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 10-Speed Automatic Current
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 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 LX vs Lexus RX: the short answer

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

RX starts ZAR 1,171,000 cheaper LX from ZAR 2,687,500 · RX from ZAR 1,516,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification LX RX
Maximum Power LX225 kW @ 4000 rpm RX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque LX700 Nm RX430 Nm
Engine Size LX3300 cc RX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy LX11.9 km/l RX11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance LX205 mm RX185 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

LX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

RX

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

LX

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

RX

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

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
Tare Mass Kg 2670 kg 1895-2005 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec LX RX
Length 5090 mm 4890 mm
Width 1990 mm 1920 mm
Height 1895 mm 1695 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 205 mm 185 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 110 l 67.5 l
Boot/Cargo Space 1109 l 612 l
Kerb Weight 2670 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3280 kg 2590 kg
Payload Capacity 610 kg -
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6 m 5.9 m

In depth: how these cars differ

This LX 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: LX 98 vs RX 85.

Efficiency index: LX 47 vs RX 46.

Safety-equipment index: LX 93 vs RX 93.

Practicality index: LX 84 vs RX 75.

Ownership-cover index: LX 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

LX leads by 6 points

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

Evidence leader 83 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 69% source coverage
83
#1 Evidence leader

LX

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 98
Efficiency 47
Safety 93
Practicality 84
Leads by 6 points
77
#2

RX

70% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 93
Practicality 75
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 +9

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

LX

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

RX

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus LX leads the specification evidence index with 83 pts vs 77 pts for RX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, LX leads. However, RX 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.

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LX vs GX →
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LX vs RZ →
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RX vs GX →
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Land Cruiser 300
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RX vs Land Cruiser 300 →

LX 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.