ArcaMax

-- No third row option.

Under the Hood

The RX's new standard engine is a turbocharged, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 275 horsepower -- 15 down from the previously standard 3.5-liter V6's 290 horsepower -- but your consolation prize is 22 mpg in city driving and 29 mpg on the highway, versus 20 mpg city and 27 mpg on the highway from the no-longer-available V6.

There are some alternatives -- just none with six cylinders.

The first is a hybrid set-up (in the RX350h) that combines a slightly larger 2.5 liter engine with a battery/motor, the latter driving the rear wheels. This combo makes less power (246 horsepower) but the gas mileage goes up significantly - to 37 city, 34 highway. And so does the range - which increases to 636 miles in city driving and 584 on the highway.

Next-up is a plug-in hybrid setup that increases the powertrain's total output to 304 horsepower. This version of the RX -- the 450h -- can also be driven for about 37 miles on battery power alone (assuming you start with a fully charged battery).

Finally, there's the performance-hybrid RX500h. This one has the most horsepower (366) Lexus has ever offered in the RX, which enables it to hustle to 60 mph in just over five seconds, making it the quickest-ever RX. It also gets slightly better gas mileage -- 27 mpg city, 28 mpg highway -- than the base RX350.

Irrespective of trim/powertrain, every RX is rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The upside is you don't have to spend extra on a higher trim to get the maximum rated towing capacity. The downside is that even the very powerful RX500h isn't rated to pull more than the base RX350, and several of the RX's rivals, such as the Acura MDX, can tow as much as 5,000 pounds when equipped with their optional (six-cylinder) engines.

On the Road

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