The 2023 Lexus RX has launched in Australia with a wide range of variants including turbocharged, hybrid and turbocharged hybrid powertrains – but no plug-in hybrid, which will follow at some point.
It arrived in Australian showrooms in the first quarter of 2023.
UPDATE 22/08/2023 – Lexus recently confirmed revised pricing for the RX range, reflecting Luxury Car Tax (LCT) adjustments. We’ve updated this article and pulled it forward.
Prices range from $86,904 before on-road costs for the front-wheel drive RX 350h Luxury to $124,675 before on-roads for the flagship all-wheel drive RX 500h F Sport Performance.
Gone is the old V6 engine, with the RX 350 nameplate now applied to a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder model.
There’s no extended, three-row L body style with the new generation. Markets like North America will get a new three-row crossover called the TX to replace it, while Australian buyers will finally be able to buy the more rugged GX next year which offers a third row of seating.
A plug-in hybrid RX 450h+ has joined the range elsewhere but has yet to arrive here, though Lexus has previously indicated it will arrive at some point.
The RX range opens $15,000 higher than the outgoing model, though the previous base turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has been axed.
In addition to familiar Luxury, F Sport and Sports Luxury trims, there’s a new fully loaded F Sport Performance flagship.
Available only in RX 500h guise with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder hybrid, this variant features a ‘high-output’ eAxle rear electric motor, a DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system and rear-axle steering.
The 2023 RX is based on the company’s GA-K platform, also referred to as TNGA-K, which also underpins the Lexus NX, Lexus ES, Toyota Kluger, Toyota RAV4, and Toyota Camry, among others.
Pricing
- 2023 Lexus RX 350h
- Luxury FWD: $86,904 (-$596)
- Luxury AWD: $90,675 (-$1325)
- Sports Luxury AWD: $110,575 (-$1325)
- 2023 Lexus RX 350
- F Sport AWD: $98,370 (-$1530)
- Sports Luxury AWD: $104,370 (-$1530)
- 2023 Lexus RX 500h
- F Sport Performance AWD: $124,675 (-$1325)
All prices exclude on-road costs.
Drivetrains
The 2023 Lexus RX 350h uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with 184kW of power. It’s available with either front- or all-wheel drive, and uses an eCVT.
Its claimed 0-100km/h time is 8.1 seconds in FWD guise, and 7.9 seconds in AWD guise.
The RX 350 is powered by a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 205kW of power and 430Nm of torque. It’s all-wheel drive only and uses an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Its claimed 0-100km/h time is 7.6 seconds.
The RX 500h F Sport Performance uses a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with a total system output of 273kW. It features a ‘high-output’ eAxle rear electric motor and DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system.
The 0-100km/h time is a claimed 6.2 seconds.
Efficiency
Claimed combined fuel economy for the RX 350h FWD is 5.0 litres per 100km, rising to 5.4L/100km for the RX 350h AWD.
The petrol-only RX 350 uses a claimed 8.7L/100km on the combined cycle, and the range-topping RX 500h uses a claimed 6.5L/100km.
All three models drink 95 RON premium unleaded. Petrol models have a 67.5 litre fuel tank, hybrids have a 65L tank.
Dimensions
The 2023 Lexus RX measures 4890mm long, 1920mm wide and 1695mm tall on a 2850mm wheelbase.
Kerb weight ranges from 1995kg for the RX 350h 2WD to 2160kg for the RX 500h F Sport Performance. The whole range has a 1500kg braked towing capacity, and a 750kg unbraked capacity.
Claimed boot space is 612 litres with all five seats in place, expanding to 1678L with the second row folded.
Servicing and Warranty
Lexus backs its vehicles with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The first five services will set you back $695 each across the range using Lexus’ capped-price service program.
Safety
The Lexus RX has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2022.
It received an adult occupant protection rating of 90 per cent, a child occupant protection rating of 89 per cent, a vulnerable road user protection rating of 89 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 93 per cent.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Intersection collision avoidance support
- Emergency steering assist
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane Tracing Assist (lane centring)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Driver fatigue monitoring
Some models also include a surround-view camera.
Standard Equipment
The RX 350h Luxury comes standard with the following equipment:
- Bi-LED headlights
- LED daytime running lights, fog lights
- Heated exterior mirrors with driver’s side auto-dimming
- Rear privacy glass
- 19-inch alloy wheels with bright machined finish
- Roof rails
- Power tailgate
- 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired Android Auto
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- 12-speaker Panasonic sound system
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Lexus Connected Services
- Five x USB-C outlets, two x 12V, one x USB-A
- Eight-way power front seats with two-way power lumbar
- Heated front seats
- Leatherette upholstery
- Tri-zone climate control
- Power-adjustable steering column
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Paddle shifters
- Ambient lighting
The optional Enhancement Pack ($5100 on the FWD, $5500 on the AWD) adds the following:
- Panoramic sunroof
- Leather upholstery
- Ventilated front seats
- Easy access seat
- Driver’s seat memory
- Head-up display
- ‘High-grade’ instrument cluster display
- Smart key card
- Wireless phone charger
- Touch-sensitive steering wheel controls
Over the Luxury, the RX 350 F Sport adds:
- Turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- 21-inch gloss black alloy wheels
- Bi-LED headlights
- BladeScan technology
- Adaptive high-beam
- Dynamic auto-levelling
- Cornering lights
- Headlight cleaners
- F Sport exterior appearance package with unique bumpers, grille
- Adaptive suspension
- Aluminium monobloc six-piston calipers
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Surround-view camera
- Dimpled leather-wrapped steering wheel
- F Sport scuff plates
- F Sport shifter
- F Sport instrument cluster
- Heated and ventilated front sport seats
- Aluminium pedals
- Easy access driver’s seat
- Touch-sensitive steering wheel controls
- Multi-colour ambient lighting
- 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
- Active Noise Control
- Wireless phone charger
- Rear door sunshades
- Smart key card
The $3000 Enhancement Pack 1 adds a panoramic sunroof, while the $4100 Enhancement Pack 2 includes this plus a digital rear-view mirror, semi-automatic parking assist, and a heated steering wheel.
Over the Luxury, the RX 350 Sports Luxury and RX 350h Sports Luxury receive:
- Bi-LED headlights with adaptive high-beam
- 21-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels
- Surround-view camera
- Adaptive suspension
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- 21-speaker Mark Levinson sound system
- Active Noise Control (RX350 only)
- 10-way power front seats with semi-aniline leather upholstery
- Four-way lumbar support and memory
- Heated steering wheel with woodgrain trim
- Power-folding and reclining rear seats
- Heated and ventilated outboard rear seats
The $3000 Enhancement Pack 1 adds a panoramic sunroof, while the $3900 Enhancement Pack 2 also includes a digital rear-view mirror and semi-automatic parking assist.
The RX 500h F Sport Performance receives all of the F Sport’s upgrades plus everything from the aforementioned Enhancement Packs. It also receives:
- Matte black 21-inch alloy wheels
- Black aluminium monobloc front calipers
- Piano black bumper side moulding
- Body-coloured rocker trim
- Active Sound Control
- Dynamic Rear Steering
Colours
The RX is available in the following finishes:
- Sonic Chrome
- Sonic Iridium
- Graphite Black
- Sonic Copper
- Deep Blue (excludes F Sport Performance)
- White Nova (F Sport, F Sport Performance only)
- Cobalt Mica (F Sport, F Sport Performance only)
- Sonic Quartz (Luxury, Sports Luxury only)
- Titanium (Luxury, Sports Luxury only)
- Vermillion (Luxury, Sports Luxury only)
- Khaki Metal (Luxury, Sports Luxury only)
All bar Graphite Black cost an extra $1750.
MORE: Everything Lexus RX