Lexus NX vs Lexus RX

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
Lexus RX in South Africa

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,642,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus NX vs Lexus RX: the short answer

NX and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

NX starts ZAR 442,300 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · RX from ZAR 1,516,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification NX RX
Maximum Power NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm RX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque NX430 Nm RX430 Nm
Engine Size NX2400 cc RX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy NX12.3 km/l RX11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance NX195 mm RX185 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

RX

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

RX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX RX
Model Introduced Year 2023 2023
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Luxury SUV Luxury SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg 1895-2005 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec NX RX
Length 4660 mm 4890 mm
Width 1865 mm 1920 mm
Height 1670 mm 1695 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 185 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 67.5 l
Boot/Cargo Space 520 l 612 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2370 kg 2590 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.9 m

In depth: how these cars differ

This NX and RX comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: NX 86 vs RX 85.

Efficiency index: NX 49 vs RX 46.

Safety-equipment index: NX 93 vs RX 93.

Practicality index: NX 65 vs RX 75.

Ownership-cover index: NX not separately scored vs RX not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

RX leads by 2 points

NX and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 77 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 70% source coverage
77
#1 Evidence leader

RX

70% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 93
Practicality 75
Leads by 2 points
75
#2

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +1 Efficiency NX +3 Safety Level Practicality RX +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RX

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 75/100

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus RX leads the specification evidence index with 77 pts vs 75 pts for NX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RX leads. However, NX may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

NX
NX
VS
Santa Fe Hybrid
Santa Fe Hybrid
NX vs Santa Fe Hybrid →
NX
NX
VS
bZ4X
bZ4X
NX vs bZ4X →
NX
NX
VS
Tank 500
Tank 500
NX vs Tank 500 →
NX
NX
VS
SEALION 7
SEALION 7
NX vs SEALION 7 →
NX
NX
VS
Touareg
Touareg
NX vs Touareg →
NX
NX
VS
ATTO 8
ATTO 8
NX vs ATTO 8 →
RX
RX
VS
Santa Fe Hybrid
Santa Fe Hybrid
RX vs Santa Fe Hybrid →
RX
RX
VS
bZ4X
bZ4X
RX vs bZ4X →

NX vs RX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.