2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2023 Lexus RX

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasted a modernist and reductive design that emphasized clean, simple lines, making it less appealing to those who preferred flashy and ostentatious luxury SUVs. Choices for factory-made flashy finishes were minimal, with Firenze Red paint and 23-inch diamond-turned wheels being some of the rare options to enhance the vehicle’s appearance. Notably, a performance-tuned SVR with more vivid paint colors and a bolder exterior was expected in the future.

The test vehicle came in a subdued Eiger Gray with silver 23-inch wheels and a subtle Black Exterior Pack, showcasing understated yet exquisite luxury. Inside, it was adorned with a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, offering a remarkable sense of premium quality. This elegance was further accentuated by premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and cutting-edge surface LED taillights. The vehicle also exhibited excellent aerodynamics with a coefficient of drag at 0.29. Ultrafabrics and Windsor leather upholstery contributed to a luxurious, high-tech interior ambiance.

In contrast, the 2023 Lexus RX presented a design that was shorter in height, broader in width, and longer in wheelbase, maintaining the same length as its predecessor. It had more cargo space compared to the 2022 model but still trailed behind its rivals. The reduction in rear overhang and softer design lines made it appear smaller in photos and in person. The down-sloping black trim on the rear pillar created a floating roof effect but also gave a stubby look.

The front of the Lexus RX featured a spindle-style grille with a modern mesh texture, complemented by a dramatically elevated hood that swept into the windshield pillars. It echoed the body sides of the Lexus IS sedan and had a light-blade taillight design, block Lexus name lettering, and a sporty bumper with faux air vents. Though it looked fresh and conservative, it still retained the identifiable aesthetics of a Lexus RX without reading the badges. Inside, it had a modern interior with fewer buttons, digital instrumentation, and a touchscreen display of either 9.8 or 14 inches. The new RX shared an overall design with the smaller NX but retained unique features, making it compelling for those willing to spend extra on a midsize model.

Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport aimed to marry refinement and comfort with driver-focused engagement. It was equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine available in SE P360 and SE Dynamic P400 models. The SE Dynamic model offered more power, with 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, compared to the 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of the SE P360. Additionally, the Autobiography P440e boasted a plug-in hybrid drivetrain delivering 434 hp and 406 lb-ft, with an estimated 51 miles of electric-only driving range.

Early production also included a 523 hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 in the P530 First Edition and Deer Valley Edition models; however, this option was reportedly unavailable later in 2023. An electric variant was anticipated in 2024 as part of Land Rover's transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Driving the 395-hp model felt powerful, able to sprint to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, with a towing capacity of up to 7,716 pounds. Despite its size and power, it managed respectable fuel efficiency, averaging 22.3 mpg on test routes and 25.1 mpg on longer highway drives. The new platform improved torsional stiffness by 35%, aided by an adaptive damping air suspension system. Dynamic driving mode, roll stability control, and torque vectoring contributed to its admirable city and highway performance. Nevertheless, compared to German rivals, it did not perform as dynamically on winding roads and exhibited some off-pavement turmoils under certain driving conditions.

Off-road, the Range Rover Sport shone, outperforming competitors like the Audi SQ7, BMW X5 M60i, or Mercedes-AMG GLE 53. It boasted 11.1 inches of ground clearance, impressive approach, breakover, and departure angles, and cutting-edge off-road technology like Terrain Response and All Terrain Progress Control (APC). It felt more capable and comfortable in rugged terrains, maintaining traction and stability even on challenging surfaces.

The Lexus RX 350, showcased during a media event, was tested in both AWD Luxury and F Sport Handling trims. Both versions employed a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 275 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Although the turbo-four had less horsepower than the previous V6, its increased torque and high-altitude performance improvement made it a valuable replacement, despite less refinement in its sound.

The RX 350 Luxury offered a smooth ride across city, highway, and winding roads but sometimes exhibited torque steer and excessive body motion on undulating pavement. The RX 350 F Sport Handling trim, with its adaptive damping suspension and upgraded brakes, provided a more secure and composed ride, especially in Sport mode. Still, turning driving modes via the interface proved cumbersome.

Lexus claimed the RX 350 AWD could accelerate to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, feeling quicker than the numbers suggested. Fuel economy expectations were 25 mpg for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD models, with actual results slightly lower at 22.5 mpg and 21.8 mpg, respectively.

The redesigned Range Rover Sport preserved the classic Range Rover Command Driving Position, presenting a tall, airy feel with a low dashboard, upright windshield angle, and slim roof pillars. Entry and exit were aided by the programmable kneeling air suspension. The vehicle’s front seats were 20-way power-adjustable with buttery smooth Windsor leather, offering heating, ventilation, and available massage functions, as well as soft-closing doors and a heated steering wheel.

In contrast, the rear seats were less inviting, with improved but still tight legroom, hard front seatback panels, and narrow door openings. The deep and supportive bucketed seatbacks were somewhat reclined, forcing a slouched posture. Rear occupants had manual sunshades, air conditioning vents, and power ports, with available heated seats.

Cargo space in the Range Rover Sport measured 31.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the seats folded. A power liftgate, controls to adjust the air suspension, and a compact spare tire under the cargo floor enhanced practicality, albeit with some compromises in usable storage.

The cabin of the Lexus RX varied by trim. The RX 350 Luxury featured semi-aniline leather, ten-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, a heated wood-and-leather steering wheel, and sophisticated Peppercorn interior color with suede and black open-pore wood trim.

The RX 350 F Sport Handling trim included Black NuLuxe simulated leather, Dark Graphite trim, and available Rioja Red upholstery, with eight-way power-adjustable front sport seats. Both trims offered comfort, but the F Sport’s bolstered seats might feel too tight for some. The spacious and supportive rear seats were mounted higher due to the hybrid system, providing excellent leg and foot space but potentially tight headroom for taller passengers.

Lexus improved the RX’s cargo capacity to 29.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, which folded to yield 46.2 cubic feet. While an improvement, it was still less than many competitors.

The Range Rover Sport came equipped with a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring haptic feedback, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and connected services. Wi-Fi access required an additional data plan.

While the screens were intuitive, Land Rover’s Pivi Pro system posed some challenges, with frequent confusion and frustration in operation. For instance, disabling the automatic driver exit feature wasn’t straightforward through the system’s menu. Attempts to use the native digital assistant for navigation were unsuccessful, with repeated failures to find locations like Starbucks or Chipotle accurately.

The Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers and 1,430 watts, coupled with Active Noise Cancellation, offered impressive sound quality. A wireless charging pad was provided but awkwardly placed under the infotainment screen.

The Lexus RX benefitted from the Lexus Interface system, with either a 9.8-inch or a 14-inch touchscreen. It came with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and various connected services. The Intelligent Assistant responded well to most commands, although it occasionally misinterpreted requests, such as finding the nearest Chipotle or hospital.

User profiles in the Lexus Interface saved driver-specific settings and preferences, streamable music apps, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system. The interface had a learning curve but proved to be a significant improvement over Lexus’s previous systems, with the downside being the inability to view multiple data panels simultaneously.

Standard digital instrumentation, Digital Latch door handles, a digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology contributed to the high-tech feel of the RX. An optional color head-up display (HUD) with unmarked dual-function steering wheel controls added to the modern technology suite, although visibility issues arose in certain lighting conditions.

The Range Rover Sport included a suite of advanced driving assistance systems, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, parking sensors, a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View, and Wade Sensing for off-road adventures.

While the adaptive cruise control was functional, it was slow to respond when traffic conditions changed. The steering assist technology also left much to be desired, especially on freeway curves with inconsistent lane markings, making it feel unreliable.

The Lexus RX came standard with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring motorcycle detection, evasive steering assistance, intersection turn assistance with front cross-traffic alert, and curve speed-reduction function for adaptive cruise control.

Proactive Driving Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, and Advanced Park Assist were new semi-autonomous driving technologies introduced. Proactive Driving Assist modulated the brakes to maintain a safe following distance but might not be favored by all drivers. Traffic Jam Assist allowed for hands-free low-speed driving in traffic, monitored by a driver alertness system. Advanced Park Assist took over parking maneuvers but at a slow pace, unsuitable for busy areas.

Despite being generally effective, the Lexus RX safety systems had some flaws. The adaptive cruise controls were unmarked in models with a HUD, making them difficult to use with polarized sunglasses. The front cross-traffic warnings were audible only in the same scenario. Curve-speed reduction technology didn’t predict curves well, braking after entering rather than beforehand. Blocking the driver monitoring system also resulted in unwelcome alerts.