New 2026 Lexus RX 500 MPG, Dimensions, Pictures  –  For the most part, we’ve got a pretty good standing on the world stage in terms of our politeness and peace-keeping, and our country’s spectacular natural beauty. The Canadians working at the Cambridge, Ont., Lexus assembly plant are also renowned for their vehicle-building prowess, having earned a reputation of outputting some of the best-built machines this brand has to offer.

That Cambridge crew has been particularly busy lately as Lexus’s new RX series has been rolling down the line. The most impressive version of them all is the 2023 Lexus RX 500h, a new range-topping hybrid trim meant to provide its owners equal measure of performance, efficiency, and luxury.  New 2026 Lexus RX 500 MPG

New 2026 Lexus RX 500 Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior and Interior

Surprisingly quick and decently frugal, the RX 500h still doesn’t offer the level of driving engagement that a BMW X5 does – and not just the M version, either. The Lexus’s steering is numb and the RX feels heavy when hustled. Its suspension does a good job of keeping the big wagon on its intended course, but there’s no joy in tackling backroad corners here. Similarly, the brakes offer strong stopping power, but the pedal feel is non-linear, with an inch of initial mush before becoming rock hard, making it difficult to modulate the brakes smoothly.

New 2026 Lexus RX 500 Specs

Those seats are covered in black leather in this tester, but they’re also heated and ventilated both front and rear. There’s an expansive power panoramic sunroof overhead, a heated steering wheel, and multi-zone climate control to keep everyone comfortable, too. The premium audio system comes with satellite radio and 21 speakers for audiophiles, and while the system offered crisp, bright sound, no matter how it was adjusted during this test, it didn’t deliver the fullness of sound that some competitive models offer.

Engine and Performance

What really sets the RX 500h apart from the 350 and 350h models is its emphasis on sportiness. The RX has always toed the Lexus line of prioritizing poshness over performance with sensible, smooth, and luxurious sport utes, but this version aims to step up the sizzle somewhat.

Like the RX 350, the 500h starts with a turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder that’s starting to show up in other Toyota and Lexus models, but adds an elaborate hybrid system including twin electric motor-generators up front, and a high-output electric motor and reduction gearbox in the rear. Altogether, the system generates 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Where the other hybrid RX – the 350h – utilizes a continuously-variable transmission (CVT), the 500h is fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission that gives the power delivery less of a rubber-band feel – although when engaging the gas engine after being in electric-only mode it can be a bit clunky. Nevertheless, combining the immediacy of the electric motors with a torquey turbocharged engine gives the RX 500h a wave of solid energy from just off-idle all the way up through the rev range, providing an urgency not typically associated with Lexus hybrids. It’s sensible, usable power, but it also makes the RX 500h sneaky fast since it’s surprisingly smooth.

New 2026 Lexus RX 500 Fuel Economy

Although the 350h is more fuel-efficient than this performance-focused hybrid system, the 8.7 L/100 km city, 8.4 L/100 km highway, and 8.6 L/100 km combined statistics are still excellent, especially when compared to competitors that just utilize gas, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

Even yet, the computer displayed an overall average of 9.7 L/100 km over several hundred kilometers of varied driving during this test week, which is more than it is rated for despite mild springtime temperatures. The driving was mostly on highways and backroads. Although the tester’s winter tires would contribute to some inefficiency, their influence shouldn’t be too great.  New 2026 Lexus RX 500 MPG

New 2026 Lexus RX 500 Safety Features

Commendably, Lexus fits its comprehensive safety suite to every trim of the RX. This includes pre-collision monitoring including pedestrian, cyclists, and motorcyclist detection, adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic and automatically slows down around curves, plus lane departure warning and steering assist. It’s also got an intersection monitoring system that proved to be hypersensitive to traffic that posed no danger, causing a few distractions when I’d rather not have had them. The rear seat-check reminder posts a note in the driver’s gauge display, but also beeps incessantly when the driver exits the vehicle.

It should also be noted that the adaptive high-beam control on the multi-lens LED headlights is simply awesome. On a dark road, the system blocks out distracting light where the oncoming car is, but keeps everything else brightly illuminated, including the ditches, which is sure to save a lot of hapless animals.  New 2026 Lexus RX 500 MPG

New 2026 Lexus RX 500 Price and Release Date

The Lexus RX 350 begins in the upper $50,000s, while the gas-electric RX 350h starts at $60,000. To get into the RX 500h, a buyer needs to shell out at least $80,000, with this tester featuring an F Sport 3 package, bringing the tally up to over $88,000 including destination charges. At that price point, the RX 500h is facing formidable competitors like the plug-in hybrid BMW X5 that can lower fuel costs by driving roughly 50 km on pure electric power, and offering more power and torque (plus livelier handling) to boot.

Still, optional packages to offer comparable equipment levels to the RX 500h push European competitors well into the six-figure range, leaving the Genesis GV80 as the most serious alternative (although that’s not offered as a hybrid). Adding to the RX 500h’s value is both Lexus’s notable six-year powertrain warranty (eight years for hybrid components) and the brand’s very well established reputation for build quality and longevity.  New 2026 Lexus RX 500 MPG