Lexus RX 350 Goes Up Against Acura MDX
Feature by feature review looks at top two best-selling luxury crossovers on the market today. Is the sales leader the better choice?
Lexus certainly knows how to build a luxury automobile, but Acura is no slouch either so we expect a close contest. However, let’s be clear about one thing from the start, and that is this video review was posted on the Acura YouTube channel. That should give us an indication of how this is going to go but let’s hear them out. The review is presented by Bradley Hasemeyer and features the front-wheel drive versions of each vehicle. Each are also comparatively equipped. There is, however, another important thing to note. Although the video title claims these are 2020 models, that is clearly not the case. The Lexus RX being shown is a 2019 model.
For the 2020 model year Lexus treated the RX to a host of mid-cycle improvements. Exterior styling was tweaked including revised front and rear fascias and updated light designs. Inside, the Lexus Multimedia System has been improved and can now be paired with a larger 12.3-inch screen. The driving dynamics were also enhanced with changes to the front and rear stabilizer bars and re-tuned shocks among the highlights. The 2020 Acura is a carry-over from 2019 without any major changes, so that is an important distinction.
Hasemeyer begins with a look at the Lexus’s exterior styling. He is reluctant to say it excites him, but he does concede that some of it does work for him. “Upfront you will notice the available triple beam LED headlights which I think compliment nicely the style with the sharp lines and aggressive creases. It runs all the way throughout the car to the rear.” Opines Hasemeyer. He calls the interior understated and comfortable. He does call out his displeasure with the joystick control on the center console, but that is no longer in the 2020 model.
The MDX is examined next from a styling perspective. Of course, looks are subjective, but Hasemeyer prefers the looks of the Acura. He calls it: “Classically beautiful, yet sporty and aggressive.” The same goes for the interior of the MDX. “Where you are greeted by this gorgeous cockpit.” Says Hasemeyer. One non-subjective interior difference is that the MDX has a standard third row. Lexus offers it as well, but you do have to move up to the RX 350L model to get it. The Acura also has an advantage in the storage space compartment with over 90 cubic feet available.
The road test is up next and both vehicles come equipped with 3.5L V6 engines with near-identical power output. The Lexus squeezes an extra 5 horsepower out of its engine, but also has a bit more weight to carry around so the performance is basically a wash. The legendary Lexus comfort and smoothness is in this RX. “Once you are up to speed the car is relatively smooth, it is a Lexus after all.” Says Hasemeyer. However, overall, he prefers the drive of the Acura. He says that the Acura is fun to drive on pretty much any road.
In summary, this review puts the Acura on top for its styling, on-road behavior, spaciousness and high level of standard features. That is of course what you would expect to hear from a video posted by Acura. That is not to say the Acura is not a fine automobile, as it certainly is. Competition is good for everyone as it pushes for ever-improving vehicles, and clearly Acura sees Lexus as the benchmark. There are perhaps lessons that Lexus can take from this comparison, and it seems like they already have with the changes incorporated into the 2020 model. Also, let’s not forget that the Lexus RX has consistently outsold the Acura MDX by a two to one margin for the last several years. So, where it matters the most, it is clear which model the market prefers.
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