Will the 2023 Lexus RX have a V6 engine?

Lexus has introduced a fully redesigned RX for the 2023 model year. The midsize SUV enters its fifth generation with a new design, new engines, a performance-oriented model with a new hybrid powertrain, and a new plug-in hybrid RX450h+ model. Consumers will also find a redesigned interior, along with new tech features.

On the outside, the 2023 Lexus RX arrives with the automaker’s latest version of its “spindle” grille design. This time, it’s even more polarizing with the grille taking up even more real estate on the front end and moving toward the bottom of the blunt front fascia. The SUV also features angular headlights and a blacked-out C-Pillar. At the back, the new RX has triangular taillights that are connected by a slim horizontal bar.

The interior of the RX has been updated for the new model year with a design that matches the new NX. The dashboard has a tiered design with a large central display that’s integrated into the instrument cluster. The SUV has a minimal amount of physical buttons with the majority of controls being controlled through the infotainment system. At the time of launch, Lexus will only offer the 2023 RX with two rows of seating.

With the redesign, Lexus has introduced some new tech features for the 2023 RX. The midsize SUV now comes with a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen that ditches the automaker’s touchpad controller. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard. The new infotainment system includes an intelligent assistant that responds to a “Hey, Lexus” voice command. Other available features include a 14-inch touchscreen, cloud navigation, a digital key, six USB ports, a wireless charging pad, a head-up display, and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

The 2023 Lexus RX is available with new engines compared to last year. The majority of the RX lineup features an electrified powertrain, with only the base engine lacking an electric motor.

The 2023 RX will be available with three different engines. The base powertrain consists of a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 275 horsepower. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and routes power to either the front wheels or to all four. The new engine is found in the RX 350.

The RX 350h comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors. Combined output is rated at 246 hp and AWD is standard. The RX 450h is the first available plug-in powertrain for the RX lineup. It features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, and an 18.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Lexus hasn’t released figures for the PHEV model. The RX 350h and RX 450h will come with continuously variable automatic transmissions.

The RX 500h F Sport will sit at the top of the lineup and feature a turbo 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for 366 hp. A six-speed automatic transmission and AWD are standard with the RX 500h F Sport.

For the 2023 model year, the RX will come with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite of advanced safety features. The suite will include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and motorcyclist detection, intersection support, adaptive cruise control with curve speed management, lane departure warning, automatic high-beam assist, lane-keeping assist, and an emergency driving stop system. Park assist, reverse automatic emergency braking, and a surround-view camera are available.

For more than two decades the Lexus RX has served as a benchmark for refined, stress-free, midsized luxury SUV motoring, with a quiet cabin, quality materials, and a comfortable ride. Through those years, RX owners have also benefited from a reliability record that’s about as stout as they’ve ever come. But, the RX also has never been engaging or sporty to drive, in the vein of an Audi Q7, BMW X5, or a recent competitor, the Genesis GV80. 

Now entering its fifth generation, the 2023 Lexus RX looks to have moved the needle a bit toward the sporty spectrum, at least based on an RX500h F Sport Performance AWD we rented from Lexus. It helps that the new RX is about 200 pounds lighter, according to Lexus, than the outgoing model. It looks sportier, too, with a lower roofline. Overall length stays the same, but the wheelbase is more than 2 inches longer, a move that usually benefits cabin space. 

The 2023 RX has four new powertrains, all of which use either turbocharging or some form of hybridization—and none of them are a naturally aspirated V6. The RX350 will be available with front- or all-wheel drive with a 275-horsepower, 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RX350h is the main hybrid version of the RX line. It gets a 246-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric drive mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) and standard all-wheel drive. A plug-in-hybrid, called the RX450h+, will come later. And finally, there’s the all-new RX500h F-Sport Performance, with a 366-hp, 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric drive, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Pricing starts at $48,550 for the front-wheel-drive RX350; tack on an extra $1,600 if you want all-wheel drive. There are also Premium, Premium Plus, Luxury, and F Sport Handling versions of the RX350. The RX350h AWD starts at $50,150, and the top RX500h F Sport Performance AWD begins at $62,750. Lexus charges a $1,150 destination fee on all RXs.

If you’re a Consumer Reports member, the details of our initial expert assessment of the pre-production 2023 RX500h we rented from Lexus are available to you below. We plan to purchase both a conventional RX350 and the hybrid RX350h in mainstream trims for our test program. Once they arrive at our track, we’ll log 2,000 initial break-in miles, then send them both through more than 50 tests at the CR Auto Test Center, including those that evaluate acceleration, braking, handling, fuel economy, car-seat fit, and controls. CR members will get access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available. 

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What we rented: 2023 Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance AWD
Powertrain: 366-hp, 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine; six-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
MSRP: $62,750
Options: Lexus Interface with 14-in. touchscreen and Mark Levinson 21-speaker Premium Surround-Sound audio system, $2,265; Premium Triple-Beam LED Headlamps, $1,565; Panoramic View Monitor, $800; Traffic Jam Assist, $620; Premium Paint, $595; 120-volt AC Inverter, $550; Panorama Moonroof, $500; Digital Key, $275; Advanced Park, $250; Digital Rearview Mirror, $200; Power Rear Door with Kick Sensor, $150; Cold Area Package, $100.
Total options: $7,870
Destination fee: $1,150
Total cost: $71,770

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