A Look at the Most Popular 2023 Lexus RX

The Lexus RX has been America’s best-selling luxury vehicle for over a decade. It offers a brilliant balance of excellent build quality, strong resale value, and a ride so supple it’s like sitting on a cloud, not in a traffic jam.

The RX is all-new for 2023.

Lexus builds the RX in an amazing 10 trim levels with three powertrain choices and a fourth (a plug-in hybrid model) on the way later this year. Learn more about the Lexus RX hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

But the best-seller of the bunch is also the cheapest. Starting at $48,550, the Lexus RX 350 is slightly less expensive than the average price Americans paid for a new car last month — an astonishing fact about a luxury vehicle.

Let’s see what the 2023 Lexus RX 350 has to offer.

2023 Lexus RX 350 ($48,550)

• 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 275 horsepower
• 8-speed sequential shift automatic transmission with paddle shifters
• Front-wheel drive
• SmartAccess with push-button start
• NuLuxe synthetic leather upholstery
• Leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob
• Heated front seats
• 8-way power adjustable driver’s and front passenger’s seat
• 40/20/40-split folding and reclining rear seats
• Bi-LED headlamps and daytime running lights
• Heated outside mirrors with auto tilt-down in reverse
• Power rear liftgate
• 9.8-inch multimedia touchscreen display with cloud navigation
• “Hey, Lexus” voice command capability
• Wi-Fi connect hot spot (requires a subscription after the trial period)
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 12-speaker premium sound system
• Lexus Safety System 3.0 with dynamic-radar cruise control, lane-departure alert and steering assist, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and intersection support
• A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert

It’s an extensive list for a base model and explains why more buyers choose the 350 than any other trim level. The RX 350 carries a lower price tag than a comparable BMW X5 or Acura MDX but offers a long list of standard equipment even in its entry-level model.

What else is there to like about the 2023 Lexus RX 350? Let’s explore some of our favorite features.

Attractive and Functional Cabin

This most recent redesign made the Lexus RX a better-looking vehicle outside but did wonders inside.

Most luxury automakers have gone to synthetic leather in 2023. Some still feel plasticky and less supple than the real thing. But Lexus uses NuLuxe, a material we’ve found as soft as leather. It wears well over time.

Designers put a lot of thought into the ergonomics of the RX. The seats are all-day-comfortable, and the things you touch often — cupholders, phone cubby, and so on — are well-placed. The steering wheel controls take a day or two to master, but between those and the “hey, Lexus” voice command system, you can do almost anything without taking your hands off the wheel.

Express Yourself With Gorgeous Colors and Textures

A frustrating trend in 2023 is most automakers are getting ever more conservative with color, inside and out. A recent study found 81% of new cars last year were black, white, or gray.

But Lexus offers the RX in gorgeous, gem-like shades. The RX 350 may be the base model, but you can get it in the signature Nori Green Pearl shade Lexus seems to use for most publicity photographs (it’s the right call). Inside, options include creamy Macadamia upholstery or a black that doesn’t shine too much. Black Cascade is the only trim option at this price point. Lexus offers more exciting choices for other trim levels, but they all involve a premium.

10 Years of Safety Connect and Service Connect

The dreaded “trial subscription” words appear in the RX brochure, but they’re misleading. You get a decadelong trial subscription to Lexus Safety Connect, which sends assistance directly to your GPS location in case of an accident. Lexus Service Connect, which lets you track service needs and see vehicle health reports, is similarly offered for a 10-year “trial.”

Remote Control With Your Phone

Through the Lexus Enform Remote app, you can start the RX 350 outside with your phone to warm the cabin while you remain inside. You can also remotely check the fuel level and service needs and schedule service appointments. Have a teen driver? You can even set limits on speed, program in curfews, and track the car from your phone.

A Full Suite of Safety Supports

Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 is standard. It includes a full suite of modern safety aids that may surprise you if you haven’t driven a new luxury vehicle in a few years.

All-speed dynamic-radar cruise control with curve-speed management can keep you at a safe distance from traffic on the highway. Lane-departure alert and steering assist help you stay centered in your lane. A pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and intersection support can help you brake or steer to avoid an accident, even while turning. Road Sign Assist alerts you to signs you might have missed and projects speed limits on the driver’s display.

More Lexus RX

Read our breakdown of all the Lexus RX trims, or See Lexus RX 350 models for sale near you.