Lexus, along with its parent brand Toyota, has been a pioneer in hybrids. But, as with battery electric vehicles, it's a bit late to the party when it comes to plug-in hybrids.
Now, the Lexus RX450h+ fills that gap (the hybrid RX gets re-named the RX 500h).
Like all plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), the RX 450h+ gets a certain amount of pure electric range on a charge---in this case, 35 miles---before switching over to a gasoline/electric hybrid.
I've raved about the upsides of this before. For a lot of people, charging every night at home, that 35 miles is enough to do their daily driving without using a drop of gasoline or putting a particle of pollution in the air. You can go months between stops at a gas station, but still have the gasoline/electric hybrid for longer distances. And the EPA says, in hybrid mode, you'll see 35 mpg.
As Lexus RXs have been since the dawn of time...well, okay, since 1998, when the RX first came to market...the RX is adequately quick, provides decent handling, a sumptuous ride and (especially in EV mode) is eerily quiet.
There's just one problem...cost.
The base price of the Lexus RX 450h+ Luxury AWD is more than $5,000 higher than the 2024 version of the RX 500h I reviewed last October. Car and Driver recently did the numbers on how many miles it takes for a PHEV to recoup the extra cost. The RX 450h+ wasn't part of the calculations, but the cars that were ranged anywhere from more than 300,000 miles to more than a million miles.
Lexuses can last that long, but very few owners want to keep any car that long.
The base price of the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ Luxury AWD is $70,080 including destination. As is typical of Lexus, that includes a lot of standard equipment, including a comprehensive suite of active safety features, multi-zone climate control, bi-LED headlamps, an on-board wi-fi hotspot, 3-month SiriusXM Platinum Plan trial, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-inch touchscreen, power folding heated outside mirrors with memory, a panorama glass moonroof with roof fails, semi-aniline leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front and rear outboard seats, driver seat memory, a wood and leather-trimmed heated steering wheel with memory, wireless phone charger, thematic ambient lighting, 21-inch alloy wheels and a head-up display.
Our test vehicle also had some extra-cost options: The Convenience Package (panoramic view monitor and traffic jam assist) for $1,420, a power rear door with kick sensor for $150, Advanced Park with Remote Park for $480, Premium triple-beam LED headlamps for $1,565, Digital Key and Digital rearview mirror for $475, a Mark Levinson premium audio system for $1,160, mudguards for $165, side puddle lamp for $175 and wheel locks for $85.
Bottom line on the window sticker: $75,755.
Cresting $75,000 for a Lexus RX is breathtaking on its own. The RX is a great vehicle and there are gasoline and hybrid models of it for a lot less (RX prices start just over $50,000 with destination).
If you're sold on the merits of PHEVs, just know it can be a long road to breaking even on the extra cost involved.
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