Lexus RX 350 vs Audi Q7 vs BMW X5: which one is the best value for money?

By Farzana Chaumoo

It's no surprise that the luxury SUV market is on the rise, considering the overall boom in the SUV market over the past few years. We're even seeing SUVs from brands that never previously produced such body styles, such as Lamborghini, Bentley, Jaguar and Maserati - everyone wants in on the game and consumers are now spoilt for choice. Choosing the right vehicle can be tricky but let's break down the offerings between the Lexus RX 350, the Audi Q7, and the BMW X5 to help you decide what's the best fit for you and your family. 

 

Lexus RX 350

The RX 350 has been offered since 1998 and is a key product for this luxury brand especially in markets where SUVs are taking over the roads. It was redesigned for the 2016 model year and remains a default luxury family hauler.

 

Aside from the infotainment system that many the world over have been displeased about, the RX 350 is a good midsize crossover SUV. Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 that serves up 221 kW @6300 rpm and torque of 370 Nm @ 4600-4700 rpm, with an all-wheel-drive system, this powerplant is very capable and won't leave anyone wanting.

 

Luxury levels in this SUV is medium-high. Build quality is fantastic, materials are superb, and the overall comfort levels are fantastic. This SUV won’t completely blow you away, but you also won’t have much to complain about. Its new styling may be mildly controversial but there’s a reason the Lexus RX 350 has been going strong since the late 90s.

 

Audi Q7

Minimalistic but meticulously engineered – that is the touch of the Germans. The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury SUV making it larger than the RX. This size and the space that comes with it is handy for families with more teenagers or young adults.

 

The Q7 has been described as “perfection” and perfection comes at a price. While it’s not the most expensive car on this list, it is a very well-balanced SUV with state-of-the-art styling. Audi’s interiors are nothing short of brilliant and there’s no exception with the Q7. All passengers in the car will feel like the driver as the comfort levels are spectacular and it has a more intuitive touchscreen interface.

 

Under the hood, you can opt for a 2.0-litre supercharged V6 OR If you crave additional performance there’s the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 that makes 183 kW @ 2910–4500 rpm and torque of  600 Nm @ 1500–2910 rpm with quattro® permanent all-wheel drive. Audi says it will do 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and top out at 225 km/h (233 km/h in the 2.0 TFSI). That's real quick for a vehicle of this size that weighs 2,750 kg. When the roads get twisty, the Q7 will offer a more connected ride than the Lexus. It’s also quicker in a straight line.

 

There aren’t any technologies fitted in the Q7 that will disappoint its owner.

 

BMW X5

BMW’s X5 has a huge burden to bear as it caters for large and affluent families, but these families are some of the market's most demanding buyers. While the RX is still in the middle of its current generation, the X5 has been completely redesigned for the 2019 model year.

 

The base X5 will set you back over R1,1 million, which is way more than most other base models in the segment. However, it offers a little more in its base model, which include features like a sports leather steering wheel, ambient lighting with ambience lighting designs, sport seats for driver and front passenger, heated and cooled cupholders in the front centre console and more. Aside from the better list of standard and available features, the X5s features and infotainment system are easier to use. The infotainment system includes nifty high-tech features like gesture control, which reads hand signals to perform functions like turning the volume control up or down.

 

The BMW X5 takes the crown for boot space in this trio as it offers more than double the 295 litres in the Q7 (which is about the same as a Ford Fiesta), and 197 litres more the RX. The X5 offers a minimum of 650 litres of cargo space. It goes without saying that it features excellent fit and finish and also one the smartest interiors.

 

The base BMW X5 xDrive30d has a turbodiesel 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine under its hood that produces 195 kW @ 4000 rpm and 620 Nm of torque @ 2000-2500 rpm is delivered to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. It does a 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and maxes out at 230 km/h. The X5 M50d is powered by a quad-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that puts out 294 kW @ 4400 rpm and 760 Nm @ 2000-3000 rpm. It does a 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and tops out at 250 km/h.

 

Pros & Cons

Audi Q7 45 TDI Quattro	Pros	Cons
R1 094 000-00	Potent engines	Rivals offer more boot space
	Agile handling
	Lush interior

Lexus RX 350 ex	Pros	Cons
R 935 400-00	Good reliability	Complicated infotainment system
	Spacious and comfortable interior
	Good list of standard equipment

BMW X5 30d	Pros	Cons
R1 186 200-00	Powerful engines	Cramped third row
	Agile handling
	Spacious front seats

 

Verdict

The Lexus offers great predicted reliability, comfort and an abundance of standard equipment, it’s an easy choice for budget-minded luxury SUV shoppers, but is it worth compromising on with the complexity of the infotainment system? After all, the infotainment system is the main feature that owners interact with the most in a car. With more than R150,000 difference between the RX 350 and the Q7 base prices and over R250,000 between the Lexus and BMW base prices, you could live with that complexed system and enjoy great value for money.

 

However, for the more performance-focused buyers looking to splurge a little, you can’t go wrong with either of the other two German vehicles as they’re both excellent and offer good reliability, a great list of equipment, good safety and refinement. The Porsche Cayenne is also well worth the look here.