The pleasures of owning a large luxury SUV are well-established: you choose a vehicle that can carry several passengers in great comfort over long distances, with all the space you need for luggage or leisure equipment. The cabin environment is perfectly controlled; the in-car entertainment and connectivity are seamless; and you can trust in the latest generation of safety features
Today, there’s another priority to take into account: electrified performance that maximises fuel and emissions efficiency, whether you’re making a trip around town or heading for a distant holiday location.
But just as different manufacturers offer different interpretations of “luxury,” there is more than one approach to achieving the best balance of benefits from electrification.
Lexus is ideally positioned to come up with the perfect solution: not only did it create the concept of the luxury SUV, it was also the first to bring electrified power to the premium car market, 17 years ago. That impressive leadership has produced the RX 450h+, a plug-in hybrid electric model that’s poised to become the top choice for European customers in the all-new RX range.
It provides the efficiency and powerful, responsive performance that are characteristic of a plug-in system, but goes further thanks to the superior qualities of Lexus’s hybrid technology. This technical advantage combines with the rewarding response and handling of the Lexus Driving Signature, high equipment specifications, advanced safety and driver assistance features and its unique takumi craftsmanship luxury. There’s also the benefit of smart packaging, with the RX’s adapted GA-K platform allowing the hybrid battery to be located entirely beneath the vehicle floor. This enhances dynamic performance by contributing to the car’s low centre of gravity and helps secure more space in the cabin and the load compartment.
The RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid gives you the freedom to make long, uninterrupted journeys, together with the benefits of low emissions, strong fuel economy and an extended all-electric driving capability. It’s just the kind of combination of qualities that suits today’s large SUV customers. The performance data show what the car can achieve: 25g/km CO2 emissions, 235.4mpg fuel consumption and EV range up to 42 miles (WLTP combined cycle figures). The powertrain’s output of 304bhp/227kW means performance is brisk, with 0-62mph covered in 6.5 seconds.
These figures tell only part of the story. What sets the RX 450h+ apart from its competitors is what happens when the charge in the hybrid battery is depleted. In most other plug-in hybrid vehicles, the car defaults to its petrol engine, which means higher emissions and poorer fuel economy until it can be connected to a power supply for recharging. In the Lexus, the vehicle switches seamlessly to hybrid electric performance, so that the battery is recharged as you drive and a high level of efficiency is maintained.
Using the car’s selectable driving modes, you can maximise the benefits of the plug-in hybrid electric system on every journey. EV is the default mode: the car is locked into electric running until the energy in the battery is depleted. That’s regardless of how hard the accelerator pedal is used. Auto EV/HV mode allows the hybrid engine to be brought into play temporarily when the driver wants more power, for example when bursts of acceleration are required, reducing the draw on the battery’s charge. The driver can also opt to use HV model which maintains the battery’s level of charge by starting and stopping the engine when necessary.
