Lexus RX450h Car Review

FamilyCar Rating Safety Styling FamilyFriendly Value EcoFriendly Overall Model Reviewed Lexus RX450h 4WD Hybrid $89,900*

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Why You’d Buy It

Extremely quiet, smooth drive, beautiful quality throughout, powerful engine, exempt from Luxury Car Tax

Why You Wouldn’t

Badge value-European vs Japanese….

FamilyCar Review

July 2009 saw the launch of the RX450h, the most fuel efficient luxury hybrid SUV in Australia. It looks very similar to the petrol RX model and is differentiated by blue Lexus logos around the car. The 450h replaces the first generation hybrid RX, the 400h. There are 3 models to choose from the Prestige, Sports and Sports Luxury. The range is priced from $89,900* to $107,900*. As the RX450h has a low fuel consumption (6.4L per 100kms combined cycle) it is exempt from the government’s Luxury Car Tax, which is a whopping 33%!

Driver’s View

The first thing I noticed when I pressed the start button was nothing. No engine noise that is. The lights were on but no one was home. It was only when I began to accelerate that the RX came to life. It is pretty heavy feeling at first and takes a little while to get going; that momentary pause which is prevalent in some hybrids. But to my surprise (and delight) when I put my foot down I took off like witchy poo on her broomstick. It has plenty of power and even a slight performance car gurgle that brought a smile to my face.

It is a beautiful car to drive, smooth, quiet and oozing luxury and finesse. The seats are made from a buttery soft leather that feels great under your toosh. Both driver and passenger seats are electrically adjustable; the driver’s seat having 3 memory settings. It has all the goodies including blue tooth phone connection, auto lights on, steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control and satellite navigation

To make driving even easier, Lexus has placed key vehicle functions at your fingertips via a Lexus Remote Touch controller on the console. With the ease of a computer mouse style lever, you can access up to 20 functions with fingertip precision. So, you can make phone calls, plot your route on the satellite navigation system or change your audio settings. This is by far the easiest system I have used on any car!

Safety

There’s only one word to describe the safety and that’s comprehensive. There’s a full array of airbags including driver and front passenger front and side, rear side and curtain airbag. Lexus have something called Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM). This system integrates the engine output, braking, traction control and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) as well as the steering. So in emergency situations, VDIM determines the most effective combination of preventative measures to help you maintain control of the vehicle.

When you put the car into reverse, the Rear View Camera is activated and a clear picture of the area behind the rear bumper can be seen on the display. In addition, Rear Guide Assist provides reference lines to help you judge distances. To give you greater assistance when reversing, the side mirrors dip so that you can see the kerb, and hopefully never hit it!

The Luxury and Luxury Sports models have some great additional safety features including active cruise control (ACC) and a Pre Collision Safety System (PCS). Both of theses help you to avoid hitting the car in front of you.

Storage

There are some well thought out storage options including two drink holders in the front centre, one in the dash on the right hand side, and two in the rear in the centre armrest and bottle holders in each doors. There’s also a large glove box with light, a centre console box, and storage pockets on the back of the front seats. The storage compartments in the door open out so that you can get things in and out of them really easily. Not many cars have this feature.

The boot space is a great size, big and flat with plenty of height. I packed in a week’s worth of groceries for a family of four and two school backpacks, with room to spare. It comes with a cargo cover so that you can hide your goodies from prying eyes. If you do need more space the rear seat splits and folds.

The boot door/hatch is automatic where you press a button on your key and it pops open. The great thing is that it makes a beeping noise so that anyone near it will be aware that it is opening/closing.

Family Friendly

The rear seat is a good size for families. You can get 2 booster seats in and a small adult in between them. There are 3 child restraints anchorage points, but you won’t fit 3 child restraints across the back seat, unless one is a booster seat without sides.

There are air vents located in the rear area including under the seats and in the centre on the back of the centre console box. The kids have storage nooks for games/books as well as 2 cup holders in the centre armrest. Kids can also see out really easily as the windows are large and seat is not too deep.

EcoFriendly

The RX 450h is the most fuel efficient luxury SUV in Australia consuming 6.4 litres per 100kms. This fuel efficiency is amazing in car of this size and has the most benefit driving through the urban jungle. It has a greenhouse rating of 7.5 stars out of 10 and carbon emissions of 150 grams per km. The low fuel consumption along with low pollution levels gives this car the maximum 5 star GreenVehicleGuide rating. There are only 13 cars that receive the maximum rating and all of them are much smaller than the RX.

Features We Love

• iPod connectivity

• Bluetooth phone connect

• Steering wheel mounted controls

• Remote touch controller

• Auto boot open/close

• Smart key system-no more fiddling in your bag for the keys!

Overall View

The RX450h offers the features, quality and level of luxury comparable to its European competitors. Its fuel consumption is amazing for a car of this size and none of the others come close. If you’ve never considered a driving a Lexus before, this may well be your first.

Test Drive Tips

1. There is a Smart Key system where the car will automatically unlock when it senses that the keys are nearby.

2. It has a push start/stop, so no need to insert and turn a key. The car doesn’t make a sound when you press the button, but the dash lights will come on.

3. The park brake is a foot brake located on the left hand side of the normal brake.

If you are considering this car you may also like to test drive the Volvo XC90, Mercedes M Class, Audi Q7 or BMW X5.

Features of Model Reviewed

*Manufacturer’s list price. Excludes dealer delivery, insurance and statutory government charges.

# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating.  For more information, click here.
Information is correct at the time of the review. Please check with your Lexus dealer for the most recent information.

Review Date: November 2009

Reviewed By: Melissa Pye