2016 Lexus RX Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Write a reviewPros
Great ride quality
Great safety ratings
Excellent value for money
Cons
Sluggish performance
Potentially polarizing design
The grille looks like it may inhale your body and grind it into little pieces, but that's all for show. The new fourth-generation 2016 Lexus RX would rather comfort you in every possible manner.
The Lexus RX is not a BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, or even a Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class. While the F-Sport model wears larger 20-inch wheels and rides on a firmer, adaptive suspension, the RX doesn’t drive as aggressively as it looks. A 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque comes standard in front-wheel drive (FWD) with an 8-speed automatic formerly reserved for the F-Sport. All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional and standard on the F-Sport. The hybrid RX 450h pairs an Atkinson-cycle version of the same V6 (optimized for fuel economy) with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and two electric motors for a total of 308 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. A third electric motor powers the rear axle on AWD models.
Performance is adequate. The brakes are the most impressive, with gentle tip-in and a reassuring bite. Otherwise, the RX is basically driving asleep. Mash the gas while in motion, and the transmission hesitates for a second or two before surging and groaning to create momentum. Off idle, the throttle is a little jumpy, then quickly settles down. The steering is languid and numb to the road surfaces, and the suspension doesn’t try to hide roll. In many aspects, the RX feels like a Mercedes E-Class, only less planted due to its higher center of gravity and extra weight (about 4,517 pounds, according to Car and Driver). Selecting the transmission’s Sport mode and moving the console-mounted dial to Sport just makes things noisier, and not much more.
But if you take it at two-thirds pace, the RX settles into its natural groove of smooth power, undetectable gear shifts, a pillow-soft ride (helped by thick-sidewall 18-inch tires), and a hermetically sealed interior so obsessed with quietness that even the double-paned front windows slow down before they seal shut. Many SUVs strike a better balance between power and comfort, but other than a Range Rover, none are as tranquil. No matter how wild it appears, the RX is still a luxury car in the most traditional sense. The EPA rates the RX 350 AWD at 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway. We averaged about 22 mpg over 400 miles. As a plus, the RX 350 takes regular 87-octane gasoline.
As a luxury car, the RX is kingly. The radio knobs are real metal, the two-tone steering wheel is a tactile delight, and the curved piece of wood trim adorning the center stack takes Japanese craftsmen 38 days to piece together, or so Lexus claims. It’s a feast for the eyes and fingers, from the soft felt on the headliner to the perfect padding in each of the four outboard seats. You can drive for hours without exhaustion.
Try to operate the standard 8-inch infotainment display (or the optional 12.3-inch display in our car) without exasperation. A fiddly square controller wobbles the on-screen pointer in circles, and it’s tough to place the pointer on the desired selection even after adjusting the sensitivity. The touchpad in the Audi Q7 (and in other new Lexus models, like the RC coupe) is far easier and more intuitive. A few hard buttons for the Map, Zoom, Main Menu, and Previous Menu help matters, but the controller—not the interface itself, which handily splits the last third of the screen to show alternate information—needs a complete rethink. All the other physical controls are easy to use and find, and the separate display on the instrument cluster can show navigation, audio, and lots of useful trip data.
The new RX is 4.7 inches longer than the previous car with a 1.9-inch longer wheelbase. That allows for generous legroom in all seating positions. While there’s no third row, the second row reclines and can be fitted with power-folding (and heated) benches. Side and front visibility are good, though rear visibility suffers from the tiny window cutout between the C and D pillars. A full-size spare tire is onboard.
There were no fewer than 9 buttons and stalks in our RX 350 that said “Auto.” That should give you an idea of how little work the driver has to do (there are automatic controls for the power-folding mirrors, high beams, headlights, wipers, climate control, air recirculation, parking brake, and the heated and cooled front seats). LED headlights for both low and high beams are standard, and they cast such an incredibly white, clear path that some drivers flashed us the brights.
Once you learn to make fewer mistakes with the infotainment controller, you’ll find the technology behind it quite useful. The navigation system drops breadcrumbs along your route, dotting the map so you can see where you’ve traveled all week. Directions by voice are relatively painless, since the system accepts single-string inputs for addresses. The usual live traffic and weather are available, although additional apps (such as Yelp and OpenTable) require a Lexus-specific app installed on a paired smartphone. It’s not worth the effort. We’d also have preferred the 15-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, but the no-name 9-speaker unit in our car was quite sufficient and included HD Radio, Bluetooth streaming, and two USB ports. One year of telematics, which includes stolen-vehicle alerts, remote unlocking, and vehicle health reports that send maintenance alerts to your email, are included for 1 year.
The touch-free power liftgate, which lets you hold your palm over the L badge like Darth Vader to pop the door, is a $200 gimmick. So is the $150 heated steering wheel, which heats the rim at only the 9 and 3 positions. But for just $635, you can get a suite of driver-assist features that would ordinarily cost a couple thousand in most luxury cars. Adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist works wonders in slow-moving traffic, although at higher speeds the RX bounces between lane markers as the cameras and software struggle to keep it on auto-pilot (it will disengage within seconds if you let go of the steering wheel). Still, if you’re into emerging tech, check the box for Lexus Safety System +.
User reviews for 2016 Lexus RX
Write a review2016 Lexus RX Pricing
Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Rear side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Voice recognition audio system · USB auxiliary audio input · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 9
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 12.9 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.3 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with storage · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: front · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power steering wheel · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): two 12V front · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: rear · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: in-floor · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 3.33
Engine
Battery: maintenance-free
Exterior Features
Door handle color: body-color · Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome surround · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: power operated · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment: Enform · Infotainment screen size: 8 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: low oil pressure
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Front fog lights: LED · Headlights: Auto on/off · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: integrated turn signals
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Rear Seats
Type: 40-20-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: front · Impact sensor: door unlock · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front and rear · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front and rear · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: leatherette
Security
Power door locks: anti-lockout
Spare Tire
Mount Location: inside · Size: temporary
Spare Wheel
Rim Type: steel
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.8 · Turns lock-to-lock: 2.7
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Telematics
Driver assistance app: roadside assistance · Electronic messaging assistance: with read function · Phone: voice activated · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 7
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic · Liftgate window: fixed · Power windows: with safety reverse · Rear wiper: with washer
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Rear side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Voice recognition audio system · USB auxiliary audio input · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 9
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 12.9 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.3 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with storage · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: rear · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power steering wheel · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): two 12V front · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: phone · Storage: accessory hook · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Drivetrain
4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 3.33
Engine
Battery: maintenance-free
Exterior Features
Door handle color: body-color · Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome surround · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment: Enform · Infotainment screen size: 8 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: low oil pressure
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Front fog lights: LED · Headlights: Auto on/off · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: integrated turn signals
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Rear Seats
Type: 40-20-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: rear · Impact sensor: door unlock · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front and rear · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front and rear · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: leatherette
Security
Power door locks: anti-lockout
Spare Tire
Mount Location: inside · Size: temporary
Spare Wheel
Rim Type: steel
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.8 · Turns lock-to-lock: 2.7
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): front
Telematics
Driver assistance app: roadside assistance · Electronic messaging assistance: with voice recognition · Phone: voice activated · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 7
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic · Liftgate window: fixed · Power windows: with safety reverse · Rear wiper: with washer
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Rear side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Voice recognition audio system · Auxiliary audio input: iPod/iPhone integration · Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · HD radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 9
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 12.9 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.3 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with storage · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Foot pedal trim: aluminum · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: front · Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: rear · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power driver seat · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): two 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: rear · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: front seatback · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Drivetrain
4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 3.33
Engine
Battery: maintenance-free
Exterior Features
Door handle color: body-color · Exhaust: dual exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: black · Mirror color: black · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: power operated · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment: Enform · Infotainment screen size: 8 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: lamp failure
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Front fog lights: LED · Headlights: Auto on/off · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: integrated turn signals
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Rear Seats
Type: 40-20-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: rear · Impact sensor: door unlock · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front and rear · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: sport bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: leather-trimmed
Security
Power door locks: anti-lockout
Spare Tire
Mount Location: inside · Size: temporary
Spare Wheel
Rim Type: steel
Steering
Steering ratio: 14.8 · Turns lock-to-lock: 2.7
Suspension
Driver Adjustable Suspension: ride control · Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear · Suspension control: electronic
Telematics
Driver assistance app: roadside assistance · Electronic messaging assistance: with voice recognition · Phone: voice activated · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 7
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic · Liftgate window: fixed · Power windows: with safety reverse · Rear wiper: with washer
