A Closer Look at the 2021 Lexus RX-350 SUV

Vehicle

The Lexus RX-350 was giving some updates back in 2020, and these carry over to the 2021 model year. This is a pleasant SUV, intended for luxurious street commuting, with light-duty ability if taken off-road for sightseeing or camping trips.

Text and photos by Chad Haire

Engine

Under the hood is a proven 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 295 horsepower, and hooked to an excellent 8-speed automatic gearbox. Fuel economy is claimed to be 21/27 mpg in front-wheel-drive like we have here. All-wheel drive is offered as well. We observed 23 in mixed commuting and 30 on long highway trips.

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Modes

This control knob has three drive modes, Eco, Normal, or Sport.

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Controls

The infotainment screen is controlled by a finger touchpad instead of the stick unit on older Lexus models. It takes some getting used to, especially when the vehicle is moving.

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Instruments

The gauge cluster has lots of useful information. The large dials are the way it should be done.

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Info Screen

The info screen is huge, and the resolution quality of the rear camera system is top-notch.

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Cargo Door

The rear door is one piece, and there is a large spare tire under the floor for easy access.

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Headlights

The triple beam LED auto-level headlights put out plenty of illumination, but they cost a whopping $1,975 extra. We were unable to compare them to the standard headlights.

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Drive Modes

This RX was made with front-wheel-drive. All-wheel-drive is offered for better traction on wet roads but will cost more.

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Price Sheet

Speaking of money, this brings us to the cost of the vehicle. A starting fee of about $45K seems reasonable, but the options list is staggering with $16,365 in extras! Many of these are useful, but charging $325 for a cargo mat or $140 for a door edge guard seemed to be odd. Shouldn't small items like this be the standard of a luxury ride? In any case, the total tab comes to $61,435 which is a lot of coins. Keep in mind this is a two-wheel drive, AWD will cost about $2K more!

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Vehicle Rear

High price or not, the Lexus RX-350 is a very pleasant daily commuter. The ride is comfortable, the quality high, and the reliability typical Lexus. It's a nice machine, but when buying, keep an eye on that option list!

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Check out the how-to sections of ClubLexus.com for help keeping your car in great shape.