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Lexus sells more 2002 Lexus RXs than any other SUV. But it’s built on the same platform as the Toyota Highlander. Is it worth the extra dough for a 2022 RX when a Highlander has many of the same features, especially in Platinum trim? In a Lexus RX vs. Highlander showdown, the Highlander is cheaper, but is that all?

A fully-equipped 2022 Toyota Highlander approaches the Lexus’s price

A red Toyota Highlander on a road.
2022 Toyota Highlander | Toyota

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The 2022 Toyota Highlander starts at $35,855 for a basic front-wheel drive version. Toyota makes 11 different trims, and the popular XLE and XSE midline versions, are about $42,500 and pack in a lot of the luxury you’d expect in a luxury SUV. At that price, you get soft-touch leather-like trim on the dash and doors, two-tone leather seats, a large touchscreen, and more.

The top trim level of the 2022 Highlander, the Platinum, starts at $48,010 for a gas-powered front-wheel-drive version but tops out at nearly $50,000 for the Hybrid version. It comes with heated seats in the front and second row, a 10-way driver’s seat, a bird’s eye 360-degree camera, premium audio, and your choice of four interior colors. It’s also one of Consumer Reports’ best-rated three-row SUVs.

The Lexus RX price starts low, goes high

A gray Lexus RX350Lin a driveway
2022 Lexus RX 350L | Lexus

The Lexus is priced similarly, at least for the base vehicle. The RX350 starts at $46,995 the top-level 2022 RX 450hl seven-passenger hybrid starts at $53,185. The L version is the three-row, seven-seater, while the h denotes a hybrid. Buyers know the RX as a powerful, but frugal, SUV that drives well and won’t make you worry every time you pass a gas station.

Very quickly options can inflate the price. All -wheel drive adds $1,400. The parchment leather with aluminum trim is a $6,000 option. Navigation is a $2,285 option, while heated front seats are a $440 option. The safety systems add a lot, too, like the panoramic monitor with automatic braking package adds $1,365. Very quickly an RX can be a $60,000 SUV.

Is Lexus going to redesign the RX?

2023 Lexus RX in bronze
2023 Lexus RX | Lexus

The current generation of the Lexus RX will sail off into the sunset at the end of 2022. The new 2023 RX will get a sportier outlook to take on BMWs. There is no L version, however, as the TX will fill that niche. But there are a ton of reasons to consider a 2022 right now, including eager beaver dealers that will want to get rid of older models soon.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander loses in the shuffle at Toyota. The off-road (and seven-seater) 4Runner and RAV4 grab most of the headlines. But the Highlander is a capable, nice driving, SUV that seats eight and has a fuel-efficient powertrain. Toyota’s last major refresh of the Highlander came in 2019 when it added Toyota Safety Sense driver aids, a new V6, and an improved interior that has wireless charging, extra sound deadening material, and new trims.

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2023 Grand Highlander vs. 2023 Lexus TX, What’s the Difference?

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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.