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The best-selling midsize luxury SUV so far this year is the Lexus RX. The 2022 Lexus RX is not a flashy SUV. But the RX wins hearts with its capable, friendly, utility. That’s changing a bit with an all-new harder-edged 2023 Lexus RX SUV. The new RX has new powertrains, from frugal to fierce, new technology, a new look, a giant body-length taillight, and a new giant grille. Since the 2022 Lexus RX is a top seller, the redesign for 2023 matters. Lexus took away the three-row L version of the RX, and is adding the larger TX to its lineup for 2023. But what did Lexus add to the 2023 RX?

Will the Lexus RX be redesigned for 2023?

The 2023 Lexus RX will have a lot to live up to. The 2022 is Lexus's best-selling SUV.
The new 2023 Lexus RX | Lexus

Lexus redesigned the RX for 2023 with new sheet metal and more. Lexus is making the RX a more performance-oriented SUV. For the first time, Lexus will make an RX500h F Sport version of the RX. The new 500h combines a 2.4-liter turbocharged gas engine with two electric motors, one in the front and one in the back. The result is 367 horsepower and a 0-60 miles-per-hour time of 5.9 seconds. The F Sport also adds Lexus’s high-performance Adaptive Variable Suspension and a new all-wheel drive system.

The interior is also new. Lexus is adding an iPad-sized 14-inch touchscreen and tying it to the new Lexus Interface. The old touchpad-based system could be maddening to use, but the new system allows you to control most functions of the SUV with your voice. Each driver can set their own profile, too.

The Toyota Highlander is the Toyota equivalent of the 2022 Lexus RX.

How much does a brand new Lexus RX cost?

The interior of the new 2023 Lexus RX will have a 14-inch screen and five color options.
2023 Lexus RX interior | Lexus

Lexus has not released pricing for the new 2023 RX, but the order guide is now online. The 2022 Lexus RX started at about $46,000. The 2023 RX comes in three different versions: The RX 350, the RX 350h, and the RX 500h F SPORT Performance edition. The base 350 comes with 275 horsepower and is available in front- or all-wheel drive. The hybrid version, the 350h, has slightly less power, but the hybrid system uses Toyota’s clever all-wheel drive system that simply adds an electric motor in the back.

The big news is the addition of the aforementioned RX 500h F Sport version. It has a different all-wheel drive system and a six-speed (rather than eight) transmission. The new RX will go on sale at the end of 2022.

The RX gets 10 colors of paint and six leather options

New 2023 Lexus RX | YouTube

The RX comes with 10 paint color choices, six leather color choices, and four interior trim colors, depending on the version. You can order any model of RX in a variety of flavors, but the basics include Premium and Premium+, which add leather trim, memory seats, a heads-up display, parking sensors, and more. The Luxury package adds the Premium+ features, as well as different seats with semi-aniline leather, 10-way driver and passenger seats, four-way lumbar support, and more. The F Sport Handling package adds different instruments, sport seats, and stronger brakes.

The F Sport Performance edition adds four-wheel steering, which will help this big SUV around town and when you’re carving canyons. It also gets 21-inch wheels with grippy summer tires to make the most of the adaptive suspension.

Why is the 2022 Lexus RX the best-selling midsize luxury SUV?

The 2022 Lexus RX 450h F Sport on a gravel road
2022 Lexus RX 450h F Sport | Joe Santos, MotorBiscuit

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According to GoodCarBadCar, which tracks sales, the Lexus RX handily beats the 2022 BMW X5 for sales. It’s hard to argue with the 2022 Lexus RX. It has a luxury interior, a smooth ride, and a cargo hold that can swallow several suitcases. The 2022 Lexus RX also comes in several versions, including a longer L version. Lexus has not said whether the 2023 version will include a third-row option. That duty will likely fall to the new TX. It comes in base RX 350, and a Hybrid RX450h. But, the current 2022 version of the RX has not been significantly updated since it was introduced in 2015 as a 2016 model.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.