Lexus RX Hybrid vs Lexus UX Hybrid

Buyers have high expectations of luxury crossovers. They want arresting design, comfortable interiors, the latest technology, and powerful engines. Several automakers employ turbocharged six-cylinder engines to get that power, but Lexus is going a different way with its most potent RX model—the RX 500h F Sport Performance. It still uses a turbocharger, but also employs hybrid technology to boost power and cut acceleration times while improving fuel economy. It’s one of two 2026 Lexus RX Hybrid models, along with the tamer RX 350h.

Verdict: The RX 500h F Sport Performance may be the most powerful RX, but it’s not as powerful or quick as most rivals, and despite the F Sport badge, there isn’t much real “sport” to be had. While it does have good EPA fuel economy ratings, we found them hard to match in the real world.

The glossary of automotive terminology is quite elastic. Words like sedan, coupe, and SUV were once used to describe very specific types of vehicles. But as automotive genres have blended, so have the definitions of these words. It’s how Porsche and Mercedes-Benz can call four-door SUVs with limited cargo space “coupes.” And it’s how the 2021 Lexus UX Hybrid can be generously described as a sport utility vehicle.

The UX is considered a crossover SUV but, in reality, it’s a hatchback with a slight lift and added plastic wheel arches. You won’t be off-roading in the UX. Heck, even certain unpaved roads will be too much for the UX. But the smallest Lexus crossover is an incredibly refined commuter, and the hybrid is an efficient machine for daily driving. The UX also has underwhelming acceleration and is in desperate need of an infotainment system update. But the luxury hybrid small SUV segment is a small one. Will this extreme niche insulate it from its deficiencies? Read on to find out.