The 2023 Lexus RX350h Could be Your Forever Car
The beauty of the Lexus RX350h lies in elegant design, innovative tech that isn't too intimidating, a supremely comfortable interior and performance that feels great.
Sara Lacey
|
This Could be the Car to Buy and Keep Forever
The Lexus RX350h has a beautiful new look, it’s full of some innovative technology, and it’s as comfortable to be in as your favorite outfit. Lexus offers the RX, starting at $49,950, in gas-powered options, and they have two hybrid models, the traditional gas/electric hybrid and the plug-in hybrid, using the best of both worlds: electricity and gas.
Related: 2023 Lexus RX 350h Review: This Luxury SUV Empowers You With Elegance
Lexus RX 350h has a cool new hood and grille. Photo: Sara Lacey
You Won’t have FOMO with the RX350h
First off, Lexus doesn’t do an overhaul of its models very often, so your urge to buy the latest and greatest version of the RX350h will be the latest and greatest for a while to come. And the looks of the new RX350h are modern but not polarizing. I respect this approach, and I think the RX350 will look good for ages. A new design feature that will carry the car into the future is the waterfall hood, with the metal coming down the hood and curving into the grille. It makes a beautiful, elongated line that your eye loves to follow. Its body-colored hood and the top of the grille blend into the metal grille below, creating continuity. This lower grille has a linear pattern that makes me think of a road going off into the distance. It feels at once innovative and timeless, and I’m here for it.
Related: There’s a New Lexus RX Hybrid SUV (or Gas, or Performance) for 2023, and It’s Everything a Makeover Should Be
Lexus RX350 front end. Photo: Sara Lacey
The Lexus RX350h is So Pretty
The side of the RX350h is sculpted and has a lovely swoop on the rear door. It makes the car look aerodynamic and well-thought out. The rear has LED tail lights that extend across the entire rear of the car. It’s only punctuated by “Lexus” badging across the center of the rear. It’s pretty. The roofline drops a little in the rear and has a spoiler that adds a little pinch of an angle, matched only by the taillights and the pointy angle on the front end. It’s a nice bit of balance and consistency of some thoughtful lines and soft curves.
Related: 2017 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Review: A Luxury Crossover With Style
I love the pretty two-tone interior and all the subtle details. Photo: Sara Lacey
The Technology in the RX350h is Advanced, but It’s Easy to Use
Older buyers who may be intimidated will find the advanced driver systems pretty intuitive to use, and once you figure out what the buttons are for, it’s easy to remember where they are. The multimedia screen is large and so crisp, and it is easy to read. The user interface is simple and clean and even has icons that mimic where they would be located if they were on the dashboard. My favorite part of the screen is that the temperature knobs are backlit, and I kind of wish they did more with that feature because it’s so cool.
Interestingly, Lexus removed the trackpad it had in its previous models, and now there are trackpad controls on the steering wheel. The trackpads illuminate controls in the heads-up display, and it’s a little unconventional. But it’s fun to swipe through the menus and is just enough tech to feel futuristic.
Lexus RX’s rear passenger seating and storage are ludicrously capacious. Photo: Sara Lacey
The RX350h’s Interior is Perfection
I love the two-toned interior; it’s not only two colors but is also leather and microsuede with a tricot ceiling headliner, which feels very modern and sophisticated. The child carseat LATCH connectors are easy to use whether you’re installing seats for kids or grandkids. The cargo space is good. I liked that the power liftgate had a hands-free kick-open option, too.
Lexus RX350h forever! Photo: Sara Lacey
Long-Term Value is the Name of the Game
The Luxury trim level I tested is priced at $65,090. It had lots of future-forward options like voice commands, the aforementioned multimedia screen, head-up display, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a premium Mark Levinson sound system. It also had an advanced parking system to park the car for me, a panoramic view monitor, and a digital rear-view mirror. It had wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so I think with all these options, you won’t be wishing for a piece of tech tomorrow.
The RX350h is a hybrid, and Lexus really has this system nailed. It’s a great way to get savings on gas consumption without making any major life changes. While a PHEV would certainly feel more like a version of the RX that could take you very far into the future in terms of newer EV technology, the hybrid is a wonderful option: No lifestyle changes if you want to increase your efficiency and reduce trips to the gas station, though the plug-in hybrid does carry about a $5,000 premium in price.
The RX350h gets an estimated 36 mpg, according to Lexus. If you want to spend more money and forego fuel efficiency, you can get the F-Sport performance versions of the RX, the gas-powered RX350 F Sport Handling trim, and the hybrid RX500h F Sport Performance trims.
But do you need all that? The new RX350 has just the right amount of futuristic features combined with a traditional interior that is pared down but not overly minimal. It’s a car that will be a wonderful fit for today and for many years to come. And the benefit of Lexus is that they’re not going to pull the rug out from under you next year with a totally different version of the RX.
Have a thought or comment? Share it with us on social media! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. And be sure to sign up for our email newsletter! Additionally, A Girls Guide to Cars may earn a commission from affiliate links in this story.
Car Shopping
Need a new car? Whether shopping for a new car or a used car we recommend using our car shopping service.
Tire Shopping
Need new tires? We recommend Tire Rack.
Car Repair
Need to get your car repaired? We recommend Repair Pal. Exclusively just for Girls Guide to Cars readers, call (877) 323-1708 to speak to RepairPal Car Genius for FREE automotive repair advice and if needed to find the right shop for you!