MG includes a full suite of safety features for even it's base model which, frustratingly, is not always the case across the segment.

However, several systems are the most intrusive I've experienced in everyday driving. I’m looking at you driver monitoring system, but the speed sign recognition tech is a culprit, too. And there are too many chimes, alerts, bings and bongs to distract you. Both of these technologies were also called out by ANCAP in its assessment.

It's awesome to see such a great safety features list but it's not enough to just tick the box of inclusion... these systems do have to work well otherwise they become a distraction rather than helpful.

The RX350h is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.

There’s a capped-price servicing plan lasting five years and it will cost $695 per service. That's significantly less than some rivals like the Mercedes GLE.

The RX is covered by the 'Lexus Encore' loyalty program and includes complimentary service loan cars, fuel offers as well as discounts and other offers with Lexus partners.

The HS is offered with an excellent 10-year/250,000km warranty which is the best unconditional warranty offer in this segment at the moment!

The five-year servicing program is a bit expensive as it averages at $507 per service but the servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km whichever occurs first.

The HS loves a premium drink, though, and only takes 95 RON fuel.