Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour 2026 Review

Choosing which variant to go for isn’t easy, though the Japanese luxury marque has simplified things a bit with a reduced eight-model lineup that’s now exclusively a five-seat proposition.

The 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and sits near the bottom of the RX range, which is reflected in its sub-$100k price point of $97,200 (all prices are before on-road costs). However, our test car is fitted with the $5400 Enhancement package.

Or you can go the whole hog and step up to the 350h Sports Luxury eFour, but it adds almost $20k to the price tag. If you don’t require all-wheel drive (AWD), the front-wheel drive 350h is the cheapest RX you can buy at $93,550.

From there, the rest of the range is AWD with a mix of turbo, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain ranging from $101,100 to $131,100 for the fast-accelerating 500h F Sport Performance.

Rivals for the RX include the German trio of the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, but the Scandinavian XC60 and South Korean GV80 also loosely match up as alternatives. Bear in mind, though, the RX is now a five-seat-only proposition.

If you’re wondering, RX stands for ‘Radiant Crossover’, but we’ll let you make up your own mind whether the fifth generation carries a glowing design. Given it shares the TNGA-K platform with the Toyota Kluger, we think the swoopy aesthetic is more enticing for the elevated target buyer demographic.

The 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour runs with 19-inch alloy wheels, bi-LED headlights with levelling, daytime running lights, acoustic glass with rear privacy glass, a powered tailgate, keyless entry and start as well as roof rails.

Inside, the Luxury lives up to its nameplate with NuLux upholstery (code for synthetic leather), eight-way power adjustable front seats with two-way lumbar support, front seat heating, nanoeX tri-zone climate control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and a powered steering column.

Our tester also comes with the rather pricey Enhancement Package. It includes the sliding panoramic sunroof, leather-accented seat trim, memory for the driver’s seat, a smart key card, head-up display, front seat ventilation and easy access entry, touch controls for the steering wheel and a high-grade instrument cluster.

At this price point, it’s a bit harsh that some of those features aren’t standard, while all but one of the nine paint options attract a $1750 premium – ouch.

A five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty applies, while the first three years of roadside assistance is included. Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km and are expensive at $745 a pop. Although, Lexus does provide one of the best aftersales care schemes with its Encore program.

The 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour holds a five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2022. It has eight airbags as well as dual ISOFIX points (one in each outboard rear seat) and three top-tether anchorages.

From there it has all the contemporary ADAS features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection. Other items include dynamic radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning with active lane keeping and rear cross-traffic alert.

Front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are standard, but a 360-degree view monitor sadly isn’t. The RX does have driver attention monitoring and road sign recognition.

As with most modern systems, the attention monitoring can become tiresome, but it isn’t as overzealous as some calibrations from other manufacturers. The active lane keeping isn’t overly intrusive either, while the audible speed zone warnings can be silenced.

It’s all about that 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that dominates the dash of the 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour.

It’s slick to use, too, with native sat-nav as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The menu structure is easy enough to work out, although it’s a bit too Toyota and not enough Lexus in the theme and the design of the graphics. Still, it’s intuitive and responds quickly to touch.

Ahead of the driver is a 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster with a few different arrangements to toggle through. It couples with the head-up display and the touch-sensitive controls on the multi-function steering wheel. They cover both audio and trip-computer manipulation via a light swipe to activate them.

Other notable mentions are the wireless charge pad, Bluetooth, USB ports (A and C), DAB+ digital radio and a 12-speaker Panasonic sound system. The latter delivers all the right tones, but it isn’t as good as the Mark Levinson audio found in the Sports Luxury.

The RX can receive Over-the-Air (OTA) updates and three years of Connected Services is complimentary. That means you can tap into remote monitoring or adjust various settings remotely via the smartphone app.

Tried and tested, the self-charging hybrid powertrain is a known quantity. And that’s no bad thing.

The 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour uses a 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors. With an e-motor on each axle, the setup creates all-wheel drive – or eFour in Toyota/Lexus-speak. The internal combustion engine produces 140kW and 239Nm, which doesn’t sound like much on its own.

However, there’s an additional 134kW/270Nm up front and 40kW/121Nm at the back added to the total for a combined system output of 184kW. Like Toyota, Lexus doesn’t provide a combined torque output due to its fluid nature. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is hooked up to the front wheels.

The e-motors draw power from an older style 1.68kWh Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery and not the more contemporary lithium-ion. There’s also regenerative braking to help replenish the battery pack.

It all translates well enough on road and, rather surprisingly, the RX 350h reaches 100km/h from rest in 7.9 seconds. The instant nature of the electric power delivery helps around the city, while overtaking pace is sufficient. Overall, the experience is refined, yet the CVT does induce some unwanted acoustics as it perches revs high under heavy acceleration.

So, while the performance is respectable rather than exceptional, surely the benefits are seen at the bowser…

And they are. For an SUV tipping the scales at 2020kg, the 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour is efficient with a claimed average fuel consumption of just 5.4L/100km.

Throughout a week of testing, we couldn’t match that figure but still returned a respectable 6.6L/100km with city, suburban and highway driving conditions. And again, you never need to plug it in to reap the hybrid benefits.

There is a dedicated EV mode, but the petrol engine kicks in after you exceed about 60km/h. It will often switch off again in coasting situations at motorway speeds. The transition from EV to internal combustion (or vice versa) is relatively seamless, too.

It’s worth noting that the RX 350h requires at least 95 RON premium unleaded petrol and the tank is 65 litres, meaning you can theoretically travel more than 1000km on a single fill.

It might sound like a negative, but the 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour is rather benign.

Yet that’s a good thing for an upmarket SUV. It’s largely easy to drive around the CBD with light steering and a ride quality that manages to soak up most of the worst potholes and craggy surfaces with aplomb. While the higher-spec Sports Luxury gains adaptive dampers, the Luxury continues with fixed-rate suspension.

For the most part, this isn’t an issue as the standard tune proves compliant. This is also aided by the smaller 19-inch wheels and Dunlop tyres with a 235/60 profile – as opposed to the Sports Luxury’s 21-inch hoops and 235/50 profile. There is a bit of waft and body roll, but nothing excessive.

You can feel that there’s more power and torque going to the front axle (because there is), but grip is sufficient overall. If you often traverse dirt roads or like to take a weekend trip to the snow, the faux AWD does add extra purchase and reassurance on the road.

Out of the four driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom), Normal is the happy middle ground. The throttle response is sharp enough and the steering is weighted nicely, whereas Sport introduces too much eagerness into the mix. The brake pedal is also pretty sensitive and immediate, which takes time to get used to.

Outward vision is compromised by the roofline and thick pillars, so a standard 360-camera view would be nice to have. Ground clearance isn’t excessive for an SUV at 189mm, and the braked towing capacity is just 1500kg.

The updated cabin is a big step forward from the fourth generation, but it really hinges on the oversized screen.

While the interior is all nicely finished off with high levels of build quality and materials, it doesn’t have the wow factor some Lexus cabins do. You must remember that, while the 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour sits on one of the lowest rungs in the range, it is still a $100k proposition.

That 14.0-inch screen also takes over most of the interior’s adjustments – namely the climate control. While there are two wonderfully clever and tactile dials for temperature, the rest of the HVAC lives within the central display in a permanent bar at the bottom of the screen.

It has some fancy touches, too, like the electronic door latches (with a manual failsafe). Branded eLatch, they require familiarisation. However, as we’ve experienced with other Lexus products, the keyless entry proves problematic. The car constantly believes the fob is still inside the car and won’t lock. Meaning you need to press the lock button on the remote.

Storage is plentiful, while the adjustable depth cup holders and the large central bin with a dual-action opening lid are nice touches.

Being a dedicated five-seat layout, space in the back is generous for legs, knees and toes, while the optional sunroof encroaches on headroom slightly. It’s still accommodating for most adults, though. And for those who like to recline, the backrest’s range of movement is vast.

Amenities are well covered off, too, with the third zone of climate control with air vents, USB-C ports, map pockets, door bins for bottles and a centre armrest with cupholders and additional storage. The rear seats also fold in a 40/20/40-split to free up cargo capacity.

Speaking of, without a third row, the boot space is commodious, though it isn’t quite the Tardis you’d expect because of the sloping roofline. Still, there’s 612 litres to fill, which balloons to a maximum of 1678L with the rear seats folded. Underneath the flat boot floor is a space-saver spare, which is appreciated.

To answer the initial question right off the bat, the 2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour is more than a Toyota Kluger in designer threads. It has its own USP.

Moreover, with the Enhancement Package selected, this is all the RX you feasibly need. Sure, if you have the cash to splash and like the idea of more power there is that option. Yet, it’s more about the spec as the perceived luxury and comfort doesn’t change too much. Spending more doesn’t directly result in a better experience.

However, for such landmark crossover, the RX 350h Luxury eFour is a bit of a forgettable SUV. Although for some, that will be seen as a win given its plush, pragmatic and very easy to live with.

2026 Lexus RX 350h Luxury eFour at a glance:
Price: $97,200 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 140kW/239Nm (electric motor: 134kW/270Nm)
Combined output: 184kW
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 123g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)

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