What's the difference?
The Lexus RX holds broad appeal. Families with a bit of money that don’t need a third seating row, older people who love the brand and want a bit of space, and people stepping up into the premium marque from a mainstream brand are all potential buyers.
The fifth-generation version that launched in early 2023 proved to be a significant step up over the previous RX.
Lexus made it more dynamically capable, and there’s been a sharpened focus on refinement, value-for-money and safety credentials.
We spent three weeks getting to know the most affordable RX - the entry-grade Lexus RX350h Luxury two-wheel drive - to see whether it’s worth putting it at the top of your premium family SUV shopping list.
Iconic/gangster G-Class Geländewagen aside, is there a cooler-looking Mercedes-Benz SUV than the GLB and so – by association – its electrically-powered EQB twin?
And while we're asking questions, does the electric connection make the EV version even more so?
Let’s take a deeper dive into the new EQB – a striking SUV that Mercedes reckons will be its bestselling EV for the foreseeable future. Because there's much more to this Benz than meets the eye.
It’s hard to look past the value equation of the RX350h Luxury 2WD when comparing it to almost all its competitors. The pricing is on point, but there are some features missing.
However, there are very few (if any) rivals with a true hybrid powertrain (sorry, mild hybrids do not count), so the RX will capture buyers looking for environmental credentials and efficiency without going full EV.
The drive experience is much better than before and it’s all wrapped up in a very stylish package. The Lexus RX should not be ignored.
The EQB is a likeable yet complicated machine.
On one hand, the high pricing is a real hurdle, even in the base 250, while the 350 4Matic costing the wrong side of $110K driveaway can’t even be had with seven seats. What is the point of it?Â
On the other, though, the EQB is roomier than its appearance suggests, way lovelier inside than anticipated, and – especially after allowed to really be driven hard and fast – a whole lot more Mercedes-Benz in the way the 350 4Matic moves, steers, grips, rides and stops.
As a result, we’d skip the capable but bland 250 and try to haggle hard on the price of the altogether too-expensive yet compelling 350 4Matic instead. It’s the EQB to be in.