Tested: 2026 Lexus RX350h Takes It EasyMichael Simari - Car and DriverHave you read any job listings recently? "Must thrive in a high-pressure, fast-paced work environment." And get paid in what, heaps of anxiety? No thanks. I think an ideal job experience should be something like driving the Lexus RX. Let's start slow and just stay that way. With the RX, the highest pressure is the air in its tires. And I certainly don't own a single piece of furniture that's as comfortable as these front seats.For most of its life, the Lexus RX has been page-turn material. Literally, whenever one appeared in a car magazine, I took it as a cue to turn to the next page. Plenty of people disagreed, however. The RX has sold more than 100,000 copies almost every year since 2004.Michael Simari - Car and DriverThe latest RX is a little harder to ignore. A major overhaul for 2023 gave this top-selling compact luxury SUV some much-needed style. Its checkmark-shaped daytime running lights and dramatic grille mostly make up for the fact that it's shaped like Jimothy the raccoon. It certainly evokes more emotion than its corporate-looking German competitors. The RX350h F Sport Design arrived for 2025, combining the lower-horsepower hybrid powertrain with the more aggressive F Sport bodywork but none of the F Sport Handling hardware.AdvertisementAdvertisementEven if the looks don't stir you, the soothing comfort of the heated, ventilated, and deeply cushioned leather front seats will please your shoulder blades like a hug. The power seat will even continue moving while the vehicle starts, rather than pausing halfway through an adjustment as it does in some cars. It's a tiny detail, but one of many that ultimately lead to an enjoyable driving experience.Michael Simari - Car and DriverLike in many new Lexuses, everything inside is easy to read and reach. With a cartoonishly large-diameter start button and physical dials for the climate control's bright digital displays, the RX's interior has perhaps found inspiration from one of those jumbo universal TV remotes. The optional 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen is vivid and presents wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay with plenty of real estate for climate controls. Nothing feels smooshed together, and the icons are easy to identify with an enormous font.Michael Simari - Car and DriverThe RX interior feels like a meaningful upgrade from the smaller NX. Black open-pore wood is spread across the center console and heated steering wheel, a welcome alternative to highly reflective and scratch-prone plastic. The newly standard wireless phone charger is placed like an afterthought, though, as it essentially buries your phone deep within the center console, just begging for you to forget it every time you exit.Few vehicles this fuel efficient offer comfort on par with their cruising range. The RX350h's 32-mpg average in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test equates to an estimated 560 miles between fill-ups. And the range of the EPA combined estimate (36 mpg) is an impressive 630 miles. The laminated acoustic glass is designed to suppress road noise, but the RX registered a surprisingly vibrant 71 decibels and 27 sones during its 70-mph cruise test.Michael Simari - Car and DriverThe RX350h combines a 2.5-liter inline-four with electric motors at both axles, giving it all-wheel drive. Total output is 246 horsepower and 233 pound-feet of torque, but being quick sits near the bottom of this Lexus's priority list. During testing, it reached 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, making it the slowest entry in its segment and also trailing the last Toyota RAV4 Limited we tested.AdvertisementAdvertisementNot every RX pokes along so leisurely. The nonhybrid RX350 uses a 275-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four and is available with front- or all-wheel drive. From there, the RX450h+ plug-in hybrid raises output to 304 horsepower, while the range-topping RX500h F Sport Performance pairs a turbocharged 2.4-liter four with electric motors for 366 horsepower.Michael Simari - Car and DriverOur RX350h F Sport Design AWD test car starts at $59,580—that's $700 more than the nonhybrid version—with its optional equipment bringing the price to $64,600. The $5020 in extras included a 14.0-inch touchscreen, a surround-view monitor, a digital key, a dash cam, illuminated doorsills, and side puddle lamps, an option Lexus discontinued in March.You may find that the more miles you spend with the RX350h, the less urgent your driving behavior becomes. Its powertrain and relaxed dynamics don't favor aggressive driving, so rather than overdrive the front tires at every turn, you start taking it slow. And you're rewarded for it. The RX isn't the sort of vehicle that gets better with speed—quite the opposite. Flattening the accelerator is about as exciting as using an electric milk frother, and the two sound nearly identical. There's enough power to merge and pass but little incentive to summon all 246 horses at once.Michael Simari - Car and DriverYou don't have to approach the 0.78 g of grip it managed on our skidpad to get the tires to scream. Similarly, the mushy brake pedal doesn't encourage late braking and its 195-foot stop from 70 mph is nothing to write home about. Paddle shifters are as immature as the RX gets.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe RX350h makes a convincing case that slow can be enjoyable while it coddles you with its wonderful seats. "Go ahead," it says, "let the lunatics ahead of you battle to the next red light." A commute in this vehicle won't be exciting or quick, but if you're already eight hours into a high-pressure, fast-paced workday, a tall glass of peace-and-quiet can seem like a pretty good gig.Michael Simari - Car and Driver➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
+31 others
