Lexus RX (03-09) - Review

Review by David Ross on
With its sharp styling, upmarket image and lack of a diesel engine, it's clear the Lexus RX was always designed as a road going four-wheel drive car rather than an a proper offroader. As you'd expect from Lexus (which is owned by Toyota) build quality and reliability are second to none while superb ride comfort makes it great for covering long distances. In 2005 the RX300 was joined by the RX400h model which is actually a hybrid - and uses an electric motor alongside its petrol engine. This is the alternative to a conventional diesel and returns a useful 35mpg. In 2006 the RX300 was replaced by the RX350 which was both more powerful and more frugal than the smaller engine.
3.5 out of 5

Other Lexus reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

Maintenance intervals every 10,000 (for a minor check-up) and 20,000 miles (for a major service) are acceptable and RX has a reasonable insurance group for its class, ranging from 15 to 17. Fuel consumption is what you'd expect of a petrol V6, although the 3.5-litre unit that arrived in 2006 is more economical than the 3.0-litre engine it replaced. The hybrid's batteries offer very long life too - Lexus claim they will last the life of the car so should never need replacing.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

10,000 miles (minor), 20,000 miles (major).

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£240.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

3 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
    192
  • K
  • L
  • M
    288

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The RX performs pretty poorly on the eco front. It does feature a hybrid engine, which is essentially a petrol engine linked to an electric motor, which captures energy from braking or coasting to charge the battery for the electric motor. However while emissions are impressively low (for the performance) at 192g/km of CO2 it still only returns 35mpg - about the same as equivalent power diesels.

Find the exact engine and CO2