Bold luxury SUV
Lexus RX 450h offers a blend of style, technology and comfort
If you are in the market for a luxury SUV you are certainly spoiled for choice these days.
One of the most striking cars in the sector is the Lexus RX 450h, which combines futuristic styling with the Japanese company’s hybrid technology.
There is certainly no mistaking the big Lexus for anything else, thanks to its bold styling.
The current fourth generation model arrived late last year and is considerably larger than the previous RX, giving it an even stronger road presence.
Its huge, bold grille dominates the nose along with large, L-shaped LED headlights, arrowhead fog lights and a creased bonnet.
In profile the ‘origami’ styling, with plenty of creases and interesting shapes, sets the RX apart from of its rivals. Blacked-out C-pillars provide a floating roof effect and LED taillights wrap around into the side of the car, while huge 20-inch alloys add even more drama.
The 450h is powered by a combination of a 3.5-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine, two electric motors linked to a high-voltage battery and a CVT automatic transmission.
As a result the RX is good for 124mph and has a sprint time of 7.7 seconds to reach 62mph. It delivers its power silently when in electric mode and it is just as quiet when the silky petrol engine takes over.
Even more impressive, emissions are just 127g/km - giving it a big tax advantage over its competitors - and the claimed combined figure is 51.4mpg. In real conditions you won’t get anywhere near that but I averaged almost 35mpg, which is not bad for a vehicle of this size.
The suspension deals with even the worst surfaces, providing a comfortable and smooth ride. For a large vehicle the RX handles surprisingly well and it is an ideal longdistance cruiser.
As you would expect from Lexus, the interior is superb. Only the finest materials have been used and the leather front seats are electrically-adjustable and feature memory settings as well as being heated or ventilated.
There is stacks of room for five adults to travel in comfort and there is also a substantial amount of space for luggage.
You can select from a choice of three driving modes - Eco, Normal or Sport – and the car can also been driven in EV or electric-only power.
The 15-speaker Mark Levinson sound system is magnificent and you also get a colour head-up display, wireless smartphone charger, a heated leather and wood steering wheel, dual zone climate control and a premium navigation system on a wide screen.
The all-wheel-drive RX lists a comprehensive range of safety features including blind spot monitoring, sway warning alert, lane departure alert, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive high beam, rear cross traffic alert and hill-start assist as well as numerous air bags.
At £57,995 the RX450h is far from cheap and a panoramic sunroof and sonic titanium paint brought the test car up to £59,935. That seems hefty but to spec some of the opposition up to the Lexus level would cost much more.
The flagship Lexus is certainly a handsome lump that offers just about everything you could want from a premium SUV that is not designed for serious off-roading and it offers an interesting alternative to its mostly diesel rivals.