7 Things To Know Before Buying A Lexus RX 350 (New Or Used)

Each year, Lexus makes new batches of the Lexus RX 350 luxury midsize SUV with a reputation on the line. Already, the Lexus RX is widely recognized as one of the most successful models in the Japanese automaker's storied history. It is also by far the most popular midsize luxury SUV in the U.S., with Lexus selling a whopping 114,044 units in 2023 alone, according to a press release from Toyota. Similar models pale in comparison; for instance, the Acura MDX only managed to sell 57,599 units in the same time frame.

The Lexus RX 350's secret? A robust build quality consistently makes it a faithful friend to its owners, which is what anyone buying a new or used car in this harsh economy would want. Lexus so far hasn't strayed from the winning formula of reliability since introducing the RX 350 back in 2006 ahead of the 2007 model year. But that's not to say that the midsize SUV has been perfect, or an attempt to ignore all the other elements that make it such a massive hit, or even the basic things you should know about potentially your next SUV purchase. Here are seven things you should know before buying a Lexus RX 350.

Ever wondered what the RX 350 name means? According to Lexus, the RX in Lexus RX 350 stands for Radiant Crossover, and it alludes to the promising future the manufacturer imagined for the model when the original RX 300 launched in 1998. A compact luxury crossover SUV at the time, the RX was the Lexus equivalent of the Toyota Harrier introduced in 1997 and the world's first true luxury SUV, per Lexus. Lexus bases its claim on the fact that the Lexus RX was about more than premium amenities, as its unibody chassis imbued it with civilized and carlike manners that made it great for driving around town – unlike other SUVs, which felt cumbersome.

As for the 350 bit, it refers to the Lexus RX 350's V6 engine displacement, which was 3.5 liters. At the time it was introduced in 2006, the RX 350 had a 270-hp 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 engine that effectively replaced the 3.3-liter 3MZ-FE V6 engine on the RX 330 (so named for its 3.3-liter displacement). The 3.5-liter V6 was the sole RX 350 engine for many years, but as the automotive world continues to lay emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental compatibility, Lexus was forced to drop the V6 in favor of a smaller 2.4-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder, which became the standard engine after the fifth RX generation launched for 2023.

The Lexus RX 350 has been offered with a hybrid version named 350h since 2023. Unsurprisingly, that model majors on fuel efficiency, returning 36 mpg of combined fuel economy, according to the EPA – enough to earn it a place on lists of the highest gas mileage SUVs on the market today. Its engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four that pairs with an electric motor for 246 horsepower and 233 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the traditionally-fuelled variant makes 275 horsepower and 25 mpg combined from a 2.4-liter turbo-four engine.

The RX 350's fuel economy is impressive even when measured against fellow hybrid models like the RX 500h, which earns 27 mpg combined. Although that's hardly surprising considering the RX 500h is a performance-oriented model with up to 366 hp on tap. It also blitzes to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, as against 7.4 seconds for the 350h and 7.2 seconds for an all-wheel-drive Lexus RX 350.

In its standard form, the Lexus RX 350 has two rows of seats that accommodate a maximum of five passengers. However, if you have an extra-large family and desire a family-sized SUV with similar equipment to the RX 350, you may find that the RX 350L fits the bill. It is a slightly longer version of the RX 350 stretched by 4 inches to create an additional third row of seats for those wanting room for up to seven passengers. Sadly, the fact that the three-row Lexus RX 350L has the same wheelbase as the regular Lexus RX 350 (109.8 inches) and only offers 196.9 inches of length means occupants will find the third row to be limited, as there's just 23.5 inches of legroom and 34.8 inches of headroom to work with.

By comparison, a standard 2022 Lexus RX 350 provides 38.0 inches of legroom and 39.1 inches of headroom in the back. Not to mention, the regular 350 also offers more cargo space with all seats in use (16 cubic feet vs 6.2 cubic feet for the RX 350L). However, folding down the second and third rows reveals a much larger 58.5 cubic feet of cargo space for the L variant — the standard model has a maximum cargo room of 32.6 cubic feet (now up to 46.2 cubes in the fifth-generation model). If the cramped third row is not a dealbreaker for you, and you're currently seeking out a used 350L (it's been off-sale in the new car market since 2022), you can find a 2018'-22 Lexus RX 350L in the used car market, where prices range from just above $28,000 to around $51,000, based on pricing information on KBB.

According to ratings from marketing research firm J.D. Power (which has been evaluating car reliability using consumer data since 2007), the 2010, 2011, 2020, and 2015 Lexus RX 350 models are the most dependable iterations of the midsize SUV, with respective quality and reliability ratings of 93, 92, 91, and 90 out of 100. What this means is that these model years are well worth considering if you want a bulletproof SUV that won't suffer frequent breakdowns or saddle you with surprise bills. That's not to say the rest of the models aren't trustworthy, though, as the RX 350 is thoroughly Toyota reliable and consistently earns high ratings for dependability. Reliability ratings are also not always definitive since they can change depending on the company conducting the assessment and the method used. For example, Consumer Reports data cites that the 2023, 2022, and 2021 are the most reliable Lexus RX 350 models, with perfect reliability ratings of 5 out of 5, which stand in contrast to the J.D. Power statistics above. 

That's even before you consider the fact that the 2010 RX 350, which has the highest J.D. Power reliability rating at 93/100, is actually often viewed as one of the worst RX 350 years. So, if you're in the market for a used car, a little research beyond reliability scores can go a really long way when trying to determine whether a particular car can be relied upon. According to the automotive website Four Wheel Trends, the worst overall year for the Lexus RX 350 is 2007. That choice was informed in part by the SUV's dashboard, which can crack over time, and once this happens, the only true solution would be to replace the entire dashboard. The 2007 RX 350 is also susceptible to steering leaks and isn't very fuel-efficient, according to the website. In regard to safety, Four Wheel Trends notes the 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 Lexus RX 350 models years are the safest, with all five models having earned NHTSA's 5-star overall safety rating.

As covered on CarEdge.com, it costs about $7,587 to maintain a Lexus RX 350 for the first ten years of its life, making it one of the more affordable luxury SUVs to maintain. That amount makes the Lexus RX 350 the third-cheapest luxury SUV to run, with only the Tesla Model Y and Lexus NX 300 being cheaper, according to a separate CarEdge post. Of course, all of that assumes you'd keep up with regular maintenance, which can help you avoid the potential expense of the Lexus RX 350 breaking down and needing a major repair down the line.

In addition to saving you money, frequent maintenance also helps increase your car's resale value in the future, which is easy to do with the Lexus RX 350, considering it is one of the vehicles that holds its value the best. According to CarEdge, the Lexus RX loses only around 39% of its value over its first 5 years, meaning its retention value is a massive 61 percent. That's significantly better than the industry average when measured against KBB data, which found that a new car depreciates by 55% after five years.

With more than 10 Lexus SUV models to choose from, you're pretty much spoilt for choice if you're considering a brand-new Lexus SUV for your next purchase. The UX is the entry-level Lexus SUV, with the NX, RX, TX, and GX following next in that order, each being bigger than the preceding model. The LX, for its part, is Lexus' flagship SUV, and then there's the RZ, the brand's first all-electric vehicle. Despite the numerous options, the Lexus NX is the one you may find to be a particularly tempting alternative if you're eyeing the Lexus RX, as the two Lexus SUVs are comparable in terms of their size, passenger space, cargo capacity, and powertrain options.

Both SUVs seat up to five passengers across two rows and provide cargo-carrying capacity of up to around 47 cubic feet. The 2025 Lexus NX, for example, offers 22.7 cubes with all seats in use and 46.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. With the 2025 Lexus RX 350, you get a more generous 29.6 cubic feet of space with all seats upright and a slightly smaller maximum cargo space of 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seats down. In terms of its exterior dimensions, the Lexus NX is more compact than the RX 350, measuring 183.5 inches long, 73.4 inches wide, and 66.1 inches tall; its wheelbase is 105.9 inches. The Lexus RX 350, meanwhile, has a wheelbase of 112.2 inches, 192.5 inches of length, 75.6 inches of width, and 67.3 inches of height. As for their prices, the compact Lexus NX begins at $41,990, while the midsize RX starts higher at $50,325.

Lexus generally provides a four-year warranty on all of its vehicles, and the RX 350 is no exception. The standard LexusCare warranty typically has a 50,000-mile limit, where the cover of the warranty will end if you exceed 50,000 miles, even if your RX 350 is still below the four-year threshold. While in effect, the basic warranty covers repairs for any faulty parts, except in certain instances, such as negligence, theft, fire, accidents, and similar.

The basic warranty also includes wheel alignment and balancing for 12 months or 12,000 miles. As well, there's a standard powertrain warranty package that covers the engine, transmission and transaxle, as well as front and rear-wheel drive systems for 72 months or 70,000 miles. If you're considering the Lexus RX 350h, there's a hybrid warranty policy that takes care of relevant components for eight years or 100,000 miles, while the battery is covered for ten years or 150,000 miles. Similarly, repairs or replacements necessitated by faulty service parts will be covered for 12 months without recourse to a mileage limit. Original body panels that become corroded are also usually repaired or replaced by Lexus under the Corrosion Perforation Warranty coverage for a period of 72 months.