2011 Lexus RX450H Reviews

Lexus RX has been a huge success for the upmarket Japanese marque since its launch in Australia in April 2003. More a high riding station wagon than a 4WD it has mild to medium off-road ability in its AWD versions, though very few owners ever take advantage of it. The introduction of the fourth generation RX series in

...and what to watch for when you are buying it.Lexus cars are about comfort and refinement and the Lexus RX SUV leans very much in that direction and well away from the rugged off-road nature of its big brother the LandCruiser-based Lexus LX Series.The Lexus RX350 has significantly less ground clearance than the typical crossover. Which gives it road holding almost on par with that of a sedan or station wagon. While the Lexus RX350 does have all-wheel drive and can travel on dirt roads, forest trails and the like, taking it to the beach could leave it beached on its belly.Interior room is good for two adults and three junior travellers, but three adults in the back seats starts to stretch their friendship. It goes without saying that the choice of materials and the quality of fit and finish of cabin is immaculate in all models, and has been taken to even higher levels over the years. Boot space is reasonable considering the steep slope of the rear window, but most SUVs of this size give you more versatility when it comes to carrying boxy items. The rear seat has a handy 40/20/40 split to give you loading options.Australian buyers weren’t offered the chance to buy the first-generation Lexus RX300 as it was only sold in the USA. The second generation went on sale in this country in April 2003 as the RX330 (the numbers refer to the engine size in decilitres in most models, more about that later) and was a hit pretty well from the start.The third generation Lexus was introduced in February 2009 and, with a moderate facelift and the introduction of several new variants remains on sale today. The gen-three was virtually all-new, being longer and wider in the body than its predecessors and sitting on a longer wheelbase and wider track. The new model was designed to provide more interior space and even higher levels of interior comfort than before. It truly is a luxury wagon and the great majority of buyers use it that way.The twin-cam petrol engine V6 has a capacity of 3.0 litres in the 330 and 3.5 litres in the RX350. The third generation cars have noticeably lower fuel consumption without any loss of performance. The petrol engine was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission until the arrival of the all-new 2009 model saw it lifted to six-speed unit, which partly explains its lower fuel use.An interesting model is the petrol-electric hybrid RX. Sold since October 2006, it uses a 3.3-litre engine and an electric motor in combination. The hybrid’s model name breaks with convention by being tagged RX400h, that’s because Lexus reckons it has the performance that would be offered by a 4.0-litre petrol engine.A mid-life upgrade in July 2012 saw the introduction of an RX 2WD, four-cylinder model badged RX 270. Until then all RXs used 4WD and a V6 engine. The lighter weight of the 2WD model (which drives through the front wheels) means there is less loss in performance than you might expect. Naturally, it’s still a rarity on the used market but if you never plan any unsealed road driving its lower price may make it worth a wait.Lexus dealers are mainly in metropolitan areas of capital cities and major regional and country locations. Should you need work done in other areas some top Toyota mechanics have been trained in Lexus work. Service and repair costs are about average for an SUV in this upmarket class and we have heard of no real complaints about cost or availability of routine spare parts. Insurance charges don’t seem to vary significantly between major companies, but it may be worth shopping around.WHAT TO LOOK FORVery high build quality means that troubles are rare, but these are relatively complex machines and we highly recommend a professional inspection after you've completed yours to the best of your ability. If you find body damage indicating off-road use, a rarity, it’s most likely to be on the bumper corners, under the sill panels and in the form of scratches on the doors. Unless the price is right we suggest going for another RX instead.Look for a smoking exhaust on a high-mileage engine. It will be at its worst when the engine is worked hard. Check the automatic transmission is all but unnoticed in its actions unless you’re accelerating hard. Look over the interior and boot carefully because the RX is popular in the Mums’ taxi cohort.CAR BUYING TIPFaded paint on any vehicle, particularly those with strong colours, is likely to indicate it hasn’t been garaged very often. This can be hard on the interior as well as the body. 

THIS is a review of a luxury ambulance ... or maybe it should be titled how I went from rider number 7 to patient number 6040789 to 1831km in an RX450h.It's a long story, but the summary is this: I crashed on a bike launch in Victoria, ended up in a Melbourne hospital and couldn't fly home because of a lung puncture. So my wife flew down to drive me 1831km home to Brisbane.My boss offered me a Lexus RX450h which was ending its time at Carsguide on a long-term test. Lexus kindly obliged to the extra kilometres.Unless it had air suspension, it couldn't be a better "ambulance" for the long haul.So now there is one more use for this Toorak Tractor other than conveying the cherished ones to private school, rugby practice or ballet lessons.VALUEValue? Invaluable to me with painful chest and back injuries! The hybrid Lexus comes in three models, Prestige ($89,788), Sports ($96,787) and Sports Luxury ($108,900) which we drove.The top model comes with everything so the only option is 19-inch tyres. That's still about $10,000 more than the petrol model, but it has the best car audio system you can get - Mark Levinson audio system valued at $3000.There is only one other hybrid luxury SUV to compare it with and that's the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid S at $160,800. However, most buyers would also consider diesels such as the Audi Q7 ($88,614- $254,814), BMW X5 ($92,100-$113,300) and Mercedes-Benz ML ($85,780-$92,425).TECHNOLOGYIt's a hybrid, so it's powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with an electric motor and a host of environmental and fuel-saving technologies.That alone is plenty of technology, but it also features adaptive cruise control, head-up display, satellite navigation, dusk sensing xenon headlamps with cornering function, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, six-CD/DVD tuner, Bluetooth, self-folding electric wing mirrors with puddle lamps, power windows, electrically adjustable seats and steering column with three memory settings, heated and ventilated front leather seats and a mouse-style controller for the infotainment system.Our test model was more than a year old so it didn't have the USB connectivity it now comes with.SAFETYPart of the technology overload are the safety systems that put my injured frame at ease. It comes with several safety systems to prevent a crash and minimize damage and injuries in a crash: pre-collision system, vehicle dynamic integrated management, and intelligent adaptive front lighting system. There are also 10 airbags, a reversing camera and a host of electronic aids with acronyms such as ABS, EBA, EBD and ESC that keep it on track.DESIGNI've always liked the slightly curvy, feminine lines of the RX, Q7 and Cayenne. To me they are a refreshing change from the chunky, macho X5 and ML. The RX450h has styling features to differentiate it from the RX350 petrol models including a turbofan-style grille, blue-trimmed Lexus hybrid logos, blue tinted tail lamps and AFS LED headlamps.Step inside and you can't help notice the illuminated blue "Lexus" on the doorstep. The rest of the cabin is similar except for the added features. Everything is practical, tasteful and comfortable.DRIVINGTo me the most important features were the comfortable and quiet cabin, and the long-travel suspension with double wishbone rear for a nice, plush ride. And on the Hume Highway's concrete joins, the bumpy roads north of Albury and Newcastle, and the road works between Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay, it was a blessing. However, to most buyers the most important thing is the fuel economy from the hybrid powerplant.Hybrids are really most frugal when they are in city stop-start traffic where the petrol engine is used minimally. On the highway, the electric motor is hardly ever deployed. Lexus quotes highway fuel consumption figures of 6.1 litres per 100km. With very little city or suburban driving, we used a total of 148.3 litres which is an average of 8.1L/100km.It's difficult to write a road test of a car I hardly drove, but my wife's comments are pertinent.She said it drives "like a car". She also liked the head-up display which shows speed and satnav directions on the windscreen in front of the driver, but she said her Polaroid sunglasses negated the images. She liked the adaptive cruise control, but in heavy rain they stopped and the screen said "cruise control not available". She didn't like the wood and leather steering wheel. She said the wood became hot and sticky in the sun and slippery when cold. She also found the rain-sensitive windscreen wipers unpredictable.I like the convenience of the 12V power outlet, the easy-to-use mouse-style controller for the infotainment system and the neat storage under the centre console. When I finally got to drive the Lexus for short distances under doctor's orders, I found the driving position easily adjusted to suit. I also like the way the seat and steering wheels move away when you want to get out of the car. With its hip-high seats, it is also easy to get in and out without having to squat or pull yourself up - great in my condition.LEXUS RX450hPrice: $108,900Warranty: 4 years/100,000kmResale: 90%Servicing interval: 15,000kmEconomy: 6.4 l/100km; 150g/km CO2Safety equipment: 10 airbags, ABS, EBD, stability controlCrash rating: 5 starsEngine: 220kW/317Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol and electric motorTransmission: Continuously variableBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4770mm (L); 1885mm (W); 1720mm (H); 2740mm (WB)Weight: 2205kgTyres: 235/55 R19Spare: Full-size spare an option