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Lexus RX SUV (2016-2022) interior, tech and comfort

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Comfort rating: 4 out of 54.0

Written by Tom Wiltshire Updated: 6 March 2023

High-quality interior
Superbly comfortable seats
Infotainment lets the side down

The RX’s interior is, by and large, a very pleasant place in which to spend time. Everything’s covered in plush leather and the seat adjustment is all-electric, so it’s easy to sort yourself out once you jump behind the wheel.

A few of the materials seem like odd choices, especially the ugly faux-wood steering wheel you’ll find on some models. But build quality is up there with the very best, and the interior totally free of any shakes or rattles.

You also still get a reassuring number of physical controls, including an exhaustive array on the steering wheel, a full climate control panel, a few stereo controls and a dial to adjust the driving modes.

Infotainment and technology

We’re less enamoured by the RX’s infotainment system, which isn’t the same as employed in newer Lexuses like the NX. Put simply, it’s awful – old-fashioned and difficult to navigate. Compared to the touchscreen systems you’ll find in competitors like the Audi Q7 or Range Rover Sport, the Lexus does not hold up.

Early models came with a weird little nubbin which you used to move an onscreen mouse pointer. This was later updated to a computer-style trackpad, which improved matters but didn’t solve the issue. In the car’s 2020 facelift, the infotainment screen was touch-enabled and brought closer to the driver, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto went some way towards addressing the awful standard interface.

Comfort

Lexus seats are among the most comfortable in the business – they’re not overly supportive in corners but provide excellent back support and they’re nice and wide for larger drivers.

Multi-way adjustment to both seat and steering wheel means it should be pretty easy for drivers of all sizes to get comfortable, and the seats are heated and even ventilated on higher trim levels.

That comfort extends to the rear bench, too, while refinement is excellent – the engine is hushed, especially around town and plenty of sound deadening and acoustic glass reduces wind and tyre noise to a whisper.