Phan Hoàng Đức
The RX 500h has a lot of redeeming qualities, but a week of driving around on imperfect roads left us wanting more.
Late last month, I joined Lexus USA for the first-drive media launch of the all-electric RZ 450e. Because I wanted to be as accurate as possible with my driving impressions and RZ vs RX comparisons, I also requested an RX 500h F Sport Performance loaner for the day after I returned home. You know, for science.
But, after driving the two crossovers back-to-back, along with spending a week in the 500h, I realized I had made a mistake with my initial 500h reporting, which you can read HERE.
The quickest way to describe the RX 500h is to say it’s the fast, fancy one. Lexus engineers paired the 275 horsepower front-wheel-drive 2.4L Turbo 4-cylinder engine from the RX 350 with a rear-mounted DIRECT4 e-axle for a total of 367 peak horsepower and 406 ft.-lbs. of maximum torque. Lexus says it’ll hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds despite weighing 4,750 pounds. Inside, it features leather and Ultrasuede heated and ventilated front bucket seats with an optional Mark Levinson sound system, an optional moon roof, and optional heated and ventilated rear seats.
Our Copper Crest colored loaner stickered for a mighty $70,688.
The RX 500h First Drive & Where I Went Wrong
During the 2023 Lexus RX launch event, I drove every single drivetrain and trim level back to back (to back). This resulted in a deep understanding of how the RX family evolves and changes across various price points. And, by the time I got to the end, the RX 500h stood out for its improved performance, comfort, braking, and suspension tuning. Blasting around the twisty mountain roads dotted with wineries outside Santa Barbara, California revealed a Lexus crossover with a sporty edge.
But, as with all first-drive experiences, there’s a lot more to learn by living with any vehicle. And it turns out that, while the RX 500h still shines on smooth mountain roads, it’s a different beast in an urban environment with imperfect roads.
It’s not that the RX 500h becomes uncomfortable, mind you. It’s just that it feels out of balance and discombobulated at times. Especially when pushed hard. For example, mashing the accelerator pedal makes the RX feel almost like it’s fighting itself — the front wheels torque steering, yanking on the steering wheel, while the rear e-axle has a wildly different power band than the gas motor up front. Essentially, the system doesn’t always feel in sync.
Along those lines, where other sporty SUVs find a way to harness the taller center of gravity and extra mass, the RX is pretty sloppy, even in its Sport suspension setting. Its body sways around corners (which is less fun if the front wheels are also torque-steering) and there’s lots of nose-dive when mashing the brake pedal. The 500h is also a little on the slow side for having this much horsepower and torque on tap (the extra weight, we presume).
In short, the RX 500h is still a lot of fun, especially as it compares to other Lexus crossovers. But in the grander scheme of things, it’s a little too sloppy compared to other offerings.
To Be Clear, the RX 500h Is Not a Bad Crossover, But…
None of this is to say that the RX 500h F Sport Performance is a terrible crossover. Overall, it delivers what Lexus promises and adds a little fun-factor to a mundane vehicle genre. It looks pretty good, especially in the pictured Copper Crest color scheme. The seats and infotainment system are excellent. It’s a reasonably lovely place for one to four people to navigate their daily lives. And it’s got more than enough power for commuting, passing, and even a spirited pull now and again.
Take one back in time and it would wipe the floor with muscle cars and sports cars we used to consider fast.
However, it’s a little hard to call the RX 500h genuinely sporty. And it’s not nearly the performance package offered by the IS 500 F Sport Performance. That’s what I really wanted to revise and clear up.
However, if Lexus can evolve the RX 500h — tighten up the body roll, make it feel more planted in corners, add in a bit more oomph, smooth out the power band — Lexus has the chance to make something truly sporty. Until then, I’d recommend going with something like an Audi SQ5 which is genuinely sporty and planted (even if Lexus makes better seats).
Photographs by Michael S. Palmer
