Lexus RX (2015-2022) review

When it comes to interiors, few build them as well as Lexus. Every switch and button (and there are MANY - Lexus hasn’t yet started cutting back on buttons and squeezing in touchscreens wherever they’ll fit) exudes quality; the volume knob, for example, is more like something on a high-end home stereo system. You won’t hear any squeaks and rattles in here.

But what points the RX earns for its build quality and by having actual buttons to control key features it loses with its infotainment system, which is at best irritating and at worst quite terrible.

It’s a touchscreen now, so the 12.3 inch screen has been brought forwards to make it easier for the front seat occupants to reach. But you can still control it using the typical Lexus touchpad, which has been updated to recognise phone-like pinch/swipe gestures. It’s still not a patch on the Germans’ systems, though, in terms of both looks and operation. At least it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now, so you can ignore Lexus’s system almost entirely.

Practically, you climb up a little into the supportive driver’s seat and the view ahead is excellent, with little obstruction and generously sized door mirrors giving plenty of rearward visibility – even if the rear window is a tad shallow. The seats, aside from the sportier versions in the RX’s F Sport spec, are akin to armchairs and add to the high levels of comfort. They can be heated or cooled should you wish.

Passenger space is equally good, with plenty of head- and legroom complemented by generous door openings. In the RX L, accessing the third-row seating isn’t that tricky; the middle row seats tilt and slide forward in one movement and can be set along a 150mm range to give those sat further back some extra space.

With all seven seats in place, there is still some boot space available (211 litres), certainly enough for a golf bag, buggy or several backpacks. Otherwise, in the RX L, you get 652 litres in the five-seat mode when the middle row is slid all the way forward, a good deal more than the 453 litres you get in the regular RX.