Used Lexus RX 2016-2022 reliability
Category: Luxury SUV
A comfortable and very reliable alternative to the usual luxury SUVs, the Lexus RX is well worth considering.
What should I look for in a used Lexus RX 4x4?
We haven’t heard of any serious problems affecting the RX – so there’s nothing specific you need to be looking out for when checking your prospective purchase over.
However, do keep an eye on the usual things. For example, the RX is quite a big car, and it’s quite hard to tell where it ends from the driver’s seat; every model has parking sensors, but still, it’s worth checking the bodywork and wheels for scuffs or grazes.
If you're looking for information on the older model, click here for our used review of the 2003-2009 Lexus RX or here for the 2000-2003 Lexus RX.
What are the most common problems with a used Lexus RX 4x4?
Passenger airbag
There has been one recall for this generation of Lexus RX that applies to those made from the start of production up until 13 June 2016, where the passenger airbag might only partially inflate during a collision. Your Lexus dealer will be able to confirm if your car is affected and will replace the airbag for you if it is.
Is a used Lexus RX 4x4 reliable?
The Lexus RX of this generation finished first out of 16 cars in the luxury car class in our most recent reliability survey, with a score of 97.9%.
Reliability rating 97.9%
Most common faults: bodywork 7%, air-con 4%, non-engine electrics 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 100% one day or less
A truly luxurious SUV, the previous-generation Lexus RX has a refined, well-appointed interior, incredibly comfortable seats and punchy performance. However, unlike its German rivals, it was not offered in conventional petrol or diesel form, it could only be had as a petrol or hybrid model.
The 450h hybrid is a far better bet than the thirsty 200t petrol, because it has an official average fuel economy figure of 47.9mpg, which is better than most five-seat diesel SUVs can muster. It's also impressively well-built inside and out, and although a few of the materials are a little low-rent, and some of the switchgear is shared with lesser Toyotas, on the whole, the effect is upmarket enough, if not quite up there with the best luxury SUVs.
Its reliability record is strong, too. Even though many of the cars reported on will have exceeded their new car warranty period, only 7% of vehicles suffered any issues. All problems were put right in a day or less, and at no cost to the owners.
Lexus, as a brand, finished in an uncharacteristically low ninth place out of 30 manufacturers in our most recent survey.
Reliability rating 94.2%
Toyota's premium brand, Lexus, has dropped to ninth place this year, due to battery issues that have plagued the LBX. A whopping 61% of LBX owners said their car had suffered a failure, and 54% of those involved that battery.
In response to our findings, Lexus has stated that the problem concerns a "run of affected batteries" and that any LBX owner who experiences a problem or takes their car in for a routine service will have the battery checked and replaced for free if necessary.
Other Lexus models, including the NX, RX and UX, all achieved scores of 94% or higher and didn't have any significant shortcomings. Twenty-one percent of the cars we were told about had an issue, but 99% were fixed for free by Lexus, and 64% of faults were sorted out within a day.
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If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.
