The Lexus RX 350h is the luxury SUV for people who spend more time in traffic than on empty highways. At Rs 89.99 lakh ex-showroom for the Exquisite grade, it costs less than a BMW X5, Mercedes GLE or Volvo XC90, it is a strong hybrid that can creep through town on electric power, and Lexus backs it with an 8-year, 160,000km warranty. The trade-offs are real: it seats only five, it sounds strained when you floor it, and it is no off-roader. If those don’t bother you, the RX 350h is one of the most rational ways to spend Rs 1 crore on an SUV in India.
Lexus RX 350h price in India and variants
Lexus sells the RX in India in two powertrains. The RX 350h is the one most buyers should look at, and since December 2025 it comes in a single grade called Exquisite, which replaced the earlier Luxury trim.
| Variant | Ex-showroom price | Audio |
| RX 350h Exquisite | Rs 89.99 lakh | 12-speaker Lexus audio |
| RX 350h Exquisite with Mark Levinson | Rs 93.40 lakh (Rs 92.02 lakh at the December 2025 launch) | 21-speaker Mark Levinson |
| RX 500h F-Sport+ | Rs 1.09 crore (December 2025 launch price) | 21-speaker Mark Levinson |
Sources: Lexus India Exquisite launch release (3 December 2025) and Lexus India RX 350h model page (checked 21 October 2026). Confirm the final price with your Lexus dealer, because the Mark Levinson figure has already moved once.
For context, the RX 350h launched in India in April 2023 at Rs 95.80 lakh. Lexus cut its price by up to Rs 2.10 lakh from 22 September 2025 when the GST rates changed, and the Exquisite grade brought the entry point below Rs 90 lakh for the first time.
What powers the RX 350h
This is a full hybrid, not a mild hybrid with a token starter-generator. The numbers below are from Lexus India’s specification sheet.
| Lexus RX 350h | |
| Engine | 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, 137kW (186PS), 238Nm |
| Front electric motor | 134kW, 270Nm |
| Rear electric motor | 40kW, 121Nm |
| Total system output | 181kW (246PS) |
| Battery | Nickel-metal hydride, 259.2V |
| Gearbox | e-CVT |
| Drive | All-wheel drive (rear motor drives the rear axle) |
| 0-100kph (claimed) | 7.9 seconds |
| Top speed | 200kph |
| Claimed fuel efficiency | 18.6kmpl (as listed by Autocar India) |
Two things matter here for Indian driving. First, the front motor alone produces 270Nm, which is why the RX feels so responsive from a standstill in traffic. Second, the rear motor gives it all-wheel drive without a propshaft, which helps traction on wet roads but does not make it an off-roader.
How the Lexus RX 350h drives
Autocar India’s road test found the RX at its best in the part of the rev range most Indian owners will actually use. Throttle response is instant and it pulls strongly at part throttle. In town it moves with a quiet, electric-assisted shove, and to us that makes a turbo-petrol German SUV feel slightly fussy by comparison.
Push it hard and the picture changes. Floor it and the engine flares up and sounds strained, a familiar CVT-hybrid trait, and Autocar India called full-throttle acceleration disappointing for the price. The 7.9-second 0-100kph claim is respectable. It just doesn’t feel that quick with the engine shouting at you.
The ride is mostly a strength. The car Autocar India tested rode on 21-inch wheels with adaptive dampers and felt supple over broken roads, but deep potholes produced a thud and some body movement over rough patches. Sport mode firms things up without making the ride harsh. The steering is quick and accurate, and the RX feels more agile than its size suggests. Rear-wheel steering is reserved for the RX 500h.
Our view: this is a car to waft in. If your daily route is Gurugram to Noida in peak traffic, the RX 350h is close to ideal. If you want a sporty SUV for weekend drives up the ghats, an X5 will put a bigger smile on your face.
Cabin, space and features
The cabin is where the RX feels expensive. Autocar India praised the wood panelling, soft leather and solid build, and the 14-inch central touchscreen is far easier to use than older Lexus systems with their fiddly touchpad controller.
Standard equipment on the RX 350h Exquisite, per Lexus India, includes:
- Panoramic glass roof with a powered sunshade
- Full-colour head-up display
- 10-way power front seats with memory
- Heated and ventilated seats in the front and the rear
- Three-zone climate control, wireless charger and multi-colour ambient lighting
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- E-latch electronic door handles
- 21-inch wheels
The rear seat is the RX’s quiet strength. It is big and airy, with good thigh support and a reclining backrest, according to Autocar India. Heated and ventilated rear seats are rarer in this segment than they should be, and on a 44-degree afternoon in Delhi they make a real difference. The panoramic roof does let in heat, though Lexus fits a powered sunshade. Our guide to panoramic sunroofs in Indian heat covers that trade-off in detail.
A few things to live with:
- Only five seats. The Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 both seat seven at similar money. If you need a third row even occasionally, the RX is out.
- The centre console is wide, which makes the lower half of the cabin feel narrower than the car’s 1,920mm width suggests.
- The steering wheel touch controls take time to learn.
- Boot space depends on who you ask. Lexus India quotes 612 litres. Autocar India’s review put the figure at 460 litres and found the boot wide but not the biggest in its class. Measurement methods differ, so check it with your own luggage.
Safety and driver assistance
The RX 350h gets eight airbags and the Lexus Safety System+ suite. Lexus India lists dynamic radar cruise control that works down to a standstill, lane tracing assist, lane departure alert, blind spot monitor, pre-collision system, adaptive high beams and a 360-degree panoramic view monitor. Safe Exit Assist checks for approaching traffic, cyclists included, before letting the e-latch doors open. That is genuinely useful on Indian streets, where scooters squeeze past parked cars all day.
Lexus RX 350h vs BMW X5 vs Mercedes GLE vs Volvo XC90 vs Audi Q7
| Car | Ex-showroom price | Seats | Powertrain |
| Lexus RX 350h Exquisite | Rs 89.99 lakh | 5 | 2.5 petrol strong hybrid, AWD |
| Audi Q7 | Rs 87.17 lakh to Rs 96.15 lakh | 7 | 3.0 turbo-petrol, quattro |
| BMW X5 | From Rs 96.90 lakh | 5 | 3.0 petrol or diesel, xDrive |
| Volvo XC90 B5 | Rs 98.80 lakh | 7 | 2.0 turbo-petrol mild hybrid, AWD |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE | From Rs 1 crore | 5 | 2.0 or 3.0 diesel, 3.0 petrol, 4MATIC |
Rival prices from Autocar India’s model listings, updated 8 to 18 October 2026. Lexus price from Lexus India.
The pattern is clear. The RX undercuts the X5, GLE and XC90 by Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh before options, and it is the only car here with a strong hybrid. The X5 is the better driver’s car and has a far wider service network. The GLE has more badge pull and a diesel option. The Q7 and XC90 give you seven seats. What the RX gives you instead is lower fuel bills in city use and an 8-year factory warranty.
If you are torn between the X5, GLE and Q7 specifically, our BMW X5 vs Mercedes GLE vs Audi Q7 comparison goes deeper on those three.
Ownership: warranty, service and resale
This is the RX’s trump card. New Lexus models sold in India from 1 June 2024 carry an 8-year, 160,000km vehicle warranty, which Lexus India describes as the first of its kind in the luxury segment, plus five years of roadside assistance. Lexus also sells Luxury Care service packages in three tiers (Comfort, Relax and Premiere), each available for 3 years/60,000km, 5 years/100,000km or 8 years/160,000km. Lexus India’s Smart Ownership Plan adds financing with a guaranteed future value, so ask your dealer for that number in writing before you sign.
An eight-year warranty changes the maths on a luxury SUV. Ask the German dealers what their standard warranty covers and what it costs to stretch it to eight years. That difference is part of the RX’s real price advantage. Autocar India also expected the RX’s service and spare-parts costs to stay low. For the bigger picture on how Lexus compares with the German brands over the long haul, see our post on the most reliable luxury car brands in India.
The catch is reach. Lexus’s network in India is much smaller than BMW’s or Mercedes’, so check the distance to your nearest Lexus service centre before you commit, especially if you live outside the big metros.
Buyers seem to agree with the overall pitch. Lexus India says the RX grew 18% in calendar year 2025 and accounted for 22% of its total sales.
RX 350h or RX 500h?
The RX 500h F-Sport+ costs about Rs 19.5 lakh more than the base RX 350h. For that you get a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol hybrid with 371PS, a six-speed automatic in place of the CVT, rear-wheel steering, Lexus’s DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system and a 0-100kph claim of 6.2 seconds. It fixes the 350h’s one real dynamic weakness, the strained engine note under hard acceleration.
It also costs more than an X5 at that point, and the fuel efficiency advantage shrinks (Autocar India lists 14.7kmpl for the 500h). Our advice: buy the RX 500h only if you genuinely enjoy driving fast. For everyone else, the RX 350h Exquisite is the better car for the money, and the Rs 3.41 lakh Mark Levinson upgrade is worth it only if music matters to you.
Verdict: should you buy the Lexus RX 350h?
Buy it if you drive mostly in the city, you value a quiet cabin and a comfortable rear seat, you plan to keep the car for six to eight years, and you want lower running costs than a German petrol SUV. The 8-year warranty makes it one of the safest long-term bets in the segment.
Look elsewhere if you need seven seats (Q7 or XC90), you want a sporty drive (X5), you do serious off-roading, or your nearest Lexus workshop is a long drive away.
You can see current RX prices and variants on Motozite’s Lexus RX page, or browse pre-owned luxury SUVs listed on Motozite if you’d rather buy used. If you prefer a sedan with the same hybrid philosophy, our Lexus ES 300h review is the natural next read.
FAQ
What is the price of the Lexus RX 350h in India?
The Lexus RX 350h Exquisite costs Rs 89.99 lakh ex-showroom with Lexus audio. The version with the 21-speaker Mark Levinson system is listed at Rs 93.40 lakh on Lexus India’s website. On-road prices are higher and vary by state, so ask a Lexus dealer for a city-specific quote.
What is the mileage of the Lexus RX 350h?
Autocar India lists a claimed fuel efficiency of 18.6kmpl for the RX 350h. Because it is a strong hybrid, it is most efficient in slow city traffic, where it can run on electric power for short stretches. Real-world figures will be lower on fast highway runs.
Is the Lexus RX 350h a 7-seater?
No. The RX 350h sold in India is a five-seater. If you need a third row in this price band, the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 are seven-seat alternatives.
Does the Lexus RX 350h need to be plugged in?
No. The RX 350h is a self-charging hybrid. Its nickel-metal hydride battery is charged by the engine and by regenerative braking, so there is no charging cable and no need for a home charger.
What warranty does the Lexus RX come with in India?
Lexus India offers an 8-year, 160,000km vehicle warranty on new models sold from 1 June 2024, plus five years of roadside assistance. Terms and coverage details are in the warranty manual, so check them with your dealer.
Lexus RX 350h or BMW X5: which should I buy?
Choose the RX 350h if you want lower running costs, a calmer drive and an 8-year factory warranty for less money. Choose the X5 if you enjoy driving, want a diesel option or need a wider service network. The X5 starts at Rs 96.90 lakh ex-showroom, around Rs 7 lakh more than the RX 350h.
