Volvo V90 vs Lexus RX350H

What's the difference?

The V90 Cross Country is a carefully considered, hugely practical, and sleek full-size wagon. It has power to shift a family and all that goes with it, along with leading edge safety for maximum protection. The engine could be quieter, the ride smoother, and the warranty longer. But if you're thinking about a premium five-seat SUV, we suggest checking out the passenger car driveability this Volvo offers.

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.

Three people have led Volvo's drive towards its current ultra-cool design look and feel. Thomas Ingenlath is Volvo's long-time chief design officer (and CEO of the brand's performance car subsidiary, Polestar), Robin Page is head of Volvo design, and Maximilian Missoni oversees exterior design.

In a rare case of healthy designer egos not getting in the way of a positive outcome, this trio has developed a classically simple, Scandinavian approach combining echoes of Volvos past, like the large grille, complete with 'Iron Mark' logo, and current signature elements including the dramatic 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights and lengthy tail-light clusters.

The Cross Country off-roady bit comes courtesy of black wheelarch over-fenders, with the same shade applied to the window glass surrounds, front air vents, side skirts and lower section of the rear bumper.

Inside, the look is cool and sophisticated, with clean form working hand-in-hand with straight-forward function. The colour palette runs from brushed metal highlights, through grey, to black.

Our test vehicle featured three option packages, with two impacting interior presentation. All the details are listed in the price and value section below, but in terms of the cabin, the 'Premium Pack' adds a panoramic glass sunroof, and tinted rear glass, while the 'Luxury Pack' brings ventilated 'Perforated Comfort Seats' trimmed in (partial) nappa leather (the standard trim is nappa leather 'accented'... without the perforations).

The overall feel is composed and serene, with a layered approach to the dash including a mix of soft-touch materials and 'metal mesh' highlight elements.

A 9.0-inch centre touchscreen is portrait oriented with large vertical vents either side, and a 12.3-inch digital driver display sits inside a compact instrument binnacle.

The seats look inviting with raised stitching defining neatly sculpted panels, the curved head restraints another characteristic Volvo touch.

Overall, the V90's design is carefully considered and understated, but far from boring. It's great to look at on the outside, while the interior is as calming as it is efficient.

Across its five generations, the RX has held significant visual appeal - especially the still-handsome second-gen version that was the first RX sold Down Under. The first-gen model skipped Australia.

The new model that launched in 2023 is a clear evolution of the car that came before, but it’s been softened and sharpened in the right areas, giving it one of the most appealing designs in its segment.

The proportions and design elements like the squat stance, unique C-pillar treatment, slimline headlights and nicely sloping roofline give it a sporty look.

In fact, I reckon it might be the best looking Lexus available today - not including the jaw-droppingly beautiful LC coupe and convertible, of course.

The interior is modern and feels like an evolution of Lexus’ previous cabin design - but elevated. The gloss black section of the dash helps here.

Levels built into the dash break up the bulk, but the interior is very grey. It could do with a dash of colour.

The synthetic leather seat trim doesn’t look premium. If you want a more expensive feeling RX, you need to pay more for a higher grade.

At just over 4.9m long, more than 2.0m wide, and a touch taller than 1.5m the V90 CC is a substantial wagon providing seating for five, ample cargo space, and lots of thoughtful touches to help ease the daily grind.

Those in front enjoy heaps of space as well as a centre console incorporating two cupholders, an oddments tray, two USB ports (one to enable Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connection and one for charging only) and a 12-volt socket, all able to be hidden by an elegant, roll-top cover. A similar, smaller cover rolls over a coin tray near the gearshift.

There's also a decent (cooled) glovebox, generous door bins with room for large bottles, and a small lidded box on the lower dash to the right of the steering wheel.

Switch to the rear and the 'roomy' theme continues. Sitting behind the driver's seat set for my 183cm (6.0ft) position I had plenty of leg and headroom, and the width of the car means three average-sized adults can populate the back seat without resorting to uncomfortable contortion.

A centre flip-down armrest houses a pair of pop-put cupholders, an oddments tray and a lidded storage box. But the modest door bins are too narrow for normal size bottles. On the upside, though, parents of small children everywhere will welcome the standard perforated pull-up blinds for each rear door window.

There are also netted map pockets on the back of the front seats, plus adjustable air vents at the back of the centre console and supplementary vents in the B-pillars. Our car's Versatility Pack option added a three-pin 220-volt power outlet at the base of the tunnel console, too.

Then, there's the business end, with the V90 coughing up 560 litres of boot space with the rear seats upright. More than enough to swallow our three-piece hard suitcase set (35, 68 and 105 litres) or the jumbo-size CarsGuide pram, or various combinations of the two.

With the second row 60/40 split-folding rear seat (with through port) down that grows to a substantial 913 litres. And that's measured to top of seat height. If you're loading up to the headlining those numbers stretch out to 723L/1526L.

Plus, there's a 12-volt outlet, bright lighting, a stretchy retaining strap on the right-hand wall, strategically placed shopping bag hooks and tie-down anchors at each corner of the floor.

The Versatility Pack option also adds a 'grocery bag holder' which is a piece of pure Nordic genius. It's essentially a flip-up board that pops out from the cargo floor with two bag hooks at the top and pair of elasticised retaining straps across its width. For small shopping loads it keeps things secure without the need to bring in a full cargo retaining net.

And to make lowering the rear seat and opening up that extra volume easier, the Versatility Pack also brings a pair of power control buttons for rear seat folding located near the rear door.

The space-saver spare is located under the floor, and if you're hitching things to the back, maximum tow weight for a braked trailer is 2500kg and 750kg unbraked.

Icing on the practicality cake is a handsfree power operated tailgate, which combines foot-under-the-rear-bumper auto opening with buttons in the door's lower edge to close it and lock the car.

The RX is a five-seat only proposition in this generation - the previous model had a seven-seat option - so if you need a third row you can look at the Lexus LM people mover or massive LX 4x4 SUV, or at any number of other three-row lux SUVs like the Volvo XC90 or new Mazda CX-90.

That doesn’t mean the cabin isn’t practical. 

Up front the seats offer excellent comfort levels and ample upper body support, but not a lot of hip support.

Lexus has changed up the door handles for the new RX and it can be complicated - initially.

The interior handles bamboozled every new person that got in my press car over the three week loan. But once you realise it’s a simple push of the thumb on the handle’s thumbpad and a gentle push, it all makes sense.

Lexus calls the electrically activated door handles an ‘e-latch’. Is it tech for tech’s sake? Probably. 

I recently reviewed the Lexus LM and commented on how much I like Lexus steering wheels and that’s true of the RX, too.

It has clearly identifiable controls and feels nice in your hands. Thankfully, the cruise control buttons are housed on the wheel too, so no annoying stalk on the wheel.

There’s plenty of space across the front row so you should avoid the awkward driver-passenger elbow bump on the centre armrest.

Under the armrest is a huge central bin that opens on the driver and passenger side. There’s also a big covered storage nook forward of the shifter and another ledge above that, as well as a sizeable glove box. 

The doors have ample storage room for bottles, but the space is almost too wide. My bottle slid around when driving so I had to lay it down.

The centre console houses two big cupholders with adjustable depth in one of them. Clever touches like this and the central bin add to the appeal.

As with the Lexus LM, I am a fan of the new Lexus multimedia set-up. It has an easy-to-navigate menu along the side, easy wireless Apple CarPlay connection, and visually appealing graphics.

It’s a world away from Lexus’ previous system. That frustrating touchpad is, thankfully, in the bin.

I quite like the gear shifter with its unusual gate and even the indicator feels and sounds premium.

Small rear windows make for a rear three quarter blind spot, but visibility is otherwise good.

On a side note, the RX has very strong air conditioning - perfect for an Australian summer.

Jumping into the second row, there’s plenty of space all around and no shortage of head, leg, knee and shoulder room. Although foot room under the front seats is tight.

As with the front seats, the rear row offers comfortable seating. Kids should be happy back there.

There’s only a small transmission tunnel so middle-seat legroom is good. And in great news for passengers, the rear backrests recline. 

Lowering the 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats for more cargo space is done via a lever on the side of the outboard seats, or by a button in the boot area. There are ISOFIX clips on the two outboard seats.

Other amenities in the second row include map pockets, two USB-C ports, knee-level air vents, climate control, and a pull-down armrest with pop-open cupholders.

Open the power tailgate and you’ll find cargo space of 612 litres with all seats in place, or 1678L with the second row stowed.

That’s a decent amount of space but not class leading. The Mercedes-Benz GLE has 630L and the VW Touareg can swallow 810L.

There’s no under-floor storage because that’s where some hybrid hardware is housed. You will find audio speakers, nice carpet, a cargo blind, two 4.0kg hooks and three top tethers. No spare, only a tyre repair kit.

The range-opening RX350h Luxury 2WD petrol-electric hybrid starts at $86,904, before on-road costs, and for that amount, the standard specification list is healthy. But it doesn’t include everything.

As well as a long list of standard safety gear (see section below), the RX350h comes with three-zone climate control, heated and eight-way adjustable power front seats, electric steering wheel adjust, rain-sensing wipers, a 14-inch multimedia set-up with wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, digital radio, sat nav, a 12-speaker audio system, five USB-C (and one USB-A) ports and more.

It is missing a few items, however, that should be standard, such as a head-up display and wireless device charging. Those features are available as part of an options pack - or 'Enhancement Pack' in Lexus speak.

For $5000 more you get those two things and a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, a more digital instrument cluster and other goodies. 

You can opt for an all-wheel drive version of the 350h and that adds just over $3500 to the price. If you want the same powertrain but more gear then you’ll need to step up to the $110,575 Sports Luxury.

There’s also the petrol-only RX350 in F Sport and Sports Luxury guise, as well as the flagship RX500h F Sport Performance hybrid that tops out at $124,675.

Looking at the opening price of some of its rivals, Lexus has most of them beat.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE300d starts from $144,900, the BMW X5 xDrive30d is $134,900, Porsche Cayenne starts at $138,700 and the Volvo XC90 B5 Ultimate Bright kicks off from $100,990.

Only the Volkswagen Touareg 170TDI ($89,240) and Jaguar F-Pace P250 R-Dynamic ($83,700) are close on price.

The V90 Cross Country is powered by Volvo's (D4204T23) 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbo diesel engine.

It's an all-alloy, direct-injection unit producing 173kW at 4000rpm and 480Nm from 1750-2250rpm.

Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and Volvo's fifth-generation, electronically-controlled all-wheel drive system (including off-road mode).

Powering the RX350h is a series parallel hybrid system consisting of a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a front-mounted motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery. 

Lexus doesn’t provide combined torque outputs for the hybrid, but total power for the system is pegged at 184kW.

This drives the front wheels only via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 5.7L/100km, the V90 CC emitting 149g/km of CO2 in the process.

Despite an standard auto stop-start system, after close to 300km of city, suburban and freeway driving, the on-board read-out settled on an average of 8.8L/100km. Using that number, the 60-litre tank provides a theoretical range of 680km.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure for the RX350h 2WD is 5.0 litres per 100 kilometres, with CO2 emissions of 114g/km. You won’t get figures like that in a petrol or diesel competitor.

Over three weeks of mixed city, country, urban and freeway driving, I recorded 6.8L/100km which is not too bad given some of my spirited driving. The trip computer said 7.0L which is close to my figure.

The RX350h takes premium unleaded petrol and has a 65-litre fuel tank, so expect a range of around 950km based on our real-world consumption number.

From the minute you hit the starter button there's no doubt a diesel engine resides under the V90's bonnet. This iteration of the 2.0-litre twin-turbo hasn't been around all that long, so its rather noisy character comes as a surprise. But once you get past that first impression, selecting D and extending your right ankle results in spirited acceleration.

Volvo claims 0-100km/h in 7.5sec, which is especially quick for a 1.9-tonne wagon, and with a grunty 480Nm of peak torque on tap in the suburban sweet spot - just 1750-2250rpm (with much of it hanging around beyond that), plenty of urge is always available. Continue pressing on and peak power (173kW) arrives at 4000rpm.

Add in slick changes from the eight-speed auto and this Volvo is a sleeper for the traffic light grand prix.

But once you've calmed down and settled into the urban crawl, the V90 CC's relatively patchy ride quality starts to make its presence felt.

It's the smaller bumps, holes and joins that typify urban Aussie roads that upset the V90. Suspension is double wishbone front, with an integral link and transverse leaf spring set-up at the back, and even with the optional air suspension fitted to the rear of our example, the car doesn't lead the pack for ride comfort.

Part of that could be down to the standard 20-inch rims shod with 245/45 Pirelli P Zero rubber. There's plenty of grip available with the variable all-wheel drive system obviously doing its bit to put the power where it's most useful. The electrically-assisted steering points nicely and delivers excellent road feel, but that niggling jiggling is always there. Interesting to note 19-inch alloys are a no-cost option.

Other than the engine sticking its nose in, the cabin is calm and relaxed. The seats feel super firm on first contact, but provide brilliant comfort over lengthy stretches. The brakes are disc all around, ventilated at the front (345mm fr/320mm rr) and the pedal is progressive and confidence inspiring.

Ergonomics are excellent, with the V90's dash and console controls and dials striking a user-friendly balance between screens and conventional buttons. The configurable digital instrument cluster is a stand-out.

The old RX was competent and even nice to drive but not a patch on the likes of the BMW X5. The new-gen RX improves on that in a big way.

It offers solid acceleration from a standing start. Lexus says 8.1sec from 0-100km/h - without giving you chills. The sportiest RX is the 500h Performance hybrid and that covers the same distance in 6.2sec.

The transition from electric power to petrol propulsion is more evident in this model than it was in the LM350h people mover I tested recently - the RX is a little noisier. The CVT doesn’t help this, offering up an uninspiring engine note.

It is, however, a much more fun car to push into tight bends than the previous RX. It remains reasonably flat in corners, and pulls out of tem with ease, but can’t compare to the dynamics of the dearly departed IS sedan.

The 19-inch tyres have large sidewalls and as a result soak up harsh bumps on the road. The non-adaptive suspension is tuned for better dynamism, meaning the ride quality is on the firm side.

The front-wheel drive RX lost traction for a second on a sweeping uphill section of my drive route, but the electronic traction systems otherwise kept the big SUV in check. 

But around town in urban areas, there is very little to complain about behind the wheel of the RX350h.

The RX comes packed with standard safety gear and the SUV was awarded a maximum five-star crash safety rating from ANCAP in 2022.

Just some of the inclusions are auto emergency braking with pedestrian (day/night), cyclist (day/night) and motorcyclist (day) detection, intersection assist, emergency steering assist, driver monitoring, lane keeping aid and lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, blind spot monitor (including stationary) with rear cross-traffic alert and safe exit assist to avoid 'dooring' incidents. 

I must say, Lexus’ (and parent company Toyota’s) driver assistance tech has come a long way.

In the early days of the pandemic during a rare non-lockdown period in Melbourne, I drove from Melbourne to Sydney in the previous-generation Lexus RX200 Sports Luxury.

The lane keeping system and adaptive cruise control were shockingly underdone. The cruise control would simply stop working when you encountered even a slight downhill section. 

Not anymore. The new, smoother lane keeping set-up uses subtle wheel adjustments, unlike the ping pong effect of the previous RX, and the cruise system is now very much in control of the speed.

The Lexus safety suite now operates without too much intervention and is hard to beat among its key rivals.

Volvo offers a three year/unlimited km warranty across its new car model range, including roadside assistance for the duration. Not outstanding when you consider the majority of mainstream brands are now at five years/unlimited km.

But, on the upside, once the warranty runs out, if you have your car serviced at an authorised Volvo dealer each year you receive a 12-month extension to the roadside assist coverage.

Service is recommended every 12 months/15,000km (whichever comes first) with a Volvo Service Plan covering scheduled servicing for the V90 over the first three years or 45,000km for $1895 (inc GST).

The RX350h is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km.

There’s a capped-price servicing plan lasting five years and it will cost $695 per service. That's significantly less than some rivals like the Mercedes GLE.

The RX is covered by the 'Lexus Encore' loyalty program and includes complimentary service loan cars, fuel offers as well as discounts and other offers with Lexus partners.