2026 Lexus RX

The 2026 Lexus RX continues to be one of the top-selling luxury SUVs in the United States for excellent reasons, including its quiet cabin, plush interior, and ample standard equipment. The RX is also affordable to own, having previously earned the Kelley Blue Book Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own award in its class. For luxury and practicality in a relatively affordable package, the RX is a great choice.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating the current generation of midsize luxury SUVs, including the Lexus RX.

The 2026 Lexus RX receives small enhancements for this model year. F Sport Handling and F Sport Performance trim can now be paired with the available Appearance Package. Wireless phone charging is now standard across the lineup. The 2026 RX also sees the introduction of the Premium trim for the RX 450h+ model.

The RX enters the segment at a competitive price point, starting from just $51,175. Higher trims push into the $60K+ range, which is typical for this class. Rivals like the Genesis GV80, Volvo XC90, and Audi Q7 start at around $60,000, while the Acura MDX, Lincoln Nautilus, and Cadillac XT5 start at around the $50,000 mark.

Before buying a new Lexus RX midsize SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values are above the class average. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The RX 350 employs a turbocharged engine generating 275 horsepower, with front-wheel drive (FWD) as standard or all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. We’ve found this version of the RX responsive, efficient, and easy to drive. The cabin remains quiet and composed, even in stop-and-go traffic.

The RX 350h hybrid sacrifices a bit of performance (246 hp maximum output) for significantly better fuel economy. The 366-hp RX 500h, on the other hand, delivers more power and sharper handling thanks to upgrades in the suspension, steering, and all-wheel-drive system.

The 304-hp RX450h+ balances the power and economy mission while adding an impressive all-electric driving range on top. Despite having less horsepower than the RX 500h, and a continuously variable transmission, it’s only about 0.3 of a second slower from standstill to 60 mph, with a time of 6.2 seconds.

Fuel Economy

The RX is more efficient than many of its competitors, returning 25 mpg combined with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD. By comparison, the Genesis GV80 and Audi Q7 average 22 mpg combined, while the Cadillac XT5 nearly matches the RX with 24 mpg combined.

The RX 350h hybrid improves fuel economy to 36 mpg combined with standard AWD. The RX 500h, also AWD, focuses more on performance but still manages 27 mpg combined.

The RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid leads the pack with 83 MPGe and up to 37 miles of electric-only driving when fully charged.

Lexus always delivers on interior luxury. The RX’s 2-row/5-passenger cabin is quiet, well-appointed, and thoughtfully designed. Seats are supportive for long drives, and the layout is intuitive without feeling cluttered.

Rear-seat legroom measures 37.4 inches, about average for the class. Cargo space behind the second row is 29.6 cubic feet, which trails the Genesis GV80 and Lincoln Nautilus by about five cubic feet, but is comparable to the Cadillac XT5. Folding down the rear seats opens up 46.2 cubic feet, still less than the 60 to 85 cubic feet offered by some competitors, and about level with the Lexus NX, a substantially smaller SUV.

The RX’s exterior design is sleek and contemporary. It’s a familiar look and its popularity suggests it continues to resonate with buyers. The F Sport Design package adds visual flair with specific front and rear styling, exclusive wheels, and special trim accents.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Standard across the lineup, wireless smartphone integration keeps things tidy and convenient — no cables required. Wireless charging also becomes standard for 2026, allowing users to ditch the cords entirely.

Traffic Jam Assist
While not fully autonomous, the RX can manage low-speed traffic with automated steering, braking, and acceleration under certain conditions, perfect for stop-and-go driving.

Gorgeous color palette
The RX offers a wide range of exterior colors, including Caviar, Cloudburst Gray, Copper Crest, Grecian Water, Iridium, Incognito, and Ultra White. Interior options include Macadamia, Palomino, Peppercorn, and Rioja Red.

21-speaker audio
The Mark Levinson surround-sound system delivers crisp, immersive sound through 21 speakers.  It’s one of the best in this class.

Phone as a key
The RX can recognize your smartphone and use it as a digital key. You can lock, unlock, and start the vehicle without taking your phone out, and even share access with friends and family.

Automated parallel parking
This system takes the stress out of parallel parking by controlling steering, throttle, and braking using 12 sensors and four cameras, allowing the RX to essentially park itself.

The 2026 RX offers four powertrains. The RX 350 features a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard; all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional.

The RX 350h hybrid pairs an electric motor with a 4-cylinder engine to achieve 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque. That’s less powerful than the RX 350, but more efficient and comes with AWD as standard. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is deployed here.

The RX 500h hybrid ups the ante with 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, plus a 6-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. It’s quicker than the RX 350 and nearly as efficient.

The RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid delivers 304 hp and an EPA-rated 37 miles of electric range.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The Lexus RX comes with a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. A 10-year/150,000-mile warranty covers the hybrid battery, with an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty backing any other hybrid components. All RX models also come with a 1-year/10,000-mile complimentary service plan.

Safety

Although the 2026 model hasn’t been crash tested yet, the functionally identical 2025 Lexus RX received mostly 5-star marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the RX a Top Safety Pick for 2024, but updates to front overlap testing methods saw lower scores for 2025. Contributing to the safety of every Lexus RX is the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0. It bundles features like automatic emergency braking, lane-tracing assistance, road sign recognition, all-speed adaptive cruise control, and more.