Lexus RX450h, put to the test: an almost perfect hybrid SUV

Lexus continues to bet on hybrid powertrains. For years it has shown that they are a genuine alternative to conventional engines, and that a hybrid can exist in any segment. The proof is the redesigned Lexus RX450h – the flagship of the brand and the largest SUV in the Japanese firm’s range – a model updated with a sportier, more avant-garde exterior design, an interior that keeps quality at the highest level, and a hybrid system that reaches 313 CV. As a novelty, the RX450h is now lighter, more agile and more dynamic, creating a model that has many arguments in its favour within the premium SUV segment.

Exterior design

The design language introduced by the NX has now been carried over to the Lexus RX, replacing the previous rounded shapes with straight, sharp lines that give the RX an unmistakable personality of its own. The front stands out for the huge grille it shares with the rest of the brand’s models, and the headlights with LED technology for all lighting functions – with an outstanding beam of light. Straight lines are present in the daytime running lights and in the chrome areas surrounding the front fog lights, giving an overall sensation of sportiness and avant-garde style.

Although the most striking part of the RX is its side profile – at least in the opinion of the author – straight lines extend along the whole flank, and the floating roof is especially eye-catching, since the rear window line continues along the C-pillar to the tailgate. The pronounced wheel arches give it the SUV touch, and the 20-inch wheels (sized 235/55 R20) complete the look.

At the rear, the headlights – with LED technology – stand out, and in the lower part the bumper adds the sporty touch to the RX. Finally, there are some exterior design details that complete a premium ensemble, such as the lights in the door handles that project light towards the ground when the car is unlocked at night, the direction indicators, or the set of four peripheral exterior cameras that provide greater safety when manoeuvring.

Interior design

The first sensation inside the Lexus RX is quality, and quality in capital letters. The dashboard is covered in leather (with the stitching on show), the centre tunnel has a leather side finish (matching the seats) and wood on its inner part, and the steering wheel, which luxuriously combines leather and wood, is also heated. The doors again show the quality: it is hard to find a material that does not live up to the standard, and I can say without any doubt that among premium SUVs, the RX is one that stands out for the quality of its interior finishes.

The dashboard design still has Japanese traits. The huge 12.3″ screen is striking (it is not touchscreen despite what some people insist, judging by the different fingerprints we saw), and details such as the analogue clock remind you of the segment it belongs to. The instrumentation is very complete, and depending on the driving mode we will have a rev counter or a driving-type indicator. We can also view all kinds of information on the on-board computer (from battery charge to average consumption or range, all in colour). It also features a colour Head-Up Display with navigation directions, engine revs, compass and vehicle speed.

The driving position is high (as is typical of an SUV), but the seats do not deserve to be called that; they are closer to the concept of armchairs. They support the body correctly, are comfortable – especially on long journeys – and our unit had electric microperforated leather seats with ventilation and heating functions, including an unprecedented AUTO mode that selects the strength of the ventilation or heating according to the temperature it detects.

In the rear seats there is more than enough space for two occupants, and three can travel comfortably since there is no raised centre tunnel, which increases the comfort of the middle seat. Still, it is ideal for two passengers, who will feel like true heads of state. The seats can be moved fore and aft, and besides air vents they have heating and a 12V socket.

Storage and boot

In terms of storage, the Lexus RX is well resolved, incorporating novel technological solutions such as a wireless charging pad for phones (in the centre console, which it is advisable to switch off if your phone is not compatible with this type of charging). It also has wide cupholders on the centre tunnel, a small compartment on the driver’s side, a huge central lidded box (with the typical tray for small items), a compartment at the rear and a large main glovebox.

The boot has a capacity of 539 litres, a normal figure considering that it houses the batteries. The tailgate is electrically operated. It is shallow, though, and the space can be increased to 1,612 litres by folding the rear seats down easily at the touch of a button.

Engine and performance: 313 CV that can be very relaxed or radical

The hybrid system of the Lexus RX450h consists of a combustion engine and two electric motors (a main one driving the front axle and a smaller second one handling the rear axle). The combustion unit is a 3.5 V6 petrol engine with 262 CV, while the main electric motor delivers 167 CV and the rear-axle electric motor 67 CV. Despite this, combined, the hybrid system offers a total output of 313 CV – a slight increase over the previous generation.

The hybrid system has been improved, with a greater capacity to run in fully electric mode, reaching up to 4 km and always below 60 km/h (previously it was 2 km and 40 km/h). It also charges the batteries faster, which lets us cut consumption noticeably compared with the previous generation by spending more time in electric mode. Another improvement is the management of the automatic gearbox (CVT), which feels more natural when accelerating and is closer to a conventional gearbox. Until now, a typical trait of hybrids was the artificial sensation of the gearbox when accelerating (having no fixed ratios, the car accelerates differently to other vehicles, taking the revs to the maximum). This has now been improved.

The smoothness of the V6 engine and of the hybrid system is noticeable from the very first moment. The low sound level typical of hybrids is combined with the smoothness of the engine, which matches the whole package, even in the sportiest mode.

Handling: boring hybrids?… With 313 CV, things change

The previous-generation Lexus RX had some details to improve, such as its sporty feel, since the weight and dimensions of the car took their toll on the dynamic side. In the new generation of the Lexus RX450h, things have changed. Although the weight exceeds two tonnes, they have achieved a car with a more agile, more dynamic chassis and sporty sensations that match the 313 CV hidden under the bonnet.

It offers several driving modes: ECO, Normal, Sport and Sport+. In the last mode the car changes radically, modifying the response of the engine, steering, gearbox and suspension. The result is a large SUV with a dynamic behaviour and agility unheard of in the RX range until now, which comes very close to its premium rivals (even surpassing some of them in agility). In fact, the inertia you can feel when driving in ECO mode disappears completely if Sport+ is selected, and even at high speeds it is a very stable car (you do not feel the speed inside) with high on-board comfort in terms of noise and sound insulation.

In town it moves smoothly thanks to the hybrid system, which lets us run in electric mode most of the time (depending on battery charge), reducing fuel consumption along the way. The equipment on our unit, such as the 360-degree exterior cameras, also helps when manoeuvring in the city.

Consumption

On motorways is where the hybrid system saves least compared with other environments where low consumption is achieved. On our usual Madrid > Vigo > Madrid route the average consumption was 9.2 litres per 100 km. This, combined with the small 65-litre fuel tank, means we had to stop to refuel. The savings are noticeable on country roads, however, where we managed consumption of 5.6 litres per 100 km when driving efficiently, and close to 6.2 litres per 100 km on our usual country road routes, an excellent figure for a two-tonne SUV with 313 CV.

In town, the hills of Vigo helped achieve a good consumption figure since they help recharge the batteries, and on our usual route we recorded 7.3 litres per 100 km over a distance of more than 50 km through the city.

Equipment: a whole world of driver assistance systems as standard

As always in our review of the equipment, we analyse safety with the help of Euro NCAP. In the European crash tests, the Lexus RX achieved five stars, with 91% protection for adults and 82% for children. As standard, the safety equipment is complete: front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags, forward collision warning with automatic braking, drowsiness alert, lane keeping assist (which acts on the steering wheel), stability control, among other features.

In other words, even the base trim comes with more than complete equipment that does without no safety element (whereas other premium brands make you pay extra to get them). Our Luxury-trim unit also adds features such as the 15-speaker sound system signed by Mark Levinson, the navigation system with a 12.3-inch screen and online services (Tiempom, Street View…), front seats with ventilation and heating, blind-spot detection on the mirrors and a colour Head-Up Display, among other elements.

Special mention goes to the adaptive Full-LED headlights, which always kept the perfect beam to avoid dazzling other drivers while maintaining the best possible visibility, and the four peripheral vision cameras, which even enlarge the side images to see more precisely during manoeuvres.

However, we found the various menus of the entertainment system improvable. They are still operated from a controller on the centre tunnel used like a “mouse”. Although handling has improved, it remains an impractical solution, and the graphics of the different menus could be better.

Prices

• Lexus RX450h ECO 64,900 euros
• Lexus RX450h Corporate 68,400 euros
• Lexus RX450h Executive 77,400 euros
• Lexus RX450h F-Sport 92,000 euros
• Lexus RX450h Luxury 93,400 euros

Opinion and personal assessment

Having tested several generations of the Lexus RX, from the old RX400h, through the generation before the current one (the 300 CV RX450h), up to the current RX, the change has been more than notable. The new Lexus RX has gained in interior quality, to the point that it stands out above what some of its German rivals can offer, and it has also gained in agility, something it badly needed.

The chassis tuning focuses on comfort (as the previous generation already did), but it also allows a more sporty and agile drive, making you forget that you are driving a hybrid and getting the most out of each of those 313 CV. Efficiency has also improved: the hybrid system now allows a greater range and speed in fully electric mode, and we have even noticed that the batteries charge more quickly. The end result is greater fuel savings, to the point that it is hard to match the power and average consumption figures of this Lexus RX450h on the road.

The starting price is slightly high (64,900 euros) compared with the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 218 CV (63,120 euros), but with less equipment and power, or with the Mercedes GLE 250 CDI 204 CV (60,725 euros), which also loses power and equipment, or with the BMW X5 sDrive25d of 231 CV (60,000 euros), with the same disadvantage as the others. In other words, for a little more at the end, the car is better equipped, especially with safety assistants, and it does not forgo a hybrid system that reaches 313 CV.

The final result therefore comes very close to perfection (in terms of balance). It is true that it is not the most dynamic premium SUV, but in exchange it offers a balance between performance and comfort, its quality is beyond doubt, and its equipment includes a good range of safety systems without extra charges, all with an exterior design that leaves no one indifferent.

Photos | Test team

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverLexus RX5 versions · from 83,900 €