Lexus RX 350 review: Bahrain's default premium crossover, now with a turbo four
4.1/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The RX 350 is still the crossover to beat in Bahrain's premium segment: strong torque low in the rev range, a genuinely quiet cabin, and a Lexus dealer network that makes ownership easy. Spec the all-wheel-drive option if it is available on your grade — it costs little and adds confidence on the wet mornings that catch Bahraini drivers out every winter.
Pros
- Turbo four's peak torque arrives 3,000 rpm earlier than the old V6 — feels stronger in real traffic
- Quieter cabin than the outgoing generation despite the smaller engine
- 612-litre boot is genuinely useful, up from the previous generation
- Most complete standard safety suite Lexus has fitted to the RX
Cons
- Turbo four loses the old V6's refinement past 5,500 rpm
- All-wheel drive costs extra rather than coming standard on base grades
- Too new for meaningful used-market resale data in Bahrain yet
- Turbo engine's long-term reliability record is thinner than the V6 it replaced
Lexus dropped the RX's long-serving 3.5-litre V6 for a 2.4-litre turbo four, and on paper that reads like a downgrade. In practice the turbo engine's 430 Nm arrives 3,000 rpm earlier than the old V6's peak torque did, which is the number that actually matters crawling through Seef roundabout traffic rather than on a spec sheet.
What changed for the better
The cabin is quieter than the outgoing model's despite the smaller, boostier engine, thanks to more sound-deadening and an eight-speed automatic that shuffles gears to keep the turbo out of its coarser mid-range. Boot space grew to 612 litres, genuinely useful for airport runs and grocery hauls alike, and the standard safety suite is the most complete Lexus has fitted to the RX.
Points worth knowing
Push the turbo four hard and it loses the old V6's refinement — there is a coarseness past 5,500 rpm that the naturally aspirated engine never had. Most RX owners in Bahrain drive gently enough that this rarely surfaces, but it is the one genuine step back in an otherwise well-judged update. All-wheel drive is worth the option cost even in a country that rarely sees rain; the extra traction is noticeable pulling away from a wet roundabout after one of Bahrain's short but intense winter downpours.