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Price Range: Less Than
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$154,765
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Introduction:

To help members understand the latest automotive technology so they can purchase vehicles that best suit their needs, the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center (ARC) began testing and reviewing vehicles over a decade ago

For the 2024 edition, we include testing and ranking cars and light trucks with the latest technology, including having at least one advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) feature. In addition to vehicle evaluation, the guide covers a number of pertinent automotive topics in detail—for example, the latest advanced safety features, how to properly maintain your vehicle, and new vehicles coming to market in the next few years.

2023 Lexus RX 350 F Sport

Vehicle Type: Midsize suv Gasoline
83
 overall score
Category Ranking: 11

Vehicle Price

Base Price: $56,600
Price as Tested: $63,305

Fuel Information

Fuel Type: Premium
Fuel Capacity (gal): 17.8
EPA City mpg21
EPA Highway mpg28
EPA Combined mpg24

Advanced Safety Features

  • Adaptive Cruise Control [S]
  • Advanced Headlights [S]
  • Automatic Emergency Braking [S]
  • Blind-Spot Warning [S]
  • Driver Monitoring [O]
  • Forward-Collision Warning [S]
  • Lane-Departure Warning [S]
  • Lane-Keeping Assistance [S]
  • Rear Cross-Traffic Warning [S]
  • Reverse Automatic Emergency Braking [O]
  • [S] Standard, [O] Optional

Overall Observations

Now its fifth generation, the RX 350, Lexus’ best-selling model, was completely redesigned for 2023. Changes include a new platform, a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (replacing a V6), and upgrades to infotainment, convenience, and safety features. But the latest RX's raison d’etre continues much the same as before: It's a luxury midsize crossover SUV with a refined ride, decent handling, and high build quality. The RX's cabin is spacious, with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Fit and finish is luxurious inside and out; standard features include tri-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof with an automatically retractable sunshade. The RX 350's adaptive variable suspension delivers a smooth, supple ride, and handling is responsive, with good steering-wheel feel. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, a comprehensive set of safety features, is standard, and includes such features as Proactive Driving Assist, which automatically provides gentle braking when it detects curves or objects in the road. On the downside, the RX 350's turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is powerful, but it's also noisy and feels unrefined—especially under hard acceleration. The same is true of the 8-speed automatic transmission. The infotainment menus aren’t intuitive, and the unmarked steering-wheel buttons are difficult to use while driving. Fuel efficiency is also disappointing—24 mpg in combined city/highway. Finally, the rear roof pillars restrict visibility.

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Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Good ride quality, smooth handling
  • Good headroom and legroom, plenty of cargo
  • Luxury fit and finish inside and out
  • Comprehensive set of ADAS features

Cons

  • Noisy, rough engine and transmission
  • Unintuitive infotainment system and steering-wheel controls
  • Mediocre fuel-economy numbers

Vehicle Specifications

Model year tested: 2023
Number of passengers (F/R): 2/3
Curb weight (lbs): 4310.0
Exterior L / W / H (in): 192.52 / 75.59 / 67.32
Wheelbase (in): 112.2
Number of air bags: 9
Warranty (months/miles): 48/50,000
Tire manufacturer and model: Goodyear Eagle Touring
Front and rear tire size: 235/50 R21
Max towing capacity (lbs): 3,494
Headlight type: LED
Transmission type: Auto 8-speed
Drivetrain type: All wheel
Engine/motor: 2.4L I4 turbo
Engine horsepower @ RPM: 275 @ 6,000

Test Data

Test Vehicle Scores

Advanced Safety Features:

9.40

Fuel Efficiency:

5.17

EPA Emissions Score:

7.00

Acceleration:

3.86

Braking:

3.81
Handling: 6.51
Quality and Drivability: 8.00

Ride Quality:

7.90

Interior Size:

4.48

Easy of Entry and Exit:

7.76

Visibility:

8.33

Interior Noise:

7.28

Cargo Capacity:

3.22
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