2010 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid
Back in 1998, the Lexus RX 300 created the luxury crossover vehicle segment, and in 2005 the first hybrid model of the line, the RX 400h, was released. Since then, the RX line has become the best-selling model in the Lexus lineup and has become an ambassador of sorts for the brand, and with good reason. The RX series is composed of incredible cars that don’t skimp on the luxury features, but the hybrid models also deliver good fuel economy. Can the newest generation, the RX 450h, which is premiering in the coming months under the 2010 model year, make it even better?
In short, the answer is yes. First, as this is a hybrid model, let’s discuss gas mileage. Previous iterations of the RX hybrid were rated at a combined fuel economy of 25 mpg, but many drivers found that number to actually be a bit lower. Certainly better than other non-hybrid vehicles in the same class, but not so much so as to be outstanding. The 2010 RX 450h has a rating of 30 mpg city / 28 highway in the AWD model, and 32 mpg city / 28 highway for the front wheel drive version. But, these numbers are actually a bit lower than what you can expect to acheive in the real world. If you’re not too hard on the gas pedal, you could easily get 35 mpg around town. So how did they do this?
The main reason is the engine. The 3.3-liter V6 under the hood of previous RX hybrids was an old engine that dated back to the RX’s introduction in 1998. It wasn’t a bad engine, but powerplants built back then weren’t created with maximum efficiency in mind. The 2010 RX 450h has a new 3.5-liter V6 under the hood that not only produces more power (245 horsepower versus 208), but it also runs on an Atkinson cycle that decreases gas consumption.
The main electric motor for the RX 450h is rated at 167 horsepower for the FWD models, and the AWD models have that same motor, as well as two smaller 68-horsepower motors, one for each rear wheel. For those adding up those numbers, it may seem like an absurd amount of power, but in actual application and usage, the combined horsepower for both the FWD and AWD models is 295 horses, up by 50 over the previous model. These electric motors also represent the sixth generation of the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive, so they are more efficient and more powerful than older electrical components.
Inside the cabin is a wonderful array of the normal Lexus goodies. There are plenty of safety devices (a total of 10 airbags) and technologies that are denoted only by acronym (VSC, EBD, VDIM). Don’t worry about what all of those mean because the bottom line is this: the car is safe and practical, in addition to its wonderful fuel efficiency. In fact, the only thing that could detract from the RX 450h is not a problem with the car itself, but rather with customer expectations: this is not a sporty car. The luxury crossover segment also has vehicles like the BMW X5 in it, which is powered by a big, strong engine and provides a pretty sporty drive. The Lexus RX 450h does not do this. It provides no white-knuckle driving, no cornering thrills. It is practical, reserved, and luxurious and has no pretensions towards sportiness. And that’s just fine with us.
