2021 Lexus RX L

Lexus, Toyota’s upscale sub-brand, is among the few luxury automakers that successfully merges technologically-advanced designs with consistently great reliability. Interiors are quiet and finished with finely-crafted materials. The engines are generally smooth and powerful. Many of its cars and SUVs are available with more fuel-efficient hybrid powertrains. Lexus continues to sell sedans, with its ES, IS, and top-shelf LS models. Most of its SUVs have done well in our testing, including the NX, RX, and TX. The brand’s first all-electric vehicle, the RZ, is a luxury version of the Toyota bZ4X EV. Lexus also sells two-door coupes and convertibles, the RC and LC. Multiple Lexus models have earned Consumer Reports’ recommendation for used cars.

Lexus has rolled out a three-row version of its RX, creating an alternative to customers who might otherwise buy an Acura MDX. The L has the comfortable ride, slick powertrain, and the good fit and finish of the standard-length RX, but it also gets the original’s clumsy handling and distracting controls. The standard RX L configuration seats seven; the optional second-row captain’s chairs limit seating to six. A single lever folds and slides the second-row seat forward, allowing a tiny path to the third row from either side. But that seat is tiny, and best for grade-school children; buyers will enjoy the extra cargo room more than the added seats. The L also comes as a hybrid, and all versions have the standard Lexus Safety System+, which includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic braking are optional, standard starting from 2021. 2022 is the final year for the RX L.