A 2023 RX 350 or 350h can be purchased for around $50,000, but the 500h F Sport Performance carries a significant premium for combining fuel economy and power. The RX 500h starts at $62,750 and still requires several important options that do not come standard, even on this top trim. Our tester came pretty decked out with the upgraded rear seats, the larger infotainment screen with Mark Levinson audio, a rear kick sensor, a panoramic view monitor, panoramic glass roof, triple-beam LED headlights, a digital rearview mirror, and more. These options brought the as-tested price to a whopping $70,650 ( $71,800 with destination).
That is a lot of money for an RX, and we strongly believe some of those optional extras should be standard. That being said, this is easily the most compelling RX we’ve ever driven. The fuel economy is superior to the gas-only RX 350, but it produces 91 more horsepower. It’s not as efficient as the RX 350h, but it has a 120 horsepower advantage over that model.
If you simply can’t justify the spend on the RX 500h, the 350h is a compelling second choice that offers a stellar 36-mpg rating at the expense of performance. But if you can afford it, the RX 500h F Sport Performance improves upon everything that made the RX a best-seller for Lexus, and finally makes it fun.