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• Auto123 reviews the 2023 Lexus RX500h, a new variant in the lineup and the most powerful RX ever.
Redesigning a huge-selling model is not a task to be taken lightly; you need to modernize but also keep fans happy. Those folks may have liked a lot of aspects of the old model and don’t want them changed too drastically.
Lexus had to be careful when came time to redesign the very popular RX, thus. All told, they’ve done fine work to keep loyalists happy, but also to attract buyers new to the brand.
Chief among improvements are some key style tweaks, as well as the addition of the Direct4 hybrid powertrain. That is Lexus’ take on the Toyota Hybrid MAX powertrain that has put in the work in popular Toyota models such as the Tundra pickup.
Exterior of the 2023 Lexus RX500h – 7.5/10
Popular as the RX was, I’m unsure styling was the main source of that popularity. It’s always been a little appliance-like, somewhat bulbous. Tweaks in recent years have introduced stuff like a blacked-out spindle grille and bright colours, but the bones were still the bones.
Things are much better for this iteration. First of all, Lexus has moved the A pillars back so the hood appears longer, making the car look more squat and athletic. Add the great black wheels and wing mirrors on my tester – plus contrasting silver paint – and you have a look that’s more like the old Infiniti FX/QX70, that is to say an SUV that looks more like a tall wagon.
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One thing I’m less sure about – and it’s kind of a big thing – is the RX’s grille, especially in F Sport version as seen here. It’s frameless and the way it stretches all the way to the tarmac below is a little gruff. There’s a thin splitter at the base, but it doesn’t really do all that much to break things up.
There are less extreme-looking RX models in the range, but if you want the 500h, the F Sport package that brings the grille is standard.
Interior of the 2023 Lexus RX500h – 8/10
Inside, we find a standard 7-inch digital gauge cluster and all-new Lexus Interface multimedia with standard 9.8-inch display or optional 14-inch display, the latter truly an epic item to encounter. It’s sharp, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, the graphics are modern and the interface is more streamlined than previous. It’s a fully touch-operated or voice-activated interface, meaning the previous-gen car’s frustrating touchpad-activated system is a thing of the past.
As far as the “Hey, Lexus” voice activation system story goes, the Lexus folks at the launch relayed a story where they’d asked for a document listing all the commands you could do, to be told that the document would stretch to almost 50 pages. Basically, there’s a lot it can do, from finding the nearest Arby’s, to finding the nearest gas station and so on.
One thing I couldn’t get it to do, however, was change the drive modes. Which I thought would be nice because the only way I was able to do so was through navigating menus on the display; there are no hard buttons or wheels to do so and the drive mode stalks found on some other Lexus products aren’t here, either. As awkward as those were, I did like having traditional controls to do my bidding. At least, there are only four drive modes to choose from – Normal, Sport, Eco and Custom – so it wasn’t something I spent too much time playing with.
Comfort-wise, the longer wheelbase and wider rear track have added more rear seat and cargo room, but front seat space rains largely unchanged, except for one crucial feature: the distance from the leading edge of the dash to the windshield is now shortened, meaning a better view out and while driving. It creates a feeling of being more “over” the front wheels and having a more predictable front end as a result.
The adjustment has also moved the infotainment display closer to the driver, reducing the long reach formerly required.
Other than that, the front seat remains as couch-like as you expect from a Lexus, and while the cushioning is paramount, there could be just a little more support there, especially on the 500h, as a little more side bolstering would lead to a more athletic feel.
Which does point to the fact that most powerful trim or no, this isn’t really supposed to be a performance SUV.
Driving the 2023 Lexus RX500h – 8.5/10
Power for the turbo-hybrid 500h is rated at 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, but more than that it also gets a rear motor generator. As a result the RX500h is able to shuffle power around not just side-to-side, but front-to-back as well to improve balance under braking and during acceleration. It’s called Direct4 AWD, and it’s how Lexus is combating the war on inertia.
Indeed, that it does with aplomb. Thanks to that Direct4 set-up and to the traditional 6-speed auto transmission (the other models get an eCVT), power delivery from stop is brisk. Not punch-to-the-chest ferocious, but there’s more here than what was offered by the previous 450h, that’s for sure. It never left me wanting when it came to high-speed manoeuvres. Also, switching to manual mode and using the wheel-mounted paddles was a surprising joy to do.
Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t have quite the same effect. Even in Sport mode – which does, allegedly, firm up the steering – I never quite got a great idea of what was going on beneath the front wheels, and the resistance was still too light for my liking.
However, once I learned to trust it, I didn’t have to think about the feel, because with that longer wheelbase and lower front overhang, turn in is good and since you no longer have that massive span of dash ahead of you, it feels more direct in general.
The rear-wheel steering also comes into play, noticeably reducing the turning radius at low speeds and increasing stability at high speeds.
I repeat, the 500h is not a performance model and much of that chassis tweaking – the four-wheel steering, adaptive dampers, Direct 4 tech -- has to do with improving occupant comfort. Even as speeds get more unwieldly, the RX500h remains an incredibly comfortable vehicle that’s low on body movement, low on noise and high on solidity. The body is both lighter and stiffer than previous thanks to the use of more high tensile steel, laser screw welding, more spot welding and better adhesive. The result is an SUV that is tight as a drum and feels very high-quality.
A few of your questions about the 2023 Lexus RX500h
Can I tow with my RX500h?
Even with the added weight of the hybrid powertrain, the RX500h can still tow up to 1,585 kilograms, enough for a couple of Sea Doos or small camper trailer.
Is the RX500h the only hybrid RX available?
Yes and no. If you want the Direct4 system and rear axle generator, the 500h is your only choice. Lexus does offer, however, an RX350h hybrid that offers a more traditional hybrid system.
Are there any plans to bring the 450h+ plug-in hybrid to Canada?
The Canadian Lexus RX lineup consists of the RX350, the RX350h and the RX500h. There are no plans for the 450h+ to be sold in Canada at this juncture.
The final word
The new RX 500h with its fancy-pants tech does cost in the neighbourhood of $85,000, which could be a tough pill to swallow for buyers in the compact/mid-size luxury crossover segment (Lexus lists everything from the most-definitely compact Audi Q5 to the almost full-size BMW X5 as competition for the RX).
The other challenge is that the RZ full-electric crossover exists, and it starts at 15 grand less than does the RX 500h, and about the same as the 500h for the loaded Executive model. It makes less power, of course, but the draw of a full EV is becoming stronger and stronger these days.
That said, folks are still buying far more gas-powered SUVs and crossovers these days and there’s still plenty of life left in that platform. And for its part, the RX500h is a fantastic new take on a popular model that ticks many of the boxes – styling, performance, infotainment – that needed to be taken care of for this new generation.
Strong points
- Cabin moved rearwards for sleeker look
- Premium Iridium silver paint + dark wheels
- More interior space than before
- Latest Lexus infotainment works well
- Great power delivery
- Rear-wheel steering
Weak points
- Grille style not for everybody
- Red seats are a bit extreme
- Too many steps on screen to reach some commands
- Not much steering feel
Competitors of the 2023 Lexus RX500h
- Acura MDX
- Audi Q5
- BMW X5
- Cadillac XT5
- Infiniti QX50
- Jaguar F-Pace
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
- Volvo XC90