Since its introduction in 1998, the Lexus RX has been a top seller for the premium Toyota division. Handsome exterior, luxurious interior, and excellent build quality – year after year SUV buyers seem to fall for the RX like a fish to water. It’s no wonder that every year the RX is the top-selling vehicle from Lexus. Since its redesign in 2023, the RX has continued that same trend and continues to be a great choice for 2025.
Today’s Lexus RX is the fifth generation in the vehicle’s history. The redesign wasn’t drastic as the current model shares the same overall length as the former model although the wheelbase is 3 inches longer. The “spindle grille” has been redesigned into a more three-dimensional look and is smaller and less pointed than before. Lexus now refers to it as a “spindle body”. From the triple-beam LED headlights up front to the rear light bar stretching across the entire width, the RX certainly looks modern and more aggressive than ever.
Inside, the RX continues as a five-passenger SUV, with, in typical Lexus fashion, a superb attention to detail. A sharp-looking 14.0-inch touchscreen with Lexus’ updated infotainment system, features a navigation system powered by Google Maps and has a crystal-clear backup camera and surround-view camera system. The climate control features are readily accessible and easy to use. The shifter is small which makes the center console area feel spacious, which it is, as it can accommodate two smartphones along with two cupholders. A feature that takes some getting used to are the haptic touch buttons on the steering wheel. Their purpose is to be multifunctional, but their functions can be confusing and require too much focus to perform simple tasks. Call me old school but give me buttons with markings on them please. Minor gripe aside, the interior of the RX is simply stunning as well as purposeful.
Cargo space is plentiful, with 29.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46.2 cubic feet with the seats folded – good enough for a Costco haul or a serious road trip.
Under the hood, the V6 engine that the RX was known for is hardly missed as the 2.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder has turned out to be a worthy successor. In the RX350, it makes 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque and uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. Power is sent to the front-wheels or all-wheels on the all-wheel drive models. For the RX350h however, Lexus swaps the turbo engine for 2.5-liter non-turbo four-cylinder with a hybrid powertrain and a CVT transmission, making a combined 246 hp. The RX 450h+ comes with an upgraded version of the 350h’s powertrain, making 304 hp. At the top of the RX lineup is the RX500h, which uses the same turbo-four engine as the base model, but also uses a dual-motor hybrid system with all-wheel-drive. The RX500h also has rear-steering which Lexus calls Dynamic Rear Steering. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, it makes 366 horsepower, 406 lb-ft torque – which makes it the most powerful RX ever sold. It is the RX500h that Lexus had me in recently.
The RX500h is only sold as an F Sport Performance model – so if performance is your thing, this is the RX for you. Unlike the other RX models with AWD, the RX500h has an AWD system specific to this model called Direct4, which can distribute torque front to rear in milliseconds and splits that range from 70/30 percent front/rear to 20/80 depending on conditions.
In my first drive on the RX500h F Sport Performance, I found it fast, fun and easily maneuverable thanks to the powerful powertrain. It even sounds cool too, in part to the artificial engine sounds being pumped into the cabin. Without a regular RX to compare it to, I can’t say I felt the Dynamic Rear Steering which is supposed to allow the rear wheels to turn up to 4 degrees in the same direction as the fronts or in the opposite direction depending on speed. Lexus claims the RX500h can do sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds and that feels about right according to my internal stopwatch. On top of that, it manages to get an estimated 27 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. A win situation no matter how you look at it.
Pricing for the RX starts at $50,575 for the RX350. The tester, an RX500h with nearly every option checked, has an MSRP of $72,389.
I can recall when the first RX came out nearly 25 years ago and since then, I have driven my fair share of them. With that in mind, it’s easy to say that the 2025 Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance is the most entertaining RX ever. But despite its name, the RX is still a luxury SUV first and foremost – and a very fine one at that.
-– Christopher A. Randazzo
By The Numbers:
2025 Lexus RX 500h F Sport AWD
Base Price:$64,800.00
Price as Tested:$72,389.00
Layout:front-engine / all-wheel drive
Engine:2.4 liter turbo 4-cylinder & dual motor hybrid system
Transmission:6 – speed automatic
Horsepower:366 hp
Torque:406 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy:27 city / 28 highway
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