Written by Marco Carvajal
2023 Lexus RX 350h
The new 2023 RX 350h is an excellent choice for those who want to drive a luxury midsize hybrid crossover. The new model adds refinement and improves fuel economy with an excellent rate, certified as a Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) driving 36 Miles average per Gallon combined when driving city and highway.
The RX is a luxury car powered by a hybrid engine that works together with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine.
The new RX 350h is one of the best midsize crossover hybrid SUVs, available for purchase from $50K to $58K, a good price for all what you get with this great hybrid SUV.
The RX is America’s best-selling Lexus and there is a reason for such success, with value pricing, a very practical midsize crossover size, tons of features, and luxury design on the outside and inside of this vehicle.
The new Lexus RX 350h is a very attractive, luxurious, and affordable medium size hybrid SUV.
Built on the New Lexus GA-K Platform
The 2023 RX is better, lighter, and stronger, built on the new Lexus GA-K platform, which is 198 pounds lighter than the previous platform. The new RX center of gravity is 0.6 inches lower than its predecessor thanks to its use of stronger metals, like 1180 MPa steel on side rockers, 1470 MPa steel for the roof, and 2GPa steel for B-pillars, and innovative adhesives and welds.
The overall rigidity of the new RX 350h improves with the addition of bracing at the radiator support, center floor, rear suspension towers, and back door opening.
Although the new 2023 RX remains 192.5 inches long, its wheelbase grows by 2.36 inches to 112.2 inches and its track is widened by 0.59 inches to 65 inches in front, and 1.77 inches to 66 inches in the rear.
The rear section of the platform features an all-new multi-link suspension design, attached to a rigid high-torsion rear body frame that facilitates more consistent suspension input/travel during acceleration, deceleration, and steering moments.
The new Lexus GA-K platform is better, it increases the front and rear couple distance on the RX 350h, resulting in more space and legroom for rear passengers, increased cargo space, and a lowered back door trim to decrease loading height.
The RX 350h is a very efficient and luxury hybrid, innovating in the midsize SUV segment, powered by a four-cylinder engine, improving fuel economy while retaining the off-line responsiveness provided by electric-assist motors.
20 Years of History of the Evolving Lexus RX Crossover
The Lexus RX has more than 20 years and five generations of success. When the first RX 300 arrived back in 1998 it looked very different from all other SUVs available at that time in the market.
By creating the first RX, Lexus probably created the first luxury crossover. The RX had its own unique specie, half SUV and half luxury four-door sedan. The first model combined the choice attributes of each gender into a single, highly versatile package giving birth to a crossover utility vehicle, or CUV, a new concept at that time.
The name RX comes from the RX’s fortified sedan-based platform sported cutting-edge design, Radiant Design, giving its name to this model.
Inside the first RX, passengers were treated to high seats with expansive views and room for everyone much better than any regular sedan, but not quite an SUV, some great merge of two worlds created by Lexus.
The RX’s smooth, refined road handling, plush comfort, and quickly available all-wheel drive capability made it very appealing and successful with approximately 42,000 RX units sold by the end of 1998 in North America.
For more than 20 years, five generations of the RX have redefined the luxury crossover space. And from first to fifth, a vibrant enthusiasm known as omotenashi, or anticipatory hospitality, has perpetuated their crafting, forcing designers and engineers to exceed car drivers’ satisfaction.
New 2023 RX 350 hybrid
The new 2023 RX keeps adding extraordinary refinement to its lineup. Amazing integration of improved materials and repeatable high-stress tests conducted at the Toyota Shimoyama Technical Center has created the best version of RX you can ever find.
The new RX is designed to fulfill your needs through a host of technological, stylistic, and innovative enhancements. The RX 350h offers a highly advanced hybrid system and Lexus’ first DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system.
With its comfortable front seats and roomy rear seats, and more cargo space than ever before, the new 2023 RX 350h is designed to win the competition.
The new 2023 RX 350H goes up against its competitors, where one of the few hybrid alternative cars in the luxury two-row SUV segment is the BMW X5 xDrive45e, the smaller Audi Q5 TFSI 55 e, Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring, and Volvo XC60 Recharge.
Hybrid Powertrain
The 2023 Lexus RX 350h has a powerful hybrid powertrain based on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 246 horsepower and 233 pound-feet of torque.
The new hybrid 350h is only available as all-wheel drive. The new engine uses a continuously variable automatic transmission and employs a small electric motor at the rear wheels to create an electronic all-wheel drive system.
The transmission of the RX 350h remains an eight-speed automatic, Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT) with paddle shifters.
The electronically controlled full-time AWD constantly varies front-to-rear drive-force distribution from 75:25 to 50:50 adjusted to driving needs, for optimum contact patch and linear steering feel.
The RX 340h includes 4 Drive Modes you can select, ECO, Normal, Sport, and EV mode.
The RX 350h 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and hybrid system has an estimated fast acceleration from 0 to 60 miles in just 7.4 seconds.
The RX 350 chassis steers, handles, and brakes with great precision.
The engine of the 350h is very good, it doesn’t mess around when merging with the highway or going down a two-lane highway, and the continuously variable automatic transmission works simultaneously to produce a perfect drive experience.
The brakes of the RX 250h provide a reassuring and safe environment with a fast and consistent response.
The RX responds precisely to the driver with steering effort, neither too high nor too low. It also isolates road vibrations very well due to its advanced suspension system.
Hybrid Battery
One of the elements to consider when buying an electric or hybrid car is the quality of its battery, as this is one of the key components and also one of the most expensive components to replace. The new RX 350h includes a high-output, low-resistance nickel-metal hydride battery that offers a high level of performance and fuel economy.
The 216-cell battery is strategically located below the rear seat, to improve passenger comfort and storage capacity on the RX 350h.
The Lexus RX 350h will Drive 36 Miles with Only 1 Gallon of Gas, and excellent fuel economy!
Safety Systems
The RX 350 h includes standard anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and front knee airbags.
There are many optional safety features you can add like a Blind Spot Alert System with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Automatic Braking, Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Mitigation, and a Safe Exit System of the rear passenger in the event of an accident.
More standard features include a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, Safety Connect emergency communications, a suite of driving safety aids that includes lane departure warning and intervention, as well as forward collision warning and mitigation with automatic emergency braking.
Pricing and Trim Models for the RX 350h 2023 year
The Lexus RX 350h is available in 4 trim models, Base, Premium, Premium+, and Luxury
- 2023 Lexus RX 350h, Starting MSRP $50,150
Digital Latch With Safe Exit Assist
Standard All-Wheel Drive
36 Mpg Combined
- 2023 Lexus RX 350h Premium, Starting MSRP $52,150
Power Tilt-And-Slide Moonroof
Heated And Ventilated Front Seats
Wireless Charger
- 2023 Lexus RX 350h Premium+, Starting MSRP $54,750
14-Inch Touchscreen Display
Leather-Trimmed Interior
Thematic Ambient Illumination
- 2023 Lexus RX 350h Luxury, Starting MSRP $58,150
Semi-Aniline Leather-Trimmed Interior
21-Inch 20-Spoke Alloy Wheels
Head-Up Display
The base model RX 350h is not that basic, as part of Lexus premium luxury brand you get a lot even when buying this base model. It gets 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, fog lights and taillights, rain-sensing wipers, a power liftgate, proximity-sensing keyless entry, and digital Latch electronic door latches.
The Premium trim level adds ambient interior lighting, triple-zone automatic transmission climate control, a power-adjustable steering wheel, artificial leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable, and heated front seats.
The Luxury trim model has 21-inch alloy wheels, faux suede interior door trim, premium perforated leather upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable front seats with four-way power lumbar support, 10-inch color head-up display.
The more robust Global Architecture-K platform and comfortable cabin design merged with the impressively sleek aerodynamics of the exterior and seamless power distribution and delivery through DIRECT4 AWD, the RX 350h is a wonderful car to drive.
Interior design
The 2023 Lexus RX 350h has one of the best interiors in the midsize SUV segment, it is beautiful and it comes with very advanced modern technology that everyone can enjoy, driver and passengers.
Even if the RX 350 is a midsize crossover, there’s plenty of room for passengers to ride comfortably inside and cargo space is also very good.
The interior of the RX expresses luxury and simplicity without being flashy. The fresh, contemporary look, with clean, uncluttered surfaces, produces a great feeling of space, well-being, refinement, and comfort. According to Lexus even the feel and sound of opening and closing the doors have been carefully designed.
Optional features of the RX includes a larger panoramic roof that can be partially opened. The center frame of the panoramic roof has the narrowest possible cross section to improve visibility from the back seats.
The new RX 350h dashboard flows cleanly and seamlessly. This luxury crossover RX 350 hybrid offers a generous suite of standard tech safety and convenience items to enjoy a great driving experience from inside your car. The RX 350h base model comes with a 9.8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
Premium next-generation driver assistance, convenience, and infotainment technologies are available, including a cloud-based navigation and natural voice recognition system and a hands-free traffic jam assist, to help you when driving at low speeds in busy passenger traffic.
The Luxury model sharp-looking 14-inch touchscreen is the highlight of the lineup with clean graphics and excellent user experience.
This large center display gives you a more clear and large sharp rearview camera. The optional surround-view camera system makes maneuvering the RX easy and safe while giving you a 360 degrees view of your vehicle surroundings.
Premium audio can be enjoyed with the 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system.
