The most popular Lexus model gets a big boost for 2026
With 52,888 examples sold in the first half of the year, the Lexus RX is still the luxury brand’s most popular model in the United States. Buyers love its laid-back luxury and reputation for reliability, along with the fact that it’s available with multiple trims and no less than four different powertrains.
For the 2026 model year, Lexus has made one major change to the lineup. There’s a new plug-in hybrid version of the RX that is far more affordable than what was available for 2025, opening the door for more buyers who want to get this efficiency-minded version of the crossover.
RX 450h+ Gets New Base Trim
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Lexus
Lexus
The plug-in hybrid variant of the RX is known as the 450h+, and it pairs a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to produce 304 horsepower combined. It’s not quite the quickest RX—that honor is reserved for the 500h—but the 450h+ can still sprint to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, while also achieving 85 MPGe combined and being able to travel on electric power alone for up to 38 miles.
For the 2025 model year, the only 450h+ model came in Luxury guise, which costs $72,610 including the destination charge. For 2026, a new 450h+ Premium goes for $66,680, a whole $5,930 less than before. The 2026 RX 450h+ Luxury remains, but now costs $73,310.
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The Premium specification includes heated and ventilated front seats, NuLuxe upholstery, a 14-inch touchscreen, a heated steering wheel, a 12-speaker sound system, and 21-inch wheels, so the 450h+ Premium is hardly spartan. If you go for the Luxury version, you get additional items like second-row heated seats, semi-aniline leather upholstery, power-adjustable rear seats, and a panorama glass roof.
With the Premium’s lower price, Lexus now has a plug-in hybrid midsize crossover that comfortably undercuts rivals like the BMW X5 xDrive50e, which starts at $75,200. To be fair, the BMW is significantly more powerful (483 hp) and larger overall, but not as efficient (60 MPGe). The RX can also be compared with the BMW X3, since the RX somewhat straddles the compact and midsize segments, but there is no plug-in hybrid version of this BMW.
Lexus RX plug-in hybrid sales were already up 93.3% in the first half of 2025 (3,449 units sold vs. 1,784 in 2024), so the cheaper 450h+ Premium is bound to give it another boost.
Smaller Changes For The Rest Of The RX Lineup
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Elsewhere in the RX lineup, Lexus has made a few smaller additions. Every model now gets wireless phone charging equipped as standard, while there is a new Appearance Package for F Sport Handling and F Sport Performance models.
This package is based on the Black Line Special Edition Package offered for 2025, and includes black elements for the exterior with 21-inch black wheels. Customers can choose from five colors when going for this package: Ultra White, Cloudburst Gray, Iridium, Incognito, and Caviar. Orange brake calipers and a black interior with gray accent stitching complete the look.
Lexus
Another change for 2026 also applies to plug-in hybrid models. These now come standard with a dual-voltage charging cable for either 120V or 240V outlets. A Type 1 socket for home or public charging is included, too.
Including the destination charge, the 2026 Lexus RX now starts at $51,175 for the RX 350 Standard with FWD. The RX 350h hybrid starts at $53,475 and the powerful RX 500h hybrid begins at $66,850.
About the author
Karl Furlong
Senior Editor, Autoblog