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.
If, like just about everybody, you’re a bit concerned that an electric car might not be able to travel as far as you need to go, then the new MG ZS EV Long Range could be the small, fully-electric SUV for you.
We’ve tested the ZS EV Long Range here and can tell you how far you’ll get on a full charge and how much extra you’ll have to pay in price over the standard range version, along with what it’s like to drive, its features, practicality, ownership costs and of course its safety systems.
Be sure to watch the video above, where I’ll take you for a ride and show you my Big Foot tattoo. Yes, seriously.
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 MG ZS EV Long Range is a practical small SUV that's easy to drive and the 440km it can travel on a full charge makes it the better choice over the standard range ZS EV. The extra 120km offered by the Long Range version reduces anxiety and is truly useful in covering more ground between charging.
The asking price may seem expensive but electric vehicle batteries are extremely costly to produce and will remain so for years to come.
Remember, too, that the MG4 electric car has an even great range for the same money - the only catch is, it's a hatch and not an SUV.