Lexus Masterpiece: The RX 450h
Chicago Cubs fans can relate to winners, and this Lexus masterpiece, the RX 450h SUV, is a winner with “caviar” metallic dark-blue finish that shimmers in these warm Colorado fall days. Described as a hybrid, this vehicle boasts a 308 horsepower V8- engine with a hybrid-drive system. The combination gives a stunning 30 MPG fuel consumption on a large SUV.
The Lexus RX is based on the automaker’s latest – L-finesse – design language and it looks crisp and futuristic. The front profile is dominated by Lexus’ gigantic ‘spindle’ grille. It features triple L-shaped LED headlamps, along with LED fog lamps and LED daytime running lights.
On the sides, the RX features blacked-out C-pillars, which provide the illusion of a floating roofline. The roofline is very similar to a coupe, with a sharply raked rear windscreen. The Lexus RX 450h internationally comes with an option of 18- or 20-inch alloys, and it is likely to get the 18-inch option in India (235/65 R18). At the rear, it comes with L-shaped wraparound tail lamps, mimicking the ones at the front.
As is the case with the exterior, the interior of the RX comes with a sharp and youthful-looking dashboard with an asymmetric layout. A large-screen infotainment system sits on top of the dash. The cabin feels roomier with a large retractable panoramic moon roof.
The Lexus RX 450h is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, which is coupled with three electric motors. The combined output of the petro-electric amalgamation is 308PS and it offers an AWD (all-wheel drive) drivetrain. There is no mechanical connection between the two axles – there are just wires!
It comes with a 3.5-litre Atkinson-cycle V6 petrol motor, which puts out 259PS @ 6,000rpm of max power and 335Nm at 4,800rpm of peak torque.
At the front, the RX 450h comes with two electric motors. One of the motors is used as a generator, engine starter, and to carry out the function of transmission ratio control. The second motor drives the front wheels (along with the engine) and puts out a healthy 165PS of max power.
The third motor is placed on the rear axle and drives the rear wheels. The max power rating of this motor is 67PS. The motors driving the wheels offer regenerative braking and draw power from a sealed Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery back (37 kW).
As for the infotainment system, the Lexus RX 450h features a gigantic 12.3-inch monitor, which is placed horizontally atop the center stack. It displays full-screen maps along with other essentials such as climate control, audio and driver’s MID info. Besides this, an eight-inch monitor comes standard in the Lexus 450h with a twelve-speaker set-up. Both the systems feature navigation and offer a remote touch navigation controller for all the operations since the screens are not touch-based. The optional rear-seat entertainment system includes 11.6-inch dual screens fixed to the back of the front headrests.
The safety equipment on board includes dual-stage driver and front-passenger airbags along with side-curtain and knee (for driver and front-passenger) airbags. Additionally, it comes with Lexus Safety System+, which includes features such as pre-collision system (PCS), lane departure alert (LDA) and automatic high beam (AHB). Other available features that could help the driver include adaptive high-beam system (AHS), panoramic view monitor (PVM) and blind spot monitor (BSM) with rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), among others.
Come by your Highland Park Lexus dealer today to learn more about the RX 450h!
