2022 Lexus RX350 F Sport Review: What We’d Change

• Lexus RX: Aging, but Still With It
• Better Driving Dynamics Are on the Way
• The RX’s V-6 Has Got to Go … or Does It?
• Lexus RX: The Right-Sized SUV
• Change the RX, Lexus—But Not Too Much

The current Lexus RX dates from the 2016 model year, and it won’t be long before a replacement arrives for 2023. We thought it’d be an enjoyable exercise to grab a current-gen RX and pontificate on what we’d like to see change, so that’s what we did—only it turns out our list was a bit shorter than we expected.

Lexus RX: Aging, but Still With It

Despite being in its eighth model year, the current-gen RX has done a surprisingly good job of keeping up with the times. A 2020 update eliminated (or at least mitigated) one of the RX’s most annoying features by supplementing its awful touchpad infotainment interface with a proper touchscreen. The touchpad will go away forever in the next update as the RX will adopt some form of the infotainment system in the recently redesigned and one-size-smaller NX, with its big touch display and integrated temperature controls.

Normally we’d be calling for a complete interior revamp in any vehicle this old, but the RX has remained remarkably current. Odd switch placement (cramming in new technology that wasn’t around when the vehicle was first introduced) is a common sign of an aging vehicle, but the 2022 RX’s interior still looks modern … except for the standard-fit CD player, that is. Still, we can’t rule out the reappearance of a CD changer—after all, the RX still needs to appeal to Boomers and other older audiences who might still use physical media.

Better Driving Dynamics Are on the Way

Aside from the aforementioned touchpad, our primary complaint about the Lexus RX, particularly the F Sport variant, has been the luxury SUV’s less than engaging driving characteristics. It’s almost a given that this will improve, as Lexus is bound to move the RX to Toyota’s New Global Architectural (TGNA) platform, which provides noticeable improvements in road manners.

Lexus made a few tweaks to the RX for 2022, primarily to reduce body roll and improve ride quality. We’ve singled out the F Sport for not delivering the thrills you might expect once you sign up for its firmer ride, but we thought the 2022 went down the road much more comfortably—especially as we were driving in the metro New York area, where road repair is apparently not high on any municipality’s priority list. If the next-gen RX delivers this same ride quality with better cornering poise and improved steering feel, we’d be happy indeed. Given our experience with other TGNA-platform vehicles, we’re optimistic.

The RX’s V-6 Has Got to Go … or Does It?

The engine, however—that’s got to go. Not that the 295-hp 3.5-liter V-6 under the RX350’s hood did anything to offend us; it’s a loyal soldier that has served faithfully, and its refinement and sound are pleasing enough. But our all-wheel-drive RX350 returned fuel economy in the mid-teens around town, and even during a day of slow-paced wandering through the beautiful back roads of the Berkshires, it barely cracked 23 mpg. Even the hybrid RX450h employs six-cylinder power, a concept even more dated than the CD player. We’d be gobsmacked if the next RX hasn’t upgraded to a more fuel-efficient turbocharged four-cylinder. (If that happens, it’ll be the end of an era: The RX has had V-6 power since its 20th-century inception.)

That said, we have our concerns. The obvious candidate is the 275-hp 2.4-liter turbo-four that drives the Lexus NX350, but our testing of that vehicle revealed performance that left something to be desired: 0 to 60 in 7.3 seconds, adequate but not stunning for a luxury SUV. The current-gen RX350 is nearly a quarter-ton heavier than the NX350, so how’s that engine going to handle that weight? On second thought, maybe condemning the V-6 to the junkyard is a bit hasty on our part.

Lexus RX: The Right-Sized SUV

We’re hoping Lexus will resist the temptation to grow the RX any bigger (as it pretty much did with the NX). The existing RX350 is a great size for a five-seat SUV, large enough to have substantial presence yet small enough that it’s easy to pilot through Manhattan traffic. The back seat has plenty of legroom and a flat floor. We’re not overly fond of the long-wheelbase, seven-seat version, the Lexus RX-L, which is way too stingy with third-row room—it’s not clear as of this writing if the L will continue or be supplanted by the recently confirmed TX three-row model—but the five-seat RX is just the right size, and we hope that won’t change.

One more thing that needs to go are the silly dealer-installed running boards on our RX350 test SUV. At $650, we’re sure they’re a nice profit generator for Lexus and its dealers, but they’re a huge pain for owners. After all, the RX350 was designed to sit just at the right step-in height. These silly boards only get in the way, and we repeatedly slammed our shins and soiled our trouser cuffs while making what would otherwise be a dignified entry into or exit from the RX. We can’t imagine Lexus’ designers don’t look at these things and cringe. When will they rise up and cast out those in the marketing department who try to spoil perfectly good design for a few more dollars of profit?

Change the RX, Lexus—But Not Too Much

We’re surprised at the result of this test drive: We thought we’d spend the whole time noting things that should change, and instead we kept finding things that shouldn’t. The RX is just the right size, and its interior is still handsome, especially with the optional red leather seats in our F Sport example. The controls are straightforward, interior comfort is excellent, and the driving experience, if not pulse-raising, is quiet and comfortable. We won’t pretend the current RX is our favorite luxury SUV, or even our favorite Lexus, but we understand why it remains the brand’s bestseller.

Keyword: 2022 Lexus RX350 F Sport Review: What We’d Change