Lexus RX450H+: you don’t ride, you float...

We recently popped along to our local Lexus Centre, Lexus Stockport, to test drive the new RX450h+, the brand’s flagship plug-in hybrid.

Lexus’s smaller NX450h+ is our current Premium Plug-In-Car of the Year, so we knew we would be on familiar ground, as the two models share the same set up; a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and plug-in hybrid system and GA-K platform.

The RX is available in three specs; Premium, Premium Plus and range topping Takumi. Starting price is £64,950.

All models are very well equipped. So all feature Lexus Safety System+, Lexus Link Pro multimedia with cloud-based and embedded navigation, voice assistant, 14″ touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six USBs, Lexus Link connected services with a four years’ connected services subscription, power windows, rain-sensing wipers, smart entry and push-button start, front and rear parking sensors and a wireless smartphone charger.

Premium adds Automatic High Beam (AHB), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Braking (RCTAB). Premium Plus goes further with the addition of two-way Power Lumbar Support for Driver and an eight-way electrically adjustable driver seat.

The range-topping Takumi then adds Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), BladeScan™ Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) plus a 10-way electrically adjustable driver and front passenger seat.

We were driving the Takumi and this also features triple-zone climate control with S flow and Nanoe-E air quality system, a panoramic roof, 21″ alloys, heated front and rear seats and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system.

The RX450h+ shares its TNGA-K underpinnings with the latest Toyota RAV4. This hybrid system, comprises a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with CVT transmission, tagged to an 18.1kWh battery and electric motor.

It offers a decent 304bhp with a 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 124mph.

The 18.1kWh battery offers up a 43-mile of pure electric range. Claimed overall fuel economy is a whopping 235.4-256.8 MPG. We’d surmise that driving daily and plugging in regularly should see you hit about 50mpg.

Plug your NX450 h+ in and the 6.6kW on-board charger will allow you to charge the battery back up to full in 2 hours 45 minutes. If you’re lucky enough to have a home charger like our own 7kWh Rolec Smart Charger coupled to a cheap EV overnight charging plan such as one from Octopus Go, where a night time rate between 00.30 hrs and 04.30 hrs is just 9.5p a kWh, you can replenish the RX’s battery for just £1.35 per night.

There’s more good news. The RX features a second battery that allows the 450h + to run as a self-charging hybrid, just like the other RX models. You are, in effect, always using the car’s efficient hybrid benefits and if you’re the kind of plug-in driver who doesn’t plug-in regularly, then at least you’ll have a back-up.

All this adds up to a great deal for company car drivers. With low CO2 emissions of just 25-26g/km and an electric range of 43 miles, you get a benefit in kind of just 8%.

The RX450h+ features three driving modes; Eco, Sport and Normal which are accessed via a knob in front of the gear lever. Twist for Eco or Sport, push for Normal. You can maximise your battery range by utilising the ‘EV Save’ button located next to the electric handbrake. This means that you can save your electric range for when it’s most economical, low speed urban driving, while switching back to hybrid mode for the motorway.

Outside, the new RX is less angular than the previous version, with slim LED headlights and the familiar Lexus spindle grille. At the rear, there’s now a full-width tail-light and overall the cars shape and lines feel simpler, cleaner and more pleasing on the eye.

Like all Lexus models, the inside has been put together brilliantly. Top quality finishes adorn every surface; arguably, Lexus builds the best quality interiors of any premium brand. The dash and cabin feel less cluttered than before and the overall ambience is of calm and relaxation.

The highlight now is Lexus’s new operating system and touchscreen which together are superb. While getting to know the minute intricacies of the menus would take some time, the simple things such as connecting an iPhone wirelessly were simple and easy to perform.

There’s SO much safety fitted that you’ll need to access the vehicle safety systems via the touchscreen to turn off Lane Departure and the function that controls the unlocking of the doors while the engine is still on.

Special mention to the clearest reversing camera we’ve ever come across!

There’s a very bright and clear Heads-Up display on the RX so you’ve no excuse to exceed the speed limit. You still have separate climate controls sitting beneath the touchscreen and our Takumi test car also featured leather upholstery with heated front and rear seats – oh, and a panoramic sunroof to brighten up a slate grey Mancunian sky.

Front and rear seat passengers won’t be disappointed by the head and leg room –nor the amount of storage. Rear passengers also have a quality fold-down armrest with storage space within and two cup holders. Twin pull-out seat back storage is also offered and on Takumi, rear passengers also get their own climate and heated seat controls.

Three adults will sit side by side in the back in plenty of comfort as well.

Both the self charging and plug-in RX’s offer 461 litres of boot space loaded to the tonneau cover or 612 litres to the roof. The boot finish and carpet used are exemplary, with a rubber protection mat included to protect the bottom of the boot area.

You do get a small underfloor storage area, but the charging cables need to be stored in a circular bag supplied, which does eat into available boot space.

Take the RX on to the motorway and you’ll find little to complain about. The built-in radar-controlled cruise control is simple to work and the plethora of third-generation Lexus Safety Systems, such as Lane Keep Assist, Lane Trace Assist and Front Cross Traffic Alert, make it one of the safest cars you can own.

Cabin noise is minimal and you’ll enjoy the cosseting, comfortable seats. Our only complaint is that when you push down hard on the accelerator pedal, the CVT gearbox whines as it spins into action and this can be heard in the cabin. To be fair, we’re being a little picky, because this only occurs when you’re really pushing the throttle for an overtake and the RX is a car that begs to be driven in a relaxed fashion, so this shouldn’t happen very often.

In town, we switched to EV mode and the RX glides silently around. If you need a shove there’s instantaneous torque on offer which gives the RX a boost if required.

Thanks to thicker glass and better sound proofing the only noise entering the cabin is from the infotainment system and the adaptive damping smooths out the bumps, making the RX float rather than glide.

Head out on to some faster winding country lanes and you’ll find that not much changes. The steering is nicely weighted and for a heavy car, all 2,240kgs of it, it tackles undulations and tight corners at speed comfortably. No shocks here and while some may be disappointed that the RX doesn’t bare its teeth every now and then, it’s just not that type of car.

Pros

All RX models are extremely well built and well equipped. The new Lexus infotainment system elevates the RX from last to equal first place in the premium infotainment sector. With just 8% BIK, company car drivers will love it. A real world range of 50 mpg is infinitely achievable.

Cons

The plug-in is significantly more expensive than the self-charging hybrid to buy outright, so leasing is the best way into one. The CVT gearbox is noisy when pushed hard. The boot space is distinctly average for a car of it’s size.

Beautifully built and amazingly comfortable, with low BIK, makes the RX450h+ a winner in our book. It’s competitively priced and pushes Lexus ever closer to the German marques the sector. Can’t be beaten on reliability and a really safe pair of hands that’s got a lot going for it.

CC&V RATING: N N N N N