The Lexus RX first came on the scene for the 1999 model year, and it ushered in the dawn of the luxury crossover SUV category, blending car-like handling with SUV-like utility. Currently in its fifth generation, the RX primarily competes in the near-luxury segment against the Acura MDX, the Infiniti QX60, the Lincoln Nautilus, the Volvo XC60, and the Genesis GV70, but you might also see it cross-shopped against the BMW X3, the Audi Q7, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE. The 2026 Lexus RX 350 has six trims: Standard, Premium, Premium+, Luxury, F SPORT Handling, and F SPORT Design.
2026 Lexus RX Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Lexus RX
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Lexus RX
The Lexus RX was all-new for 2023, and it has received only minor updates each year since its redesign. The 2026 RX 350 is no different, and it is essentially a carryover model. Wireless phone charging is now standard across all models. Additionally, the F SPORT Handling trim can now be paired with the available Appearance Package.
Design
When it was redesigned in 2023, the Lexus RX ushered in a new grille design that better weaves the hood into the nose, and it introduced a new “spindle” body design with a low center of gravity and athletic lines. The RX 350 comes standard with 19-inch wheels, and 21-inch wheels are available. The Appearance Package offered for 2026 is only available on the F SPORT Handling model. It includes black exterior accents, 21-inch split-five-spoke wheels with a black finish, and orange brake calipers, while the interior gets black accents and gray stitching throughout.
Powertrain
The 2026 Lexus RX 350 is powered by a 275-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This powertrain is paired with a short-ratio eight-speed Direct Shift-8AT transmission. It is available in both front- and all-wheel drive (FWD and AWD). When equipped with a trailer brake, it can tow up to 3,500 pounds, but without the brake it can only tow 1,000 pounds. FWD models will get an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and 25 combined, and AWD models will get 21 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined.
Interior
The interior of the 2026 Lexus RX has a driver-focused cockpit design, placing all gauges and controls within easy reach and sight of the driver. The RX 350 is a five-passenger vehicle with several thoughtful cargo spaces. There is a front cubby ahead of the gearshift, and the large central console box can be opened from both the driver and passenger side. There is 29.59 cu ft of cargo space behind the rear seats and a total of 46.19 cu ft with all seats folded flat. Power folding 40/20/40 rear seats are available. A power tilt-and-slide moonroof is available on the base trim, and starting at the Premium+ trim, you can opt for a panoramic glass roof.
Technology
The 2026 Lexus RX is packed with so much technology: If you want it, you can probably get it on this vehicle. Standard features include a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 9.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, six USB ports, a 12-speaker Lexus premium sound system, ambient lighting, wireless phone charger, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Available tech features include a head-up display, 14-inch infotainment screen, 360-degree camera views, thematic ambient lighting, a digital camera mirror, 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system, the ability to use your phone as a key, and a power liftgate with kick activation. The RX 350 also offers various connected technologies, including a Wi-Fi hotspot with a 30-day or three-GB trial, Safety Connect with a 10-year trial, Service Connect with a 10-year trial, Remote Connect with a three-year trial, and Drive Connect (including the cloud navigation and digital assistant) with a three-year trial.
Safety
One of the big competitive advantages of the 2026 Lexus RX is all the standard safety equipment it makes standard at every trim level. The RX 350 comes with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which includes automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, left-turn oncoming vehicle detection and braking, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-trace assist, lane-departure alert with steer assist, road-sign assist, and proactive driving assist. Parking sensors, safe-exit assist, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert are also standard. Available safety features include the 360-degree camera views, advanced park assist, and low-speed hands-free highway Traffic-Jam Assist. Though 2026 crash-test ratings aren’t out at the time of this writing, it’s worth noting that the 2025 RX received an overall five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it missed a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) due to a poor rating in the updated moderate overlap front-crash test.
Pricing and Release Date
The 2026 Lexus RX is expected to arrive at dealers by the end of 2025. At the time of this writing, Lexus has priced the base FWD RX 350 Standard at $51,175. If you want AWD, you’ll add $1,600 to the bottom line. The FWD Premium, F-Sport Design, Premium+, and Luxury start at $53,350, $55,680, $56,840, and $61,895, respectively. The AWD-only F SPORT Handling starts at $59,950.
