2021 Toyota Highlander vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2021 Toyota Highlander was anything but boring. It stood out among midsize SUVs and crossovers with its distinctive design. The front end, while less dramatic than the 2021 Sienna minivan, made a statement with wide headlights, a long hood, and an assertive trapezoidal grille. The side profile featured a character line reminiscent of the Supra sports car, and the taillights borrowed elements from Lexus models. The Highlander managed to look longer and lower than its predecessor without sacrificing size.

The XSE trim level, new for 2021, added a more aggressive front end, 20-inch wheels with black accents, and a unique front fascia. The Limited trim, just below the Platinum level, featured chrome roof rails and accents, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Limited trim shone with near-flawless fit and finish, tan leather seats, dark brown trim, and wood details. The Highlander excelled in comfort and convenience, making it a strong contender for family car shoppers.

The 2022 Lexus RX continued to impress with its modern and sporty design, available in base 350, F Sport, and L trim levels, along with a hybrid RX 450h model. The RX 350 and F Sport offered seating for five, while the L trim provided a three-row, 7-passenger option. The RX's aggressive styling, with razor-sharp character lines and angular features, set it apart from competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The F Sport trim added 20-inch wheels, black-housing outside mirrors, and unique front and rear bumpers, enhancing its sporty appearance.

Inside, the RX maintained its luxury appeal with nearly a dozen color combinations and high-quality materials. The F Sport trim featured model-specific badging, Scored Aluminum trim, and NuLuxe synthetic leather seats in black or dark red. Non-F Sport models offered a mix of NuLuxe or semi-aniline leather seats with various metal and wood trim options. Despite some dated elements in the center stack, the RX's interior provided a high-quality feel with soft-touch surfaces and well-crafted hard plastics.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. While not a performance powerhouse, the Highlander provided smooth and predictable operation, making it a reliable family car. It compared well with competitors like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride in terms of horsepower and torque. The XSE trim added sportier suspension tuning, but the Highlander remained focused on comfort and practicality.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 also came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid RX 450h added two high-torque electric motors for a combined output of 308 horsepower. All RX models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive standard on the RX 350 and all-wheel drive available. The hybrid RX came exclusively with all-wheel drive. Despite its sporty appearance, the RX's performance fell short, with a lackluster engine note and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport trim added performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension, but the driving experience remained underwhelming.

The RX excelled in driving comfort and cabin quietness, absorbing rough patches and providing a serene ride. Fuel efficiency for the RX 350 was estimated at 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, with slight variations for all-wheel drive and three-row models. The RX 450h hybrid offered better fuel efficiency, with 30 mpg combined.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander excelled in interior space and practicality. It featured large shelves ahead of the front seats for storing cell phones and other items, with a pass-through for charging cords. Second-row passengers enjoyed ample legroom, and the seats could be adjusted to maximize space for the middle or rear rows. The third row offered limited space for adults but was suitable for short trips. Cargo space behind the third row was 16 cubic feet, expanding to 48.4 cubic feet with the third row folded and 84.3 cubic feet with both rows down.

The 2022 Lexus RX provided 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume in the standard two-row configuration, comfortably seating four adults. The three-row RX 350L offered a 2/3/2 seating configuration, with an option for second-row captain's chairs. Cargo space in the standard RX was 16.0 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 32.6 cubic feet with the second row folded. The three-row RX 350L had only 7.45 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats upright, increasing to 23.03 cubic feet with the third row down and 58.48 cubic feet with both rows folded. The RX featured thoughtful interior elements like a smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander offered an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen available on the Limited trim and standard on the Platinum trim. Both systems were user-friendly, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The 12.3-inch screen was bright and responsive, but its navigation system struggled with points of interest. The JBL audio system provided good sound quality, but the large screen's limited app display raised questions about its value.

The 2022 Lexus RX featured an 8-inch touchscreen, with a 12.3-inch version available as an option. Despite being moved closer to the driver, the touchscreen's positioning created access issues, with a lip partially blocking icons. The touchpad controller was frustrating to use, and the drive mode selector's placement added to the confusion. However, the RX offered a range of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, and premium audio systems. The Lexus App provided additional personalization and remote features.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+), which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, intersection support, road-sign assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, and automatic high beams. The Highlander received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2022 Lexus RX featured the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, lane-departure warning with steering assist, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, a pre-collision system with cyclist and pedestrian detection, and intelligent high beams. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS when equipped with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the top-tier "plus" designation. The NHTSA awarded the RX four out of five stars overall.