Lexus RX 450h Review (2015-2023)
Lexus RX 450h cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
The hybrid is fuel-efficient for a luxury SUV
Well-deserved reputation for reliability
Superb service from Lexus dealers
Cons
The seven-seat RX L is thirstier than the five-seat RX
Doesn't drive as well as a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne
The RX 200 t is thirsty
The CarGurus verdict
The Lexus RX is the kind of car nobody should be talked out of buying. It’s well made, exceptionally reliable, comfortable and fuel efficient. The Lexus is also very safe and crammed full of safety kit and driver aids. It’s not the most exciting SUV to drive, nor the most memorable to look at. That won’t matter a jot to people who appreciate a customer-focused dealer network, and a car that’s luxuriously equipped and utterly painless to own.
For a premium SUV, an early RX 200t makes a keenly priced used buy, but an RX 450h with plenty of toys will be more enjoyable to drive and own, with greater performance and better economy. And if you want the Lexus ownership experience with space for seven, the RX L plugs a gap in the Lexus line-up that was left open for far too long.
What is the Lexus RX?
The RX has long been the thinking person’s choice of luxury SUV. It doesn’t shout loudly like a Mercedes GLE or look as aggressive as a BMW X5. This is a more understated car for a different kind of buyer, majoring on comfort, refinement and reliability.
The fourth generation arrived in 2015 and was replaced by the latest model in 2023. Alongside the hybrid RX 450h, Lexus initially sold a RX 200t turbocharged petrol (a non-hybrid) but this was dropped from the range in the autumn of 2017.
How practical is it?
There’s plenty of room for five inside and, when the longer RX L was launched in 2018, Lexus could finally offer customers a seven-seater.
The L is 110mm longer behind the rear axle than the standard RX, making room for seats six and seven. However, it’s more of a five-seater with room for two more at a pinch. Anyone looking to travel with seven onboard regularly will find a lot more space in a Land Rover Discovery.
At 453 litres, the boot isn’t the biggest in the large SUV class, because the hybrid drivetrain takes up space beneath it. It does the job, but rivals such as the Mercedes GLE and the BMW X5 have more room for luggage.
What's it like to drive?
The RX majors on comfort, with an absorbent ride. It’s a very quiet car, especially around town where the hybrid can glide along on electric power.
However, even the F Sport model isn’t as sharp to drive as the RX’s most dynamic rivals, and the absence of a plug-in hybrid or fully electric version means Lexus buyers have less choice of powertrain than Audi, Land Rover, or Mercedes customers.
The hybrid is quicker, quieter, and cheaper to run than the petrol, so it’s not surprising that big SUV buyers were underwhelmed by the turbo petrol, with its modest 9.5-second 0-62mph time. It was offered in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, but even the front-wheel drive model was thirstier than the hybrid 4x4.
The petrol’s biggest selling point was its price, which was much lower than that of the V6 hybrid, and that’s still the case today with used examples, because an equivalent 200t will be cheaper to buy than a 450h.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
The entry-point to the range was S specification, offered with the 200t engine and front-wheel drive. This model came with dual-zone climate control, rear privacy glass, heated front seats, satellite navigation with an eight-inch display screen, a nine-speaker stereo with DAB, a reversing camera, LED headlamps, roof rails, and dual chrome-tipped exhausts. That’s not a bad equipment list for the most affordable version.
For hybrid buyers, SE was the cheapest model. This included everything fitted to the S, except for roof rails, and added auto-dimming rear-view and door mirrors, leather upholstery, eight-way power adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, and memory settings for the steering wheel, and driver’s seat and door mirrors.
The Luxury trim level was available with either powertrain, and had leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats with memory settings, an upgraded 12.3-inch satnav and infotainment system with a DVD player, 20-inch alloy wheels, power tailgate with ‘no-touch’ opening, LED headlights, wireless smartphone charger, and auto-dimming door mirrors with a memory setting.
F Sport models had sportier looks inside and out, to go chasing buyers who might otherwise have driven past the Lexus showroom on their way to test drive an Audi Q7, a BMW X5, or a Porsche Cayenne. As well as more aggressive styling, the F Sport featured adaptive suspension, retuned steering, and sportier settings for the RX’s stability control system.
The aptly named Premier model was at the top of the tree, with semi-aniline leather upholstery with 10-way power adjustable front seats. Both driver and front passenger seat had memory settings and power lumbar support. A colour head-up display, 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround audio system, 360-degree camera system and a heated steering wheel were also part of the long list of standard kit, along with the adaptive suspension from the F Sport.
Lexus RX running costs
For a big 4x4, generation after generation of RX has offered low running costs, cutting across the image of gas-guzzling SUVs.
The trouble is, with a few exceptions, those gas-guzzlers have had their day, and most modern SUVs deliver much better fuel economy than those sold 10 or 15 years ago. Lexus was well ahead of its time with hybrid power, but it’s now commonplace, and many car manufacturers have plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles as well.
That said, the RX 450h is still competitive in terms of economy and emissions. Combined fuel economy of 35.7-36.2mpg (tested on the current WLTP cycle) is reasonable for a two-tonne 4x4. An Audi Q7 45 TDI has a combined figure of 34.9mpg.
One of the reasons the 200t was so short-lived was because it was much thirstier than the hybrid. Expect between 25mpg and 30mpg, depending on how hard you drive.
Insurance costs are high, although this is one ownership cost which is significantly lower if you choose the 200t. The S spec car sits in group 34 of 50. The Luxury spec turbo petrol is in group 36, and the F Sport in group 37. The hybrids range from 41 for the SE to 43 for Takumi spec.
If you choose the RX L, you can expect slightly higher running costs, because the seven-seat car is a few kilos heavier than the five-seater. The official combined figure is 34.4mpg, so the RX L is only a little thirstier than the regular hybrid according to official figures. In the real world, you probably won’t see much difference between the two.
There’s no ultra-high performance version of the RX, which means no model has the wallet-wilting running costs of a BMW X5M or a Mercedes-AMG GLE 63.
Lexus RX reliability
This is the part in most Lexus car reviews where the writer explains how reliable a Lexus is. Well, this review is... no different. It’s so predictable it now borders on a cliché, but a Lexus RX is a supremely dependable car. This may be boring to readers, but it certainly isn’t for owners.
The infotainment system is more awkward to use than those in rivals from Audi or BMW, but it keeps on working year after year. The Lexus RX may be crammed full of gadgets and electronic aids, but these complex cars just don’t seem to go wrong.
Mechanically, the RX is very robust. The petrol engine, electric motor, and other drivetrain components are all well proven and can handle high mileages with ease.
Toyota and Lexus established a neat little marketing trick for their new car warranties in June 2021. There’s a basic three-year/60,000-mile warranty is standard, but the company will top that up by one year and 10,000 miles when owners have their vehicle serviced at a franchise, it and applies to cars up to 10 years old with 100,000 miles on the clock. That might be a bind if the dealers were poor, but they’re not; Toyota and Lexus retailers consistently top customer satisfaction surveys and are widely regarded as some of the best in the business.
The RX generally trumps rivals from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo in reliability and owner satisfaction surveys and is streets ahead of competitors such as Land Rover.
- Lexus updated the RX in 2020. The styling has evolved, although you will need to look closely to notice, because the changes are subtle. A new grille was introduced, with slimmer headlights and rounder front bumpers. A new 12.3-inch touchscreen system was introduced, sitting closer to the driver. As well as the screen itself, it can be controlled by voice or by using a trackpad. Stiffer suspension and a more rigid body improved handling, while rear-seat passengers in the seven-seat RX L now have more legroom and two different seating positions.
- All Lexus RX models of this generation were fitted with Lexus’s Safety System+. This suite of safety and driver assistance systems includes pre-crash safety, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist and automatic high beam. The Premier goes one better, with adaptive high beam, which adjusts the distribution of light from the high beam headlights to avoid dazzling other drivers while maintaining a higher level of illumination than dipped beam. These systems, along with the car’s strength in an impact, helped the RX earn a five-star rating from the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2015.
- The Adaptive variable suspension fitted to high-end RX models such as the F Sport and 2020’s Takumi grade is a clever bit of kit. It constantly reads the road, and processes feedback from sensors to choose the ideal rate for the dampers from one of 650 settings. Yes really, 650. The settings are then applied using actuators built into the lower housing of each shock absorber. At low speeds the system reduces damping forces for a smoother ride, increasing it at higher speeds to reduce any tendency for the RX to pitch or wallow.
- If you’re on budget: go for the RX 200t S. The only front-wheel drive fourth-generation RX is rather unloved compared with the plusher, hybrid models, and that’s reflected in the prices for used examples. You get the same high-quality cabin, and the same cast-iron reliability, but for much less.
- If you want the best all-rounder: choose the RX 450h Luxury. Elsewhere, a car with this much equipment would sit at the top of the range. With its leather interior, heated and ventilated front seats, and flashy infotainment system, you’re not missing much by choosing Luxury spec over the F Sport or the Premier.
- If you want a sporty SUV: choose the RX 450h F Sport. Not only does it look sharper than the rest of the range, it’s sharper to drive, too, with its own settings for the steering and stability control. However, if you want a dynamic, high-performance SUV, a Range Rover Velar or a Porsche Cayenne are a lot more fun to drive.
