2026 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance Review: It’s a very nice Lexus, but not quite what its name suggests

February 15, 2026February 15, 2026 Bruce Newton 861 Views 0 Comments Lexus, Lexus RX 500h review, RX 500h

The Lexus RX premium SUV has always been about polished restraint rather than chest-beating performance.

Enter the RX 500h F Sport Performance — the most powerful, most expensive RX ever sold in Australia. A turbocharged petrol engine, twin electric motors and Lexus’s Direct4 all-wheel drive promise 273kW and 550Nm.

On paper, it sounds like Lexus’s answer to AMG Lite.

In reality, it feels like a very good luxury hybrid. In 2026, is that enough?

2026 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance price and equipment

At $131,100 plus on-road costs, the RX 500h sits at the top of the RX range.

That puts it into serious territory. I mean, we are only months away from the launch of the groundbreaking BMW iX3 EV and it’s going to be in this sort of price range.

Under the bonnet of the RX is a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with two electric motors — one front, one rear — creating an e-AWD system Lexus calls Direct4. Combined output is 273kW/550Nm.

But here’s the critical detail: it runs a small nickel-metal hydride battery.

Not lithium-ion. Not plug-in. Not designed for meaningful EV-only driving.

It’s a but yesyterday really..

Cabin equipment is generous: 14-inch touchscreen, digital cluster, head-up display, heated and ventilated sports seats, tri-zone climate, 21-inch wheels and Michelin rubber.

You even get a space saver spare, which feels almost rebellious in an electrified SUV.

Warranty is five years/unlimited kilometres. Servicing is annual and fixed at $695 per visit for five years.

2026 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance: What we think

Let’s get this out of the way: this is a very good Lexus.

It has been since its 2023 launch. The packaga ehas remained pretty much unchanged since then bar a few minor equipment, tuning and NVH tweaks.

Speaking of which, it is exceptionally quiet. It rides beautifully. It feels expensive and carefully assembled. The sports seats look aggressive but remain plush. The adaptive dampers prioritise composure over drama.

And that’s the point.

Despite the F Sport Performance badge, this is not an emotional performance SUV. It’s a refined hybrid with strong torque delivery.

The electric motors smooth out throttle response beautifully. There’s no hesitation, no laggy turbo feel. It surges forward cleanly and predictably.

But at 2160kg, it never feels urgent. It feels substantial.

Rear-wheel steering improves low-speed manoeuvrability, and Direct4 apportions torque neatly, but there’s no escaping the mass. Steering weight increases in Sport mode, yet feedback doesn’t meaningfully improve.

The result is quick progress without excitement.

Which raises the question: who exactly is this car for?

Because if you want genuine performance theatre, German rivals deliver more edge. If you want genuine electrified capability, plug-in hybrids and EVs deliver more relevance.

On test, fuel consumption came in at 10.6L/100km. Lexus claims 6.5L/100km.

That’s not a small gap.

It underlines what the RX 500h really is: a petrol SUV with hybrid assistance, not an electrified SUV that happens to have petrol backup.

The small NiMH battery can’t sustain EV driving for long. You glide silently at low speeds and creep through traffic electrically, but there’s no meaningful electric range to speak of.

In the same showroom sits the Lexus RX 450h+, with a lithium-ion battery capable of roughly 80km of EV driving in the real world. That changes daily usage patterns. That changes fuel bills. That changes the ownership experience.

The 500h doesn’t change anything fundamental. It simply smooths the petrol experience.

In 2026, at $130K+, that feels conservative

All that said, Lexus understands its audience.

The RX 500h delivers superb cabin isolation, generous rear-seat space, a genuinely comfortable ride even on 21-inch wheels, strong boot capacity (612L), solid storage and thoughtful detailing

Driver aids are relatively easy to tame, and they’re not overly intrusive to begin with. The hybrid system is seamless. The whole car feels engineered to remove stress from the driving equation.

There are some irritations: a fussy gear selector, complex instrument cluster controls, and an infotainment interface that still trails the best systems.

2026 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance: Verdict

The RX 500h F Sport Performance isn’t bad.

It’s very good at what it chooses to be.

The question is whether that’s enough.

In a premium market pivoting toward plug-in hybrids and full EVs, a non-plug hybrid flagship feels slightly out of time. It delivers comfort and smoothness in spades — but limited electrified substance.

If you want a true electrified RX experience, the 450h+ makes more sense.

If you want performance theatre, the Germans still lead.

If you want a supremely refined, fast luxury SUV that avoids extremes and feels reassuringly Lexus, the RX 500h will absolutely satisfy.

It just doesn’t feel like the future.

SCORE: 3.0/5

2026 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance price and specifications

Price: $131,100 plus on-road costs
Basics: Hybrid, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, AWD
Fuel use: 6.5L/100km (ADR)
Battery capacity: Nickel-metal hydride (capacity not officially quoted)
Drivetrain: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol 202kW/460Nm + 64kW/292Nm front motor + 75.9kW/168.5Nm rear motor
Combined output: 273kW/550Nm
AC charging: NA
DC charging: NA
0–100km/h: 6.2 seconds