2024 LEXUS NX 350 & RX 350 VS MERCEDES, ACURA, INFINITI & LINCOLN SUVS

Lexus SUVS vs Competition

Lexus offers an expansive lineup of versatile and luxurious SUVs with the latest advances in technology and safety. Owning a Lexus SUV means owning a vehicle with outstanding reliability and resale value - a smart choice for buyers looking to maximize value. While the competition remains fierce, Metro Lexus has assembled this guide which compares Lexus against Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Infiniti, and Lincoln. See exactly how the competition measures up and browse our inventory of Lexus SUVs.


JD Power Awards

Advantages of Owning a Lexus SUV

No matter which Lexus SUV you choose, there are exceptional benefits to owning a Lexus that make driving that much more rewarding.

  1. Bringing your vehicle in for service shouldn't take everything out of you. Every new Lexus comes with complimentary first and second scheduled maintenance services. These services are provided at 6 months/5,000 miles and 12 months/10,000 miles. Both Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti do not offer complimentary scheduled maintenance.
  2. Driving a Lexus SUV means you're driving one of the most dependable vehicles on the road today. In fact, the competition from Mercedes-Benz, INFINITI, Acura, and Lincoln were unable to outperform Lexus in the 2023 J.D. POWER U.S. VEHICLE DEPENDABILITY STUDY**. Lexus has stood atop the competition and remains the best choice for SUV shoppers searching for long-lasting quality.

Lexus SUVs vs Mercedes-Benz SUVs

2024 Lexus NX 350h VS 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MOTION

LEXUS NX 350h MERCEDES-BENZ GLA 250 4MOTION

2024 Lexus NX 350h

VS

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4MOTION

$44,615* MSRP $39,500*
240 ✓ Horsepower 221
41 / 37 / 39 ✓ Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined) 23 / 32 / 26
22.7 cubic feet ✓ Cargo Space (behind 2nd row) 15.4 cubic feet
9.8 inches, 14 inches optional ✓ Touchscreen size 7 inches, 10.25 optional
Standard ✓ Heated Seats Optional
10, 17 optional ✓ Speakers 6, 12 optional
Standard ✓ Hands-Free Parking Assist Optional

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Luxury compact SUVs are big business these days, and so for our first comparison we're going to see how the Mercedes-Benz GLA stacks up against the NX. Right from the start, a major advantage of choosing the NX is the wide selection of powertrain options. That means there's a hybrid version of the Lexus that we can compare to the GLA for a very similar price. You get a bit more power with the NX 350h, but drastically better fuel economy. That difference will erase the sticker price advantage of the Mercedes pretty quickly.

The Lexus gives you a real practicality advantage, with a standard hands-free parking system to make on-street parking easier, and quite a noticeable amount of extra cargo space. Inside, you'll find that the NX has a bigger touchscreen, much bigger, whether you're looking at the standard offerings or the optional ones. Similarly, whether looking at the standard or premium choices for stereo systems, the Lexus has a notable advantage. Surprisingly, heated seats aren't standard on the GLA, but the good news for those Ohio winters is that they are on the NX.

2023 Lexus GX 460 VS 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC

Lexus GX 460 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC

2023 Lexus GX 460

VS

2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC

$57,575* ✓ MSRP $63,800*
4.6-liter V8 ✓ Engine 2.0-liter I4
301 HP / 329LB-FT TQ ✓ Horsepower / Torque 255 HP / 273LB-FT TQ
46.7 cubic feet ✓ Cargo Space (behind 2nd row) 33.3 cubic feet
Optional ✓ Air Suspension Not Available
8.1 inches ✓ Ground Clearance 7.1 inches
Standard ✓ Crawl Control Not Available

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Midsize SUVs are usually where you expect to find a bit of off-road capability. In fact, the G in the Mercedes-Benz GLE stands for "Gelandewagen", German for cross-country vehicle. So we figured it would be perfect to match up against the Lexus GX. Despite the similar pricing, the Lexus has a huge advantage right from the start with its powerplant. Not just more powerful overall, the 4.6-liter V8 will give you the kind of low-end power that is much more useful off-road than what you get from a turbocharged four-cylinder. Air suspension is available for the GX as well, giving you a smoother rider on or off the road.

The GX comes with noticeably more cargo space, always a good thing to have if you're going adventuring. An extra inch of ground clearance and crawl control round things out for the GX. While the GLE does have an off-road mode, it just isn't built into the vehicle the way it is with the GX. And that's quite literal, the body-on-frame construction of the Lexus is far more rugged than that of the unibody GLE.


Lexus SUVs vs Acura SUVs

2024 Lexus NX 350h VS 2024 Acura RDX

Lexus NX 350h Acura RDX AWD

2024 Lexus NX 350h

VS

2024 Acura RDX AWD

$44,615* ✓ MSRP $45,245*
240 Horsepower 272
41 / 37 / 39 ✓ Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined) 21 / 27 / 23
2,000 lbs ✓ Max Towing Capacity 1,500 lbs
9.8 inches, 14 inches optional ✓ Infotainment Touchscreen Size 10.2 inches
Optional ✓ Digital Rearview Mirror Not Available
Standard ✓ Hands-Free Parking Assist Not Available

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Acura's compact RDX comes in at almost exactly the same price as the Lexus NX 350h, which is part of what makes it so important to note that that price includes a highly advanced hybrid system on the Lexus, but not on the Acura. This is why you see such a huge difference in fuel economy, something that will add up to a much bigger price difference over time. The Acura does have a bit more horsepower, although this somehow doesn't add up to a better towing capacity.

Some of the equipment found on the NX isn't available at all on the RDX, such as the parking assist, or the digital rearview mirror, both of which are a huge help with parking in cramped spaces, something compact luxury SUV owners frequently have to do. The one infotainment screen option on the RDX is a good size, very slightly larger than the one found in the NX, but unlike the RDX, the NX has an option for a bigger one, which is actually standard on several trims. At 14 inches, this screen makes navigation and accessing your vehicle's functions much easier.

2024 Lexus RX 350 VS 2024 Acura MDX

Lexus RX 350 Acura MDX

2024 Lexus RX 350

VS

2024 Acura MDX

$49,950* ✓ MSRP $51,045*
275 HP / 317LB-FT TQ ✓ Horsepower / Torque 290 HP / 267LB-FT TQ
22 / 29 / 25 ✓ Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined) 19 / 26 / 22
12 ✓ Speakers 9
Standard ✓ Remote Start Optional
Standard ✓ Rain Sensing Wipers Optional
Standard ✓ Safe Exit Assist Not Available
Optional ✓ Digital Rearview Mirror Not Available

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Going up against the RX next is the Acura MDX, these are the most popular vehicles from each brand, and the competition is fierce. Pricing is close, but the Lexus has an advantage here. The Acura has a bit more horsepower, but the RX has quite a bit more torque, a good thing to have with a midsize SUV. The RX also has better fuel economy across all three categories, meaning that price advantage will just grow over time.

Another aspect of the price advantage is that the RX comes much better equipped than the MDX. This includes a nicer stereo, remote start, and rain-sensing wipers all as standard. And then there's the equipment that isn't offered at all on the MDX, like a digital rearview mirror. There is also Safe Exit Assist, which monitors the area around your car to help keep you from opening your door into another car or a passing cyclist.


Lexus SUVs vs INFINITI SUVs

2024 Lexus RX 350 VS 2024 INFINITI QX60

Lexus RX 350 INFINITI QX60

2024 Lexus RX 350

VS

2024 INFINITI QX60

$49,950* ✓ MSRP $50,845*
275 HP / 317LB-FT TQ ✓ Horsepower / Torque 295 HP / 270LB-FT TQ
22 / 29 / 25 ✓ Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined) 21 / 26 / 23
19-inch standard, up to 21-inch available ✓ Wheels 18-inch standard, up to 20-inch available
12 standard, 21 optional ✓ Speakers 9 standard, 17 optional
Standard ✓ Active Lane Departure Assist Optional
Standard ✓ Road Sign Assist Not Available
Standard ✓ Wireless Android Auto Not Available

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With INFINITI going up against Lexus, we again see how close pricing is in this segment. So we have to look at the details to see why the RX is a better option than the QX60. The QX60 has more horsepower, but the RX has a lot more torque. And to go with that extra power, the RX comes with better fuel economy, meaning that slight price advantage becomes a much bigger one over time.

The difference in value for money grows when you start to look at standard features. The RX comes with bigger wheels and more speakers. In fact, even if you want to upgrade these features, the options on the RX will still give you an advantage over the QX60. Lexus puts a huge emphasis on technology, and that's why you'll find features like Road Sign Assist and wireless Android Auto as standard on the RX, but not even available as options on the QX60.


Lexus SUVs vs Lincoln SUVs

2024 Lexus NX 350h VS 2024 Lincoln Corsair

Lexus NX 450h+ Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring

2024 Lexus NX 450h+

VS

2024 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring

$59,905* MSRP $55,320*
304 ✓ Horsepower 266
6 seconds ✓ 0-60 Time 7 seconds
37 miles ✓ All-Electric Range 28 miles
84 ✓ Fuel Economy Equivalent (combined) 78
20-inch ✓ Wheels 19-inch, 20-inch optional
Heated and ventilated, leather ✓ Front Seats Heated, leatherette
Standard ✓ Head Up Display Optional

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The fact that the Lexus NX is offered with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain gives it an advantage over a lot of the competition, but Lincoln has a plug-in hybrid option for the Corsair, so we are going to compare those trims here. While the Lincoln starts out a bit cheaper, it quickly becomes obvious why. The NX packs more horsepower, allowing for a 0-60 that's a full second quicker. Not only that, but the Lexus also has significantly better all-electric range, and a better MPGe rating.

20-inch wheels come standard on the NX, and while they are also available for the Corsair, it will cost you extra. You also get heated and ventilated front seats in the NX, covered in soft leather as standard. The leatherette seats in the Corsair only come with heating, as ventilation will cost you extra. If you want a head up display, like is standard on the Lexus, you will also have to pay extra on the Lincoln. In fact, the option package that gives you just the features we've mentioned here puts the price of the Corsair plug-in up over $60,000, more than undoing that initial lower price.


*MSRP includes delivery, processing and handling fee and may be subject to change at any time. Excludes taxes, title, license and optional equipment. Dealer price will vary.

**Source: https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2023-us-vehicle-dependability-studyvds