A used Lexus RX 450h makes far more sense than the thirsty, harsh-sounding 200t, but ask for proof the 2020 fuel pump recall was done on a 2015 to 2019 car, as the old pump can stall the engine.
2 known faults, 2 rated high severity in our database; owners report 32.5 mpg, 84% of the official figure. Everything below is built from that data and the archived owner history, not from a press car.
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Check a Lexus RX advert (free) →Go for the 450h, but only with proof its fuel pump recall's been done. Lexus UK recalled RX 450h cars from 2013 to 2019 in 2020 because the low-pressure fuel pump in the tank can jam, and the engine can then stall on the move. The 200t isn't part of that recall, but it uses a lot of fuel and doesn't sound pleasant, which spoils the quiet motorway manners that are the reason to buy an RX.
Beyond that recall there's very little evidence on this RX either way, so don't read the gap as proof it's reliable. The serious inverter failure you may read about belongs to the older 2005 to 2008 400h, not this car. It suits long motorway runs with adults in the back, given the generous rear headroom, but it isn't composed in corners.
The 450h is the one to pick, as long as it's had the free replacement fuel pump, and the 200t's the one to pass over. The 450h's original pump can stop working and stall the engine, which the recall fixes. The 200t isn't covered by it, but it's heavy on fuel and its engine note grates, which jars in a car that's otherwise hushed at speed.
There's nothing to go on for the gearboxes and no service schedule to quote, so you can't hold either engine against a known belt or fluid interval. Ask the seller which jobs were done and at what mileage, and don't settle for stamps in a book when invoices would show you exactly what was replaced.
On a 450h, ask for paperwork showing the fuel pump recall work was carried out; it's free, so there's no excuse. Watch for dash warnings and a rough-running engine, and a car that's stalled for the seller needs the pump seen to first. On an older RX, ask for proof of two recalls: a hybrid inverter module that could overheat and shut the system down (400h, built 2004 to 2008), and a crank pulley that could split and lose the power steering (2004 and 2005).
Look hard at the driver's seat leather. One owner of a 2016 RX 450h found a small tear in it within two weeks of buying the car, and a leather repair done later didn't last. Check for splits, creases that are starting to open up, and patches where the colour or grain doesn't match the rest, since that means someone's already had a go at it.
On the test drive, get it up to motorway speed, where it should be quiet and smooth with a comfortable ride. Wind, tyre or engine noise that spoils that is worth questioning on a car whose whole appeal is refinement. Don't mark it down for feeling untidy through bends, though; that's how every RX of this era drives.
Ask whether the seats have ever been repaired and for the receipt if they have, then compare that with what you can see. A seller who says the leather's untouched while one panel on the driver's seat looks a different shade or texture is telling you something.
Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.
Buy the 4th Gen as a 450h with its fuel pump recall signed off, and skip the 200t. That recall runs to 2019, so a later 450h falls outside it, while an earlier one should have had the improved pump fitted. It's at its best cruising: hushed and smooth on the motorway, and the bold styling means it doesn't blend into a car park.
Inside, the build quality's good, but the layout and design of the dashboard aren't as neat as the materials, and there's no digital speedo unless the car has a head-up display. Sit in it for a while before buying and make sure you can live with the controls, because that's something no amount of servicing changes.
Real-world economy on this generation: Lexus RX 33.6 mpg.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
Paste any Lexus RX advert and we check it against the faults, the MOT record and these figures in seconds.
Check an advert now (free) →Owners report 32.5 mpg across the Lexus RX engines with data, about 84% of the official figure, from 676 submissions.
Lexus RX Real MPG by engine →A used Lexus RX 450h makes far more sense than the thirsty, harsh-sounding 200t, but ask for proof the 2020 fuel pump recall was done on a 2015 to 2019 car, as the old pump can stall the engine. Our database holds 2 known Lexus RX faults, 2 rated high severity, and the sections above say which generation and engine carry them.
On a 450h, ask for paperwork showing the fuel pump recall work was carried out; it's free, so there's no excuse. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories and ask for invoices for any work the seller mentions. Then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against every known Lexus RX fault before you travel.
Owners report 32.5 mpg on average, about 84% of the official figure, from 676 submissions. The known faults page lists a rough repair cost against each fault. Lexus RX Real MPG by engine.
If you used the Honest John car-by-car reviews before the site closed in 2026, this is where the Lexus RX buying advice now lives. It is written from the archived owner reports and model notes (archived page, 8 items read for this model), our own known-faults database, the confirmed service intervals and the Real MPG figures. Every number on the page comes from that data, not from the text. The same data feeds our free advert check.
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The Lexus RX is one decision. Reading the advert, the history and the seller are the rest, and these cover them.
Looking at a Lexus RX right now? Check the advert before you go and see it.