Used Lexus RX 2016-2022 review

So, you want a used luxury SUV – but you also want to stand out from the crowd.

Not for you the German SUVs that dominate this sector; you want something a little different – something that feels just as upmarket but won’t make you look like a follower of the crowd. Maybe something that comes with hybrid power. And of course, something that’s efficient and dependable. The Lexus RX looks like it could tick all of your boxes.

Most of the 2016-2022 RXs you’ll find on the used market are hybrids, combining a 3.5-litre V6 with two electric motors to produce 308bhp. They’re badged RX 450h, and Lexus sold them in lieu of a diesel model; there are no diesel versions available. However, if you don’t want the hybrid, you could always seek out the other engine option, a 225bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo, which is badged RX 200t – although these are vanishingly rare.

Variants of the RX kicked off with the most basic S version and topped out with the luxurious Premier model, with SE, Luxury and F Sport versions filling in the middle ground. Hybrid models were also available in a version called F Sport Premier, which took the F Sport’s sporty styling and teamed it with the luxurious trimmings of the Premier model. Confusingly, Lexus also added a version called Sport to the range in 2018. Of these, it’s the Luxury version that was the most popular; expect leather upholstery with heated and cooled front seats, dual-zone climate control, an infotainment system with sat-nav and a 12.3in display, and a powered tailgate as standard, among other features.

The petrol version offers adequate performance, but you have to push it quite hard to extract it, at which point it gets rather noisy. That’s why we prefer the hybrid; it, too can be rather vocal if you accelerate hard, but it’s not an unpleasant sound. At a cruise it quietens down significantly, and around town the petrol motor can cut out altogether to leave you running on electricity only, keeping things even more tranquil.

The RX isn’t exactly a sports car – it leans over through bends and the steering is uninvolving – but it’s nevertheless light and easy to drive, and the soft suspension has it lolloping over all but the most sudden of bumps, smoothing them out nicely. The brakes in the hybrid version can sometimes be a little grabby, though, making smooth stops an art that must be mastered.

Inside, you’ll find a dashboard that feels incredibly solid and looks very appealing, with sweeping lines and some neat styling touches. A few of the materials are a little low-rent, and some of the switchgear is shared with lesser Toyotas, but on the whole the effect is upmarket enough, if not quite up there with the best luxury SUVs.

The same can be said for the seating; both the front and rear seats offer less room than you'll find in most rivals, and, while most SUVs of the Lexus’s size these days offer seating for seven, early RX buyers have to make do with five. The seven-seat RX L was introduced in 2018 and remedied this to a point, but there’s more room in the rearmost seats of the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery.

While most five-seat luxury SUVs make up for their less versatile seating arrangements with a big boot, not so the Lexus RX: you’ll fit far less in the back than you will in a contemporary Volkswagen Touareg or BMW X5 – whether the seats are up or down.

If you're interested in finding a used RX, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Residual values have always been strong, but you can pick up an early RX 450h for around £20,000. This amount will get you an early 2016 car with an average mileage for its age and a full service history. Spend £21,000 to £24,000 to secure a good average mileage from the 2017 model year, and between £24,000 and £27,000 on a 2018 model. The seven-seat RX Ls start here, too, and don't command a huge premium over the regular car. Expect to spend upwards of £28,000 to £30,000 on a 2019 car, and £30,000 to £34,000 on the last 2021 and 2022 models.

Check the value of a used Lexus RX with What Car? Valuations

MPG

Avoid the RX 200t if you need to keep fuel bills to a minimum; it averages just 36.2mpg in the older NEDC official tests, dropping to 34.9mpg with larger wheels fitted. The hybrid 450h version is much better, with an official average figure of 47.9mpg under NEDC testing; a better performance than most five-seat diesel SUVs can muster.

CO2 emissions

The 200t has the highest emissions of the RX range at 181g/km; the 450h hybrid emits a more creditable at 127g/km.

Road tax

Buying an RX registered before 1 April 2017, when the tax regime changed, is a smart move, especially when it comes to the hybrid. Of the two models, this will cost you considerably less to tax, because it’s rated according to its low CO2 emissions. Every RX registered after 1 April 2017, by contrast, will set you back a lot more; even the entry-level version cost over £40,000 when new, breaking the threshold for the higher tax bracket. Current tax rates are £180 a year for conventional cars, and £170 a year for hybrids. The luxury car tax is £390 a year. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here.

Servicing

Servicing costs are roughly on a par with the RX’s premium rivals – no better or worse – but one advantage Lexus does offer is clear and transparent service pricing, available on its website. Prices for the popular 450h are £245 for a minor service and £455 for a major one.

Engines and trims

Don’t bother with the RX 200t; there are better and more numerous options if what you really want is a luxury SUV powered by a petrol engine. Instead, choose the RX 450h – and pair that engine with the widely-available Luxury trim; it offers all the toys you could ever want without the price premium of the Premier or F Sport versions.

Our favourite Lexus RX: RX 450h Luxury

Our favourite luxury SUV is the Audi Q7; it's classier inside and better to drive than the RX and comes with the added bonus of seven seats as standard. Choose one with optional air suspension and you’ll have one of the most comfortable cars around – although even without, it rides pretty smoothly.

If you want a luxury SUV that’s good to drive, you could look at the BMW X5 instead. It came with only five seats as standard (although a vestigial third row of seats was an optional extra) but its engine range is punchy and it's one of the best-handling SUVs of its size.

But if five seats are enough and reliability is important, the Volkswagen Touareg should be on your list. It doesn’t feel as special as the Lexus inside, but it’s almost as comfortable and much more spacious – and it fared well in our 2018 Reliability Survey.

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If you're interested in finding a used RX, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.