2023 Lexus RX 500h F-Sport Performance | SUV Review

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As promised, the badge for the new top-of-the-line Lexus RX range seems like a bit much. I mean, if you were to judge Lexus’ latest mid-size SUV by its name alone – RX500h F-Sport Performance – you’d rightly expect a fire-breathing monster of an ultra-high-performance SUV. Heck, the word “performance” is baked right there in the name. Same with “sports”. And the RX’s alphanumeric badge – that “500” – usually implies a big, or at least powerful engine. If there were so many obvious indications that an Audi or Mercedes was gifted with speed, it would be adorned with gigantic Pirelli rubber balls worthy of a Formula 1 racing car and carbon-ceramic brakes the size of manhole covers.

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But this is a Lexus for which “sport” and “performance” are relative, especially for a sports car that sports the company’s “h” badge. Yes, lost amidst all these capitalized references to its good deeds is the fact that the new top-of-the-line RX, for all its bravery, is a hybrid based around a 2.4-litre four-cylinder.

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Mind you, this is Toyota’s latest turbocharged inline-four and it’s good for 275 hp on its own (and is the powerplant that motivates the smaller, non-hybrid RX 350). Add to that an 80-kilowatt electric motor on the rear axle, which Lexus says takes all the shooting to a total of 366 ponies, enough to justify the “500” badge (which Lexus believes is believed to be equivalent to a 5, to imply old-school naturally aspirated 0-litre V8).

That means the RX 500h F-Sport Performance is actually Lexus’ fastest SUV. However, we’re talking 6.1 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour, hardly the dynamics that will instill fear in Enzo in the likes of Ferrari’s new Purosangue. Or a Lincoln Corsair PHEV for that matter.

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Nonetheless, the RX 500h feels quite sporty, offering excellent punch right off the bat and decent acceleration if you try some of its F-Sport badge. Imagine a nice mid-size Audi with one of the company’s vintage supercharged 3.0-litre V6s, or perhaps BMW’s X5 powered by the legendary 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six as a reference. Oh, at the top end of the rev range — when blown six-cylinder engines tend to sing — there’s not nearly as much panache. But there’s plenty of electric motor-boosted low-end torque, and the engine is actually pretty comfortable to push hard (unlike the Atkinson-cycle fours that power the rest of Toyota’s hybrids).

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What none of the above powertrains have been able to offer – and indeed few current large SUVs – is the RX 500’s hybridized fuel economy. Depending on the situation – like how deep my right foot was in it and how long I could keep it there – I averaged eight to nine liters per 100 kilometers. You could make it worse, I suppose, but you’d risk a serious run-in with the law – hence my “how long could I keep it there” qualification – but the fact remains you’ll have to work hard to find another one 4,500-pound, 366-horse, non-PHEV SUV that rivals the frugality of the RX 500h. For the record, Natural Resources Canada rates the F-Sport Performance at 8.6L/100km overall, which is pretty much the ultimate automotive truth in advertising. It’s also worth noting that the RX 350 – identical in every way to the RX 500h – apart from the addition of a small battery and the aforementioned electric motor – uses an average of 1.3l/100km more fuel, despite its 91hp deficit . That’s the glory of hybrids, at least Toyota’s latest batch: more power and better fuel economy.

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As for the rest of the 500h, it’s pretty standard RX fare. The huge “spindle” grille, for example, has become more attractive lately, or we’re all getting used to its gaping mouth. Either way, the latest-gen RX seems a lot more attractive than its predecessor.

The interior is, unsurprisingly, quite luxurious too. The leather is top-notch, the seats comfortable, cozy and the build quality – straight stitching, gaps, etc. – second to none. No fewer than six USB ports are scattered around. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and linkable via the aforementioned wireless ports as well as wirelessly. Speaking of wireless, there’s a wireless charging pad too. When you add it all up, the RX seems poised for no fewer than seven iPhones. Considering the RX only offers five seats, the RX is ready for whatever the mobile generation has to offer.

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The only digital bogeyman inside, like many Lexis, is the infotainment system. Oh, we’ve come a long way since Toyota told us trackpads were the way to go. In fact, the latest version is fully touchscreen. That said, it’s still complicated with too many submenus and some, shall we say, interesting navigation schemes. And for some reason, Lexus’ full-size 14-inch screen – which alleviates some of the graphics issues – is optional, even at the top-end prices of $79,800 for 500 hours. It’s part of the $6,450 F-Sport Performance 3 package, which also includes the aforementioned wireless CarPlay and a bunch of other things that I think come standard (it also includes the Mark Levinson -Audio system with 21 speakers, which deserves to be an option). Still blessed with the big screen, with Apple CarPlay which was a delight.

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More impressive is the 500’s drivetrain. A new all-wheel-drive system called Direct4 is lightning fast at analyzing front-to-rear torque and can vary the torque split from 70/30 front/rear to 20/80. Lexus means it as a performance boost – you know “sport performance” – but I can confirm that it works damn well in the winter, too. Tired with Michelin X-ICE Snows – P235/50R21 all round – the 500h was quite a scoop through Ontario’s recent snowstorms.

The same goes for the suspension and brakes on the RX 500h. The former is controlled by Lexus’ Adaptive Variable Suspension, which offers slightly sporty – still not quite high-performing – firmer damping, but doesn’t detract from the ride. And jeez, my eyes are fooling me, these are those six-pot front calipers that adorn the front of a Lexus Sport-Ute. Blessed indeed is the sports benefit with a reasonable delay.

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There’s also a dynamic rear-wheel steering system, which, as you can imagine, is one of those fancy dan rear-wheel steering systems that tries to disguise the avoirdupois of Schmalz SUVs. The Lexus system rotates the rear rims a maximum of four degrees in either direction, a far cry from the 10 degrees that some Mercedes models are capable of rotating their wheels. Fear not, Lexus fans, Ferrari’s new Purosangue consumes just two degrees and works flawlessly. The same goes for the RX 500h. No, DRS doesn’t make the RX a Miata, but it revs more than fast enough for its sporty – if not quite high-performance – intent.

And that’s the bottom line. The RX 500h is to high-performance SUVs what Weight Watchers is to haute cuisine. No, WW’s Air Fried Fish Tacos don’t taste quite as good as Guy Fieri’s. On the other hand, driving a low-fat Lexus won’t land you on the couch as a fat lump. The RX 500h F-Sport Performance is all about getting as much performance as possible without using so much gas – or so much lithium-ion – that you seriously harm the environment. And belittle Lexus’ “sensible” approach to performing anything you like, but Weight Watchers is loud forbes, by far the most popular commercial diet in the world. Think of the RX as a sensible dinner that’s flavorful enough to serve to guests.

Check out the latest Lexus RX 500h model.