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The 2024 Lexus RX350 is a luxury five-seater SUV. Let's see how the RX350 fares as a BabyDrive and put it through our family car testing with child seats and Thule prams.

BabyDrive Verdict

This five-seat luxury SUV is available in three variants: The base Luxury hybrid model costs $90,000, the petrol F-Sport model tested here costs $100,000, and the high-spec Sports Luxury model costs $108,000 (or another $6200 if you want it as a hybrid). Lexus also sells very powerful hybrid F-Sport Performance version for $128,000. These prices exclude stamp duty, rego etc that varies in each state and territory.

The 2024 Lexus RX350 looks chiselled and stylish on the outside, let's see how practical it is for families.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport

The styling inside the RX350 is calm, clutter-free and minimal.

The back of the RX350 has very good storage, and a refillable water bottle, wallet, and iPad will fit in the rear doors.

The rear central seat back has a fold-down armrest with a storage box and cup holders that will hold a reusable coffee cup or kid's drink cup.

There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold and conceal an iPad and USB-C charging sockets in the back of the central console box.

In the front, the central console provides good storage with two cup holders, a phone charging tray and central console storage box that you can open from either side.

The glove box is a practical-size and there is a glasses case in the ceiling and door bin storage too.

Storage in the 2024 Lexus RX350's boot is very practical for family use. The boot floor is nice, flat and carpeted for emergency nappy changes, and comfortable for a medium-sized family dog to travel in.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for dogs with two rows of seats in use

When empty, the 2024 Lexus RX350's boot holds seventeen shopping bags, which is comparable to the Audi Q7 and Genesis GV80 which both also hold seventeen shopping bags. The BMW X5 holds sixteen and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe holds fifteen.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for shopping with two rows of seats in use

When using all three rows of seats, the Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…

Thule Sleek

…will fit in the Lexus RX350 boot with two shopping bags.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for shopping with single stroller pram if two rows of seats are in use

The Thule Urban Glide 2 single is the ultimate all-terrain stroller…

Thule Urban Glide 3

…with the back wheels on, it will fit in the 2024 Lexus RX350 boot with eight shopping bags.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for shopping with single stroller pram if two rows of seats are in use

The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…

Thule Spring

… fits in the boot of the 2024 Lexus RX350 with eleven shopping bags.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for shopping with compact pram if two rows of seats are in use

You can also fit two 90L Thule Chasm duffle bags and two 40L Thule Chasm duffle bags in the boot of the Lexus RX350.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport boot space for luggage with two rows of seats in use

When it comes to installing child seats in the 2024 Lexus RX350 …

…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are not within plastic guides, but they are nice and easy to connect to.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport ISOFIX child seat anchorages in the second row

All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled, within plastic guides, and easily located through the boot.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport top tether child seat anchorages in the second row

Three child seats fit really comfortably across the second row of the 2024 Lexus RX350. It's a really spacious back seat so different combinations of forward-facing and a rear-facing child seats fit well.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport with three child seats installed in the second row

With a rear-facing infant capsule in the second row, we could fit a 180cm driver in front of it. Or, with a forward-facing child seat in the second row, we could fit a 186cm driver in front.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport with three child seats installed in the second row

Rear passengers are kept comfortable in the RX350 with built-in window blinds to keep rear passengers shaded from the sun while driving along.

Air conditioning vents in the back of the central console box allow you to keep rear passengers a comfortable temperature while driving along and the temperature controls there too.

The Lexus RX350's media system is modern and easy to use. You navigate around it using the bar down the right of the screen.

The RX350 has an in-built Sat Nav.

You can easily adjust the sound, which is a great feature for families with noise-sensitive kids.

Within the media screen, you can customise the driver assist settings to your preference and change the drive mode.

The Lexus RX350 has Apple CarPlay, so you can access your phone, music and Apps while driving.

You adjust the climate and control your seat ventilation easily at the bottom of the screen. These controls stay here so they are easy to use while driving.

When you put it in reverse, the camera images are excellent quality and clear. You can turn the parking sensors off on the bottom left on the screen.

The 2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport is a lovely car to drive. Being a luxury vehicle, you are cocooned from a lot of the road and wind noise, which makes the drive less tiring. It feels solid on the road and the sturdy steering wheel gives a sense of confidence too.

2024 Lexus RX350 F-Sport

The 2024 Lexus RX350 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and has eight airbags as standard.

Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags, as well as a driver knee airbag, are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.

Emma Sleep advert

 

BabyDrive Indepth

 

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Tace Clifford
About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.

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