Lexus’s hybrid SUV packs green credentials plus kit that’s fit for royalty

When shopping for a large SUV, it’s easy to go to the default choice, an ever-talented German. The Lexus RX is your alternative from Japan. Recently updated with improved ride quality, tech and safety, the RX range is bewilderingly long. There are front or all-wheel drive, five seats or seven and propulsion via four-cylinder or V6 petrol engines or V6 hybrid. After all that, you choose from four trim grades.

Our family takes the keys to the most treehugging (for a large SUV) 450h Sports Luxury five-seater hybrid — the second dearest RX after the seven-seat equivalent.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

JULES: I think I’ve just cut myself leaning against this Lexus.

IAIN: Sharper lines would be hard to find.

JULES: And the front end is basically all grille. There’s no bumper. Just grille.

IAIN: Well, it’s distinctive, if not pretty. Stylewise there’s little in the way of smooth, seductive curves but it’ll get you noticed.

JULES: So will all premium large SUVs. I could pick lots of German rivals for the money, right?

IAIN: Yes. An Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, Porsche Cayenne or Volkswagen Touareg. Then there’s a Range Rover Sport, Volvo XC90 or all-electric Jaguar i-Pace. For our Lexus RX, the entry fee is cheaper than all, including the VW.

JULES: Because it’s really just a posh Toyota?

IAIN: Doesn’t matter. Plenty of owners are fiercely loyal to Lexus due to the ownership experience. In five of the past six years, the brand’s been ranked Car Manufacturer of the Year in Roy Morgan’s customer satisfaction survey.

JULES: If you’re spending six figures on a car, you want to be looked after, so it seems Lexus is winning here. How much is our RX?

IAIN: About $120,000 on the road, but the cheapest version can be had for $80,000 driveaway. Even these are chockers with luxe. Ours is one of the priciest — with its V6 and back-up hybrid motor, there’s no plugging-in required — and it’s overflowing with kit.

THE LIVING SPACE

JULES: A chocolate box with a steering wheel!

IAIN: Isn’t it brilliant? Credit to Lexus, it has a decent range of cabin colours rather than just black or cream.

JULES: There’s lots going on. Coffee, tan, light brown, dark brown — and is this bamboo?

IAIN: This cabin’s called Ivory/Bamboo, and yes, that’s eco-looking bamboo for the steering wheel, door trim and centre console. Alternatives include laser-cut wood and open pore walnut.

JULES: It’s expensive but backs it up with a special-feel finish. It’s all very fancy with the like of super-soft headlining, stitching on the stepped dashboard and subtle ambient lighting. IAIN: It gets wireless phone charging and the 12.3-inch widescreen monitor runs Apple CarPlay/Android Auto — thankfully it’s a touchscreen. Lexus persists with a mouse padtype controller behind the gear shifter for navigating menus.

JULES: I tried. I really did. I just couldn’t master it without taking my eyes off the road. It’s always safer using voice control anyway and I used Siri via the CarPlay connectivity. It’s excellent.

THE COMMUTE

IAIN: Hybrids are far less dull when there’s a V6 petrol on board.

JULES: It’s quick for a big SUV.

IAIN: Thanks to the electric motor backing up the V6, it does 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds. Rapid for something well over 2000kg.

JULES: It’s a comfy drive in terms of absorbing road bumps but it feels its size on roundabouts.

IAIN: True. The BMW X5 and Porsche Macan are more dynamic choices. Regard the Lexus as more for the comfort-focused driver. It has adaptive suspension — I used Sport+ most of the time and it sat better through turns.

JULES: There are active cruise control and head-up display. It stays in the lane by itself, recognises speed limits and heats or cools my bum and back with the touch of a button. Rich folk get the best stuff.

IAIN: I often used the traffic assist function — it follows the car in front in stop-start traffic up to 40km/h. That removes some frustration. But there’s no digital dashboard. Most rivals have these, so Lexus feels behind the pace there.

THE SHOPPING

JULES: The tailgate opens when you wave your foot under the bumper. Ideal when your hands are full of groceries.

IAIN: The boot’s ample for the shop but not massive. Its 506L is bettered by rivals X5 (650L) and GLE (630L).

JULES: Sensors, bird’s-eye view camera and rear cross traffic alert warnings make it nearimpossible to bingle in the car park.

SUNDAY RUN

IAIN: Nobody buys an RX hybrid as a sports car but I had some fun on a back road. In Sport+, the engine sounds better and is more responsive, the steering gets sharper and the suspension stiffer.

JULES: The ride is certainly less bouncy and wobbly in Sport+.

IAIN: But bouncy and wobbly are better settings for where most RXs spend their Sundays: urban streets and highways. It’s such a competent cruiser.

JULES: And you can drive it using only the electric motor and battery.

IAIN: Well, only for a short time at low speeds, making it ideal when stuck in traffic. That’s where hybrids make sense. It’s claimed to return 5.7L/100km overall.