Lexus LX 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 LX in South Africa

Lexus LX

LX 500d F SPORT Diesel Automatic 10-speed
ZAR 2,687,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 225 kW 🔧 700 Nm ⛽ 11.9 km/l
VS
Lexus RX in South Africa

Lexus RX

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance LX
Fuel Economy LX
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality LX
🔑 Ownership Tie
RX starts ZAR 2687500 cheaper LX from ZAR 2,687,500 · RX from ZAR 1,516,500

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec LX RX
Engine Power 225 kW 205 kW
Torque 700 Nm 430 Nm
Engine Size 3300 cc 2400 cc
Claimed Mileage 11.9 km/l 11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 205 mm 185 mm
Boot / Load Bay 1109 l 612 l
Airbags Side,Knee,Curtain,Driver,Passenger Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee,Passenger Seat Cushion
Kerb Weight 2670 kg 1895-2005 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 7 years / 100,000km 7 years / 105,000km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both LX and RX are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance LX +13 pts
Efficiency LX +1 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality LX +11 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

LX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

RX

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

LX

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

RX

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec LX RX
Model Introduced Year 2022 2023
Generation Fourth-generation Lexus LX flagship body-on-frame SUV Fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV
Facelift History Current range adds LX 700h hybrid and Overtrail grades while retaining LX 500d diesel choices Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Launched Since Current range adds LX 700h hybrid and Overtrail grades while retaining LX 500d diesel choices 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
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec LX RX
Ground Clearance 205 mm 185 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2850 mm
Length 5090 mm 4890 mm
Width 1990 mm 1920 mm
Height 1895 mm 1695 mm
Kerb Weight 2670 kg 1895-2005 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 3280 kg 2590 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 1109 l 612 l
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 2000 kg
Front Track Width 1675 mm 1655 mm
Rear Track Width 1675 mm 1695 mm
Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.9 m
Load Bed Length 1109 l 612 l
Load Bed Width - -
Number of Doors 5 5
Max Payload 610 kg 585-695 kg
Boot Volume 1109 l 612 l
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 67.5 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 3280 kg 2590 kg
Ground Clearance Max 205 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Min 205 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 205 mm 185 mm
Height Mm 1895 mm 1695 mm
Length Mm 5090 mm 4890 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 1109 l 612 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 610 kg 585-695 kg
Cargo Volume 1109 l 612 l
Tare Mass Kg 2670 kg 1895-2005 kg
Turning Circle 6.0 m 5.9 m
Turning Circle M 6.0 m 5.9 m
Width Mm 1990 mm 1920 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

LX leads by 6 points

Both LX and RX are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 85 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 75% confidence
85
#1 Winner

LX

75% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 98
Efficiency 47
Safety 94
Practicality 84
Ownership 93
Leads by 6 points
79
#2

RX

79% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 94
Practicality 73
Ownership 93
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance LX +13 Efficiency LX +1 Safety Level Practicality LX +11 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

LX

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 84/100
Ownership 93/100

RX

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 93/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Lexus LX wins with 85 pts vs 79 pts for RX

In structured scoring, LX emerges as the stronger overall package. However, RX may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the LX edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: LX 47 vs RX 46. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: LX 94, RX 94. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: LX 93, RX 93. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: LX 84, RX 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: LX 98, RX 85. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The LX edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The LX scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between LX and RX in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: LX scores 98 vs 85.

Efficiency: LX scores 47 vs 46.

Safety: LX scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: LX scores 84 vs 73.

Ownership: LX scores 93 vs 93.

Final structured scoring gives LX the advantage in this comparison.