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4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
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4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
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Overall Rating
The Luxury midsize segment creator is now updated in its 2018 avatar to stay up to the competition. Starting at $43,200 the Lexus RX has 3 trims on offer and a new 3rd-row seating option on its RX L trim. The Lexus Enform safety and service are also on offer.
The luxury midsize SUV segment creator, the Lexus RX 350, is now updated in its 2018 avatar to stay up to the competition. Starting at $43,200 the SUV has 3 trims on offer and a new 3rd-row seating option on its RX L trim. The Lexus Enform safety and service are also on offer as standard.
The 2018 Lexus RX gets a 3.5L engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and produces 295hp of power. The SUV isn't the most powerful one in the segment but is the most fuel-efficient one. The vehicle competes with the likes of the BMW X5, Cadillac XT5, and the Lincoln MKX. This year's update brought along the Enform safety connect and Enform Service Connect complimentary for 10 years. The blind-spot monitoring and moon-roof are now available also for the base model.
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We recommend going with the RX 350L trim as this is the intermediate model as it has a tasteful combination of the quirks and features available on both the base and the top-end trim. From power-adjustable steering to tri-zone control, comfort and ease are part of the trim, also it is the best value-for-money proposition in the RX 350 lineup.
4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
F Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
F Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
The Luxury midsize segment creator is now updated in its 2018 avatar to stay up to the competition. Starting at $43,200 the Lexus RX has 3 trims on offer and a new 3rd-row seating option on its RX L trim. The Lexus Enform safety and service are also on offer.
The luxury midsize SUV segment creator, the Lexus RX 350, is now updated in its 2018 avatar to stay up to the competition. Starting at $43,200 the SUV has 3 trims on offer and a new 3rd-row seating option on its RX L trim. The Lexus Enform safety and service are also on offer as standard.
The 2018 Lexus RX gets a 3.5L engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and produces 295hp of power. The SUV isn't the most powerful one in the segment but is the most fuel-efficient one. The vehicle competes with the likes of the BMW X5, Cadillac XT5, and the Lincoln MKX. This year's update brought along the Enform safety connect and Enform Service Connect complimentary for 10 years. The blind-spot monitoring and moon-roof are now available also for the base model.
Also read:
Starting at $43,470, the Lexus RX 350 has 3 trims on offer and a new 3rd-row seating option on its RX L trim. The Lexus Enform safety and service are also on offer. The 2018 Lexus RX gets a 3.5L engine mated to its 8-speed automatic transmission and produces 295hp of power. The Lexus comes with 3 trims, where the RX350, RX350L, and the RX 350 F Sport are offered in both Front-wheel and All-wheel drive options.
Trims |
RX 350 |
RX 350L |
RX 350 F Sport |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP (FWD) |
$43,570 |
$47,670 |
$48,920 |
MSRP (AWD) |
$44,970 |
$49,670 |
$50,320 |
Key features |
Automatic LED headlights |
Power-adjustable steering wheel |
Power open/close rear door |
Power liftgate |
tri-zone automatic climate control |
Transmission paddle shifters |
|
Dual-zone automatic climate control |
Rear privacy glass |
Adaptive suspension dampers |
|
Simulated leather upholstery |
LED fog lights and running lights |
Heated and ventilated sport seats |
|
Smartphone-integrated navigation system |
Automatic LED headlights and high beams |
||
Keyless ignition and entry |
The RX 350 F Sport is the top trim of the model. Various features and packages come equipped with it. Talking about a few, it comes with an F Sport package that has leather upholstery along with heated and ventilated front seats. Regarding the handling, a sport-tuned suspension system is also present to take care of.
We Recommend
We recommend going with the RX 350L trim as this is the intermediate model as it has a tasteful combination of the quirks and features available on both the base and the top-end trim. From power-adjustable steering to tri-zone control, comfort and ease are part of the trim, also it is the best value-for-money proposition in the RX 350 lineup.
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The Lexus RX 350 comes powered by a 3.5L V6 DOHC 24V VVT engine and it is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Lexus SUV has decent performance figures with the power of 295 hp and torque of 267 lb.-ft. The SUV is available in FWD layout as standard but it also offers AWD as an option for an added price. The motor is superbly refined and the gearshifts are smooth and seamless. You might not feel a sudden surge of power the moment you press the gas pedal but the SUV picks up the pace in a linear manner and even under full load, the motor doesn't show any signs of being out of breath.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$43,270 |
$40,595 |
$57,200 |
$39,035 |
Engine |
3.5 Liter V6 |
3.6 Liter V6 |
3.0 Liter Inline 6 |
3.7 Liter V6 |
Transmission |
8-Speed Automatic |
8-Speed Automatic |
8-Speed Automatic |
6-Speed Automatic |
Drivetrain |
Front-Wheel Drive |
Front-Wheel Drive |
Rear Wheel Drive |
Front-Wheel Drive |
Power |
295 hp |
310 hp |
302 hp |
303 hp |
Torque |
267 lb.-ft. |
271 lb.-ft. |
295 lb-ft |
378 lb-ft |
The Cadillac XT5 gets a 3.6L V6 engine and is the most powerful one among the rivals by generating about 310hp, but the torque figure is not satisfactory though. The Lincoln MKX gets a 3.7 L engine and produces 303hp of power and an impressive torque of 378 lb.-ft. Third in the power lineup is the German BMW X5, which offers 303hp with its 3.0L Inline-6 engine.
The 2018 Lexus RX 350 takes 6.8 seconds to cross the 0-60 mph mark, which is on the lower side considering its rivals. It takes 15.1 seconds to cover the quarter-mile stretch clocking at 92.7mph. The RX 350 isn't the fastest among its rivals but is surely the cleanest among its rivals as its emission figures are just 7.7 tons/yr. of CO2 emission.
Models |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
0-60 MPH |
6.8 sec |
6.6 sec |
6.1 sec |
6.3 sec |
Quarter mile |
15.1 sec |
15.1 sec |
14.2 sec |
14.7 sec |
Top Speed |
124 mph |
155 mph |
153 mph |
153 mph |
The X5 with its 3.0L engine marks the fastest 0 to 60 time at 6.1 secs and clocks a quarter-mile time of 14.2 secs, which is again the quickest amongst all, clocking a speed of 95.3 mph. Trailing behind the X5 in the 0-60mph timings is the 2018 Lincoln MKX with 6.3 secs.
Lexus vehicles are quite good at offering a plush ride quality and the 2018 RX 350 is surely not an exception. The transmission system is smooth and is responsible for making jerk-free shifting of gears and timely shifts. Being connected to the road the suspension system absorbs most of the uneven path and road bumps and offers a pleasing and gentle ride. In the case of cornering, the rivals are more confident and agile while the RX 350 leans noticeably.
The SUV gets 13.3 In. discs in the front and 12.9 In. discs at the rear with a curb weight of 4,222lbs, which helps it achieve a stopping distance of 123ft from 60to0 mph. The 2018 Lincoln gets the best stopping distance of 119 ft.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brake Front(in) |
13.3 |
13.6 |
13.7 |
12.8 |
Brake Rear(in) |
12.9 |
12.4 |
12.6 |
13.0 |
Curb weight(lbs.) |
4222 |
3985 |
4625 |
4168 |
60-0 MPH (ft.) |
123 |
128 |
129 |
119 |
Surprisingly though, the BMW X5 covers the longest distance before coming to a halt while the Cadillac XT5 follows closely.
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Even if the Lexus RX 350 doesn't get better performance figures, nor better acceleration or better brakes, it excels in the fuel economy aspect. The SUV returns a fuel economy of 20mpg in the city, which increases to about 27 while on the highway, and the combined mpg obtained is 23.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPG (city) |
20 |
19 |
18 |
17 |
MPG (highway) |
27 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
MPG (combined) |
23 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
Tank Capacity |
19.2 gal |
19.4 gal |
22.4 gal |
18.0 gal |
Range(City/Highway/Combined) |
384/518/442 |
369/504/427 |
403/560/470 |
306/440/360 |
With a tank capacity of 19.2 gallons, the Lexus RX 350 can run for 518 miles on the highway before visiting the gas station. The next in line with the impressive economy is the Cadillac XT5 and a marginally higher fuel tank capacity of 19.4 gallons. The BMW X5 is somehow average in fuel economy and comfortably sits between the Cadillac XT5 and the Lincoln MKX with the highest fuel tank volume in the competition segment.
Practicality remains one of the biggest advantages behind SUVs taking over sedans as the most popular segment in the market, and it can be authenticated by measuring the better seating space provided by the SUVs in the segment. The RX 350 gets a passenger volume of 121.36 ft.-cube, which is the best in its class. The seats are spacious and offer good support. The high ride height offers excellent outward visibility.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) Â (In.) |
39.4/57.8/44.1 |
38.4/58.3/41.2 |
40.5/61.5/40.4 |
39.9/58.9/42.8 |
Rear (Head/Shoulder/Leg) Â (In.) |
39.1/57.6/38 |
36.0/56.2/39.5 |
38.8/60/36.6 |
39.2/59/39.6 |
Also, since this is a Lexus vehicle, the build quality, fit, and finish are one of the best in the industry. The material quality is equally good with plenty of soft surfaces. However, the base trim only gets suede leather and you have to upgrade for the real leather seats. When compared to the rivals, the seating space of all the SUVs is adequate for a comfortable journey. The BMW X5 has the best interior build quality courtesy of the German engineering brilliance. The Lincoln MKX has a tasteful interior too but misses out on some areas when compared to the RX 350 or the X5.
The SUV does not impress with the available cargo space either. With all seats up, the trunk capacity is just 18.4 cubic feet. That's the lowest among the vehicles compared here. On folding the rear seat, boot space does increase to about 56.3 ft.-cube. The Lincoln gets the best boot space behind its rear seat of 37.2 ft.-cube.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cargo Capacity |
18.4 cu-ft |
30.0 cu-ft |
N/A |
37.2 cu-ft |
The SUV's bold styling does get compromised with its reduced cargo capacity. It is not easy to fit bulky items. And the rear seats do not completely fold flat. The Lexus RX 350 is totally a miser in offering a cargo space, and from the figures, it can be said it is the car with the lowest cargo space on offer.
The Lexus RX350 introduces an 8-inch touchscreen. It has an intuitive system with control knob buttons for going through the menus. Models that are equipped with the Navigation system come with larger touchscreen units. A mouse-like remote touch controller is present which is difficult to use especially while driving. It is quite a disappointment as the Lexus lacks smartphone integration features like the Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Some of the infotainment features are:
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The 2018 Lexus RX 350 has a length of 192.5 inches, a width of 74.6 inches, and a height of 67.7 inches, so it's not the most maneuverable vehicle around the urban spaces, but it's not intimidatingly big either. The ground clearance of 8.2 inches ensures rough roads can be tackled effortlessly.
Model |
Lexus RX 350 |
Cadillac XT5 (Standard) |
BMW X5 (sDrive 35i) |
Lincoln MKX (Premiere) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Curb weight(lbs.) |
4222 |
3985 |
4625 |
4168 |
Length(in) |
192.5 |
189.5 |
193.2 |
190.0 |
Width(in) |
74.6 |
75.0 |
76.3 |
76.1 |
Height(in) |
67.7 |
66.0 |
69.4 |
66.2 |
Ground clearance(in) |
8.2 |
7.8 |
8.3 |
7.8 |
Wheelbase(in) |
109.8 |
112.5 |
115.5 |
112.2 |
The RX 350 gets a wheelbase of 109.8 inches, which is enough to make the car stable at high speeds. But the Lexus isn't that big as its rival like the BMW X5. When curb weight is compared to the rivals, the BMW X5 comes out as the heaviest of the lot with 4,625 lbs, followed by Lexus’s 4,222 lbs.
The SUV has been tested by safety agencies like NHTSA and IIHS and can be compared to the superior safety aspects of the BMW X5. IIHS has awarded the SUV with the prestigious Top Safety Pick badge, whereas NHTSA has given it an overall rating of 5 stars. Along with all this, Lexus has many safety bits on offer as the new addition of Lexus Enform safety connect. The RX boasts a full suite of 10-airbags along with some smarter safety bits like the Blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic braking, vehicle proximity notification, and Smart stop technology. Few key features include-
The Cadillac XT5 is cheaper than the Lexus at around $3,000. The Cadillac gets a bigger engine than the Lexus. Also, it's the most powerful car amongst all its rivals. But the Cadillac is a smaller car than the Lexus. Also, its interior is not as spacious as the Lexus. So, if performance isn't your parameter, then with just over $3,000 extra, the Lexus is the best buy.
The BMW X5 starts at $57,200, which is around $14,000 more than what the Lexus costs. But for those $14,000 you spend, you get a much bigger car than the Lexus, the fastest car amongst all the rivals and a car with spacious interiors. But if you are on a tight budget, Lexus has the right cards for you. Plus, Lexus's reliability and after-sales are unquestionable.
The Lincoln MKX is around $4,000 cheaper than the Lexus, but it gets a bigger 3.7L engine. The Lincoln gets the best torque amongst all its rivals. Also, in terms of interiors, Lincoln gets a more spacious interior than the Lexus. So, if budget is a concern, Lincoln is a good luxury SUV.
The 2018 Lexus RX 350 starting at just $43,200 isn't as big or as spacious as the BMW X5. The Lexus SUV gets the best fuel economy and is the cleanest in terms of emission figures. It isn't as fast as the BMW or as powerful as the Cadillac XT5. But what Lexus has to offer is the combination of all without excelling in either of them. Its spacious and luxurious inside, is feature-loaded, has good performance, delivers excellent fuel economy, and the peace of mind that comes associated with a Lexus vehicle that is essentially a Toyota underneath.