2026 BMW X5 (left) and 2025 Lexus RX 350 (right) with optional features shown above.

Driving a luxury midsize SUV on the streets of Madisonville will surely set you apart from the rest, but which model should you choose for this very purpose? We at Peake BMW think the 2026 BMW X5 should be the lucky vehicle to become yours. To show you all that it brings to the table, we’d like to compare it to one of its top competitors, the 2025 Lexus RX 350.

Performance

Right out of the gate, the BMW X5 overpowers the Lexus RX 350 with its unrelenting strength. While the latter produces 275 horsepower1 with a standard 2.4L turbo 4-cylinder engine, the former lets you control 375 horsepower, as it’s equipped with a mightier standard 3.0L TwinPower turbo inline 6-cylinder engine. Because it’s much brawnier, the BMW vehicle can also easily outpace the Lexus SUV on Route 22 by going from 0 to 60 MPH in as little as 5.3 seconds2 with standard RWD. Meanwhile, the RX 350 takes 7.6 seconds3 to achieve the same feat. The X5’s hauling power is superior to that of the RX 350 as well. With its 7,200-lb. maximum towing capacity4, you can bring more supplies on your adventures than if you were to settle with the Lexus car’s 3,500-lb. maximum towing capacity5.

Comfort

Once you become the owner of the 2026 BMW X5, you’ll look forward to every drive like a trip to the spa. That’s because its cabin is designed to provide ultimate comfort. With the available Merino leather upholstery, the time you spend in the standard power front sport seats of the X5 will feel heavenly even after a tiring hike at Fairview-Riverside State Park. While the 2025 Lexus RX 350’s driver’s chair has an available 10-way power adjustability, it won’t be as relaxing as the BMW’s, since it lacks additional features like power side bolsters, manual headrests, and thigh support. Complementing the standard dual-zone climate control of the BMW is the available front ventilated seats, heated first and second rows, and a heated steering wheel and armrests. In comparison, the Lexus has a standard multi-zone climate control system, available heated and ventilated chairs in the front and back, and an available heated steering wheel without the armrest.

Technology

While the interfaces inside the Lexus RX 350 are large, the standard 12.3-inch digital information display and the available 14-inch touchscreen are laid out in a familiar fashion, the former behind the steering wheel and the latter at the center of the dashboard. In contrast, the standard 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 14.9-inch central information display within the BMW X5 are not only expansive but also set up side by side to form a breathtaking BMW Curved Display spanning the width of the cockpit. Adding to the futuristic feeling this monitor delivers is the standard wireless device charger in the X5, which is available as an upgrade in the Lexus. Considering all this, it seems clear that the BMW X5 is more technologically advanced than the RX 350. You can experience all these features for yourself when you visit our location.

* In terms of powertrain options, the 2025 Lexus RX 350 has only one, a standard 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Meanwhile, the 2026 BMW X5 has two. These are the standard 3.0L TwinPower turbo inline 6-cylinder engine and its available plug-in hybrid version.