2023 Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance First Test: Focus on the Big Picture

If there's one thing Lexus nails, it's being consistent. The RX SUV is wildly popular and has maintained a steady fanbase since its introduction in 1998. Over the intervening time, the RX has helped mold the midsize luxury SUV segment with its approachable character, ease of operation, and reputation for reliability, all the while widening its net with models like the F Sport. That trim has been offered since 2013, but the RX500h Direct4 F Sport version is the first one to be properly hot-rodded.

New for 2023, the RX500h goes well beyond the usual F Sport styling upgrades with a powerful hybrid drivetrain, rear-wheel steering, and handling-focused suspension tuning. Does the first-ever truly athletic RX deliver, and does it have a chance for survival among this SUV's buyer pool?

The RX500h Direct4 F Sport Performance serves as the range-topper of 10 trims offered across the 2023 Lexus RX range. Accordingly, it receives a high-output 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four engine teamed with front and rear electric motors, a six-speed automatic transmission, and a model-specific all-wheel-drive system that can adjust the torque split from 70/30 percent front to rear to 20/80. An electric motor powered by a 288-volt nickel-metal hydride battery drives the rear wheels. This F Sport Performance model shares its adaptive variable suspension and six-piston front brake calipers with the gasoline-only RX350 F Sport Handling trim, but the aforementioned rear-wheel steering further distinguishes the F Sport Performance trim from all RX variants.

Our test car wore a resplendent coat of optional Copper Crest metallic paint and rode on a set of matte black 21-inch wheels. Dark exterior trim and black-painted brakes completed the exterior specification. On the inside, an interior specific to the Lexus F Sport series was decked out with model-specific instrumentation, seats, and scuff plates. Configured this way, the Lexus RX certainly looked the part of a sporty SUV.

The RX's turbocharged and hybridized powertrain is unique within the SUV's model range, and makes it the quickest-ever version of the midsize Lexus. With a combined output of 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, the RX completes the 0-60 mph dash in 5.9 seconds. That isn't slow by any means, but the F Sport Performance name suggests the flashy ute should be quicker. Comparable rivals that include the BMW X5 xDrive40i (5.1 seconds to 60) and the Mercedes-AMG GLE53 (4.7 seconds) will leave it in the dust. In this metric, the RX500h more closely aligns with the Acura MDX Type-S and Genesis GV80 3.5T AWD, each of which hit benchmark speed in 6.0 seconds.

Despite its performance at the track, the RX500h feels quick in the real world. The electric motors are supremely responsive and the engine engages and disengages smoothly. Dipping into the accelerator to make a passing maneuver grants immediate downshifts accompanied by a thrusty deployment of torque. We never felt like it ran out of juice when used in the realm of legality.

Steering feel is a highlight. It's heavy in terms of weight but also supremely precise, making it easy to place the RX500h within the lane on a highway or a curvy road. The rear steering is instantly noticeable in parking lots, where the back wheels can turn up to four degrees in the opposite direction of the fronts to shrink the turning radius. At higher speeds, the rears turn up to four degrees in the same direction as the fronts for improved stability and agility. This feature contributed to the RX500h's excellent composure on the freeway and nimbleness on more technical backroads.

Braking is smooth, linear, and blends the friction and regenerative systems well, but we'd really like the pedal to feel less wooden, especially under harder inputs. The RX500h is a heavy vehicle at 4,716 pounds, and we consistently measured 60-0-mph stopping distances within 132 to 137 feet, which lags most vehicles we've tested in the luxury midsize SUV segment. The RX500h's standard all-season tires aren't the grippiest, which doesn't help, and the rubber also likely contributed to the considerable understeer we detected at the limit during our handling evaluations. The 2023 Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance gets many subjective elements of the driving experience right, but it needs stickier tires to truly shoot for performance greatness.

So, the RX500h lives up to the F Sport part of its name but falls short on delivering in the outright Performance department. But Lexus has compromised nothing in terms of comfort and luxury. The adaptive suspension provides great body control at high speeds and delivers a well-damped ride over poorly paved roads. Excellent sound deadening further enhances the sense of serenity within the cabin.

The interior is awash in beautiful materials; metal trims the dashboard and pedals, while soft leathers cover the seats and door panels. There are some piano black plastics on the center console, but for the most part the RX500h's interior makes it feel every bit the range-topping model that it is.

The top-shelf Lexus RX comes with a standard 9.8-inch infotainment display, but our test car came equipped with the available 14.0-inch unit, which Lexus offers for $1,105. The touchscreen has crisp graphics and responds quickly to inputs, and the "Hey, Lexus" voice command controls are very effective. The 2023 Lexus RX500h comes with plenty of other standard convenience features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, 12-speaker audio, a wireless charger, and a head-up display. The front seats are power adjustable, heated, and ventilated.

Like the bigger infotainment unit, a lot of features are only available as individual options. This includes the upgraded curve-adapting headlights ($1,565), a 360-degree camera view ($800), subscription-enabled traffic jam assist ($620 up front), power folding rear seats ($550) with heating and ventilation ($680), a 120-volt AC inverter ($550), a panoramic sunroof ($500), and smaller-ticket items like roof rails, a digital key, Lexus' Advanced Park, a digital rearview mirror, and a kick sensor for the motorized trunk. That's a lot of desirable kit, much of which we'd love to see fitted as standard in order to sweeten the deal.

Every 2023 RX is equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite of active driver assistance technology. It includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, motorcycle detection, and intersection support. We spent the most time taking advantage of the all-speed adaptive cruise control with curve speed management, which did an admirable job taking over the helm on the rarely straight freeways that lead into the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. Acceleration and deceleration in accordance with a leading car felt natural, but we also appreciated the immaculate lane centering.

If things went awry while we were on the road, the RX is primed to take care of occupants in an accident, too. Even after the IIHS toughened-up its requirements for its top award, the institute named the 2023 Lexus RX a Top Safety Pick+, with top marks in every category evaluated.

In addition to being pleasant and entertaining to drive in the real world, the Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance manages to bundle fuel savings into its value proposition. This model returns an EPA-rated 27/28 mpg city/highway, which blows away comparable rivals that use gasoline-only powertrains. A 2023 Acura MDX Type-S is certified at 17/21 mpg, the 2023 Genesis GV80 AWD 3.5T returns 18/23 mpg, and the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 4matic Plus is rated at 18/22 mpg. Those all-season tires may not have helped the RX's at-limit handling, but they seem to have aided its impressive efficiency.

The 2023 Lexus RX500h F Sport Performance starts at $63,150 and our test car stickered for $71,080 after options. Go ahead and tick the boxes for the add-ons you can't live without, but if you go easy on the extras, the top-level RX can still be a good deal. The experts at IntelliChoice say it's a savvy financial decision too, projecting that the 2023 RX will be an excellent cost-to-own value over a five-year period.

Lexus may not have delivered on the outright "Performance" aspect of the RX500h F Sport's moniker, but it produced a product that will simultaneously feel familiar and significantly upgraded to RX loyalists. And shoppers new to the brand should be satisfied with this luxury SUV that deftly blends comfort, driving engagement, and efficiency. The 2023 Lexus RX500h Direct4 F Sport Performance isn't just poised to be a fan favorite, it's in a good position to win fresh followers as well.