Lexus RX 500h
REPORT 4
£77,195 OTR/£77,195 as tested/£895 pcm
WHY IT’S HERE
Can Lexus build a genuinely sporty full-size SUV?
DRIVER
Jason Barlow
THE SHARPER EYED AMONG YOU WILL NOTICE THAT TG’S GREEN Lexus RX is now white The h PHEV has mysteriously become a
h a car with a similarly intriguing mechanical configuration and a mission to reintroduce some sporting smarts into the Lexus lineup
The truth is that GY EOC was required to return to Lexus HQ but we figured three months in the plugin hybrid followed by three in the more powerful h would be an interesting comparo Not least because it ousts the CVT that’s been a staple of Toyota and Lexus hybrids for years in favour of a more conventional spd auto box On top of that Lexus has added a new torque vectoring electric rear axle
Our h is an F Sport so while still peerlessly put together it trades some of that for a more aggressive attitude inside and out Two things hit me when I first climbed into it the red leather interior and the fuel economy read out From mpg we’d tumbled to mpg
Is it worth that in terms of extra dynamism? The RX sits on Toyota’s alphabettispaghetti TNGAK platform which does duty in lesser vehicles such as the RAV and Highlander But it’s longer and stronger here with more interior space than the previous model a lower roof reduced centre of gravity and hip point Lexus owners are older on average and appreciate a less arduous ascent into the cabin
The h also challenges the big engine prestige orthodoxy Here we’re talking a litre turbocharged cyl aided by two electric motors Lexus says the peak system output is bhp and lb ft which isn’t enough to worry Porsche or Rangie drivers but should be enough to get the job done Which this being a Lexus is to keep things moving briskly and elegantly Excess isn’t part of the picture which is a USP in itself