Hybrids and plug-in hybrids are the way to go, currently, if you want to cut emissions and extend fuel mileage. You’ll notice I didn’t mention saving money, but there should be an asterisk with that.
The hybrids cost a little more than gas-only models. But you could save bucks long-term, while plug-ins nearly always come at a price premium that precludes long-term monetary benefits. That cost is driven by the addition of more electric motors and batteries to provide short-range power.
This week’s fabulous Lexus RX 450h is an example, although it’s the luxury SUV’s top-trim level, so pricing is beyond an average car shopper’s budget.
But here’s the deal, a gas-only RX 350 starts at $49,950 including delivery, just a smidge beyond the average new car/crossover price, again reflecting the luxury leanings of Lexus. A hybrid 350h (get it?) though only runs $1,850 more at $51,800.
Kelly Blue Book, the noted car industry price and ratings experts, says the hybrid saves an average driver $70 a month as the hybrid averages 36 mpg, or at least 10 mpg better than the gas-only model. That said, the price difference is made up in about 27 months.
The tested RX 450h, the first plug-in hybrid offered in the RX model, starts at $70,580, including delivery.
Naturally making up the difference would take many years, but you’d be happy all that time in one of the premier two-row SUVs on the market, one bathed in semi-aniline leather inside and offering virtually every bell, whistle, gadget, and electronic gizmo now known to engineers and designers.
But to be honest, the plug-in gets about the same fuel economy as the standard hybrid, but with the benefit of a 34-mile all-electric range. For us city dwellers, and retirees in particular, that would suffice for 90% of our daily drives. So, gas fill-ups would be a rarity.
Plugging in the RX 450h on my standard 110-volt garage outlet netted me the full 34 miles each time with an overnight charge, basically 10-12 hours.
That meant mostly silent running around town. I even took this on a long highway jaunt to northern Indiana for a grandson’s hockey tournament and got 35.5 mpg on one tankful, with an initial electric charge, and 32 mpg on the return without benefit of the 34-mile electric charge.
Once the RX is out of juice the smooth 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle I4 kicks in. You notice a little more noise while accelerating, but the regenerative braking you log while stopping at traffic lights or toll booths gives enough battery charge for the hybrid electric motors to kick in up to about 20 mph, again saving fuel and cutting startup emissions.
Power is good at all times with the three electric motors here along with the I4 delivering a combined 304 horsepower.
All RX hybrids also include standard AWD, so traction is excellent too. Gas-only models are offered as either AWD or FWD.
Ride and handling are both luxury sedan equivalent. The suspension is well-controlled and sound deadening is so good that you’ll barely notice rough pavement, of which there is plenty, especially in Wisconsin. Handling is smooth and linear with an easy feel to the wheel that assures the driver he or she is indeed in a fine luxoliner. Shifting is handled via a CVT.
There’s a reason the RX has been the top-selling two-row SUV for years and why you see so many at soccer matches and other suburban sporting events. Kids and gear fit, and mom and dad ride in comfort while avoiding minivan “stigma.”
RX’s certainly have the prescription (sorry) for non-boring exterior design, as opposed to those boxy minivans. First, there’s the requisite wide spindle (sort of) grille with the big L (Lexus) logo emblazoned to alert onlookers this is not a pauper’s chariot. Then there are contours along the side sheet metal that rise into the rear wheel wells to add flair along with swooping chrome trim that wraps over the windows and sweeps down beyond the C pillar to accentuate the rear hatch. A rear wind deflector for aerodynamics extends over the power hatch too. Snazzy! And those multi-spoked, chromed alloy 21-inch wheels sure are spiffy.
All RX models look and feel upscale inside too, but this 450h takes the ultra-quiet interior to new levels offering so much electronic wizardry that an assistant wizard may be required to interpret some of their spells, all signaled via beeps.
Mainly I refer to the self-parking features ($480 extra) that will parallel park the SUV for you from inside or out, and the incredibly annoying false driver attention warning beeps that could lead to marital strife. The first feature I find unnecessary because I know how to parallel park and the 360-camera and rear parking sensors assure me I won’t bump anything.
The driver attention device that reads a driver’s eye movements is waaaay tooooo sensitive. Wearing sunglasses on a sunny day, naturally, it repeatedly warned my eyes were closed. Nope! It also did not like me spending much time looking in my rearview mirrors or to the side while approaching an intersection. It apparently assumes ALL drivers will stop at a red light at all intersections. We know better.
That’s not to say all electronics are useless, Lexus wisely has abandoned its touchy center console info screen adjustment in favor of a mammoth 14-inch touchscreen (9.8-inches on some lower trims), that was easy to use and tune. The map there is amazing in its clarity.
Then there’s the power panoramic sunroof and shade, one of the largest yet. And who doesn’t like additional interior light on an overcast day or when trundling along an interstate near downtown Chicago so you can see all the high-rise towers?
A heated, power tilt/telescope wheel and power front seats that are automatically heated or cooled, plus the heated rear seats are a must at this price point. So are well-shaped seats to aid in long-distance comfort. Another benefit, the power down rear seatbacks with controls just inside the spacious cargo area. Power buttons on the rear seat sides also will enable the backs to partially recline for long road trip comfort.
I’ve become a fan of good HUD systems that project the speedometer and other vital info on the windshield. The RX’s system also touts touch control arrows on the steering wheel hub that can be used to adjust various functions.
There’s a wireless charger in the cubby beneath the dash’s center stack and the stereo here is a fancy 21-speaker Mark Levinson model, just $1,160 extra and one of a dozen options here. More on that in a bit.
Lexus’s semi-aniline leather seats also include soft microfiber inserts to aid look and feel. The Cloudburst Gray (dark metallic gray, $500 extra) featured a cream and black leather interior with brown armrests and wood-trimmed dash and door panels along with wood trim on the steering wheel and atop the console. Gloss black surrounds the screen and outer dash air vents.
There’s also wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto along with all the safety equipment one expects on all cars and trucks today, what Toyota calls Safety System 3.0.
One more digital bugaboo for me is the busy nature of the driver’s instrument pod screen. Just a lot going on there, another reason I like the HUD system to simplify what a driver must see while driving. One mechanical worry for some passengers though was the push-button or pull lever door release. It seemed the push button often only partially unlocked the door to open, and the pull must be engaged twice too. Pick one. A standard lever would do.
Then there are the 12 options that pushed this RX to $76,505, as if $70 grand isn’t enough for a luxury car. One would imagine at that price that the power hatch that can be opened by waving a foot beneath the vehicle’s tail would be standard, for instance, along with a carpeted cargo mat, mudguards, puddle lamps, windshield wiper de-icer, and wheel locks. Those all cost extra.
Special triple-beam headlights add $1,565 and a tech package offering a digital key and rearview mirror runs $475. The $1,420 convenience package adds a panoramic view monitor (helpful) and Traffic Jam Assist that will help self-drive the SUV in traffic jams. The ultimate aid for lazy drivers.
Certainly, a hybrid RX can prove economical while extending gas mileage and thereby reducing tailpipe emissions. The plug-in version will extend emission-free driving in city use and slightly increase fuel economy on a long haul. Remember though, it’s an environmental helper, not a money saver.
FAST STATS: 2024 Lexus RX 450h Luxury AWD
Hits: Plug-in hybrid w/34 mi. electric range, good power, luxury ride, AWD, quiet and attractive luxury interior, fine safety equipment. Huge touchscreen, comfy seats w/automatic heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats and steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, power tilt/telescope wheel, wireless charger, HUD, power down and recline rear seats, good cargo space and fine MPG.
Misses: Annoying false driver attention warning beeps, too many functions on screen, push-button or pull door release confuses riders.
Made in: Japan
Engine: 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle I4, 3 AC motors, 304 hp
Transmission: CVT automatic
Weight: 4,866 lbs.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 192.5 in.
Cargo: 29.6 - 46.2 cu.ft.
Ground clearance: 8.2 in.
MPG: 36/33
MPG: 32-35.5 (tested)
Base Price: $70,580 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $66,427
Major Options:
Cold area pkg., windshield washer de-icer), $100
Convenience pkg. (panoramic view monitor, Traffic Jam Assist), $1,420
Triple-beam headlights, $1,565
Mark Levinson premium audio w/21 speakers, $1,160
Advanced Park w/Remote Park, $480
Power hatch w/kick sensor, $150
Cloudburst gray paint, $500
Tech pkg. (digital key, digital rearview mirror), $475
Carpeted cargo mat, $150
Mudguards, $165
Puddle lamps, $175
Wheel locks, $85
Test vehicle: $76,505
Sources: Lexus, www.kbb.com
Photos: Mark Savage
