2025 Lexus RX Hybrid vs 2026 Dodge Durango

In 2024, the Lexus RX was the best-selling traditional luxury model in America. But is the midsize, two-row SUV’s popularity justifiable? Or does the RX sell on the strength of the Lexus brand and the model’s legendary reputation for reliability, a plush ride, and a quiet interior? The changes to the 2025 RX don’t help answer that question, unless you're looking for sportier choices, such as the new Black Line Special Edition shown here.

Verdict: Though it lacks substantial competition in the luxury hybrid SUV segment, the 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid is worthy of consideration. With hybrid, performance hybrid, and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain choices, as well as a range of trim levels that cater to a variety of customer requirements, it checks a lot of boxes.

The oldest new vehicle on sale in 2026 is the Dodge Durango. While a 15-year age statement is a positive attribute for Scotch whisky, on a car it is a repellant. Save for minor alterations, the Durango has been sold exactly as it is since 2010, and its Mercedes ML-Class chassis is older still. Yet this three-row SUV has all the power, most of the technology, and a lot of the practicality that buyers expect in a modern midsize SUV for not a lot of money.

Verdict: For buyers who like V8s and analog controls, the Durango is the next and only stop.