2019 Lexus RX Overview
The Lexus RX is a midsize crossover and one of the best-selling models in the whole Lexus lineup. With a regular gas version, an extended body version, and a hybrid version, the luxury brand seeks to give drivers all that they could want from this nameplate.
What’s New for the 2019 Model Year?
The Lexus RX is one of the brand’s best-selling vehicles, and Lexus apparently didn’t want to mess with a good thing, as the only change is the integration of the Lexus Enform Connect smartphone app.
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Exterior
The 2019 Lexus RX comes in two body styles. There’s the normal RX, which gives room for two rows of seats, and then RX L, which extends the rear a little to make room for another row of seats. Otherwise, the exterior look comes in the normal style and the F Sport version (which also comes with some suspension upgrades).
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Performance
The 2019 Lexus RX delivers difference performance metrics in the RX 350, RX 350L, and RX 450h.
The RX 350 uses a 3.5-liter V6, which makes 295 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. In the RX 350L, the 3.5-liter V6 makes five fewer horsepower and torque. Both the RX 350 and 350L come with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The RX 450h pairs a 3.5-liter V6 with a hybrid powertrain system for 308 total system horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. This hybrid trim comes exclusively with all-wheel drive.
Efficiency
Efficiency in the 2019 RX depends on the body style, drivetrain configuration, and powertrain. For brevity’s sake, the non-hybrid models hover around 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, while the hybrids get around 30 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
Specifically, the 2019 RX makes:
- RX 350 with front-wheel drive: 20/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined
- RX 350 with all-wheel drive: 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined
- RX 350L with front-wheel drive: 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined
- RX 350L with all-wheel drive: 18/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined
- RX 450h with all-wheel drive: 31/28/30 mpg city/highway/combined
- RX 450hL with all-wheel drive: 29/28/29 mpg city/highway/combined
Interior
Seating capacity on the 2019 RX depends on whether it is an L model—without it, the RX seats up to five, and with the extended body, it seats up to seven. Alternatively, the driver can decide to switch the second-row bench seat for two captain’s chairs in the extended models. If this is the case, the RX seats just six.
Otherwise, the interior of the RX contains a strong list of both standard and available features. For example, each RX features multi-zone climate control and self-gripping cupholders.
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Safety
For 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rated the Lexus RX at four stars out of five for the front-wheel drive version and five out of five for all-wheel drive (although the reason why isn’t clear—both got the same ratings in each crash test). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety hasn’t looked at the 2019 RX yet, but for 2018 it was a Top Safety Pick, with top marks in every test except for headlights.
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