The RX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) elevates the regular RX hybrid to new heights. It’s quicker and quieter, and its relatively large battery pack gives a decent EPA-estimated 37 miles of electric driving for commuting or around-town errands. Once the plug-in battery is drained and the RX450h+ transitions to regular hybrid operation, it manages the same 34 mpg as the RX hybrid model. The result is an impressively high road-test score of 94, the best of all of the RXs we’ve tested.
The biggest downsides are the loud, gritty sounds of the gas engine, either when the battery power is depleted or when the SUV is pushed for a dose of acceleration, along with the extra up-front cost of the RX PHEV compared to the regular RX and RX hybrid (more than $15,000). The latter is in part due to the fact that the PHEV is only available in one very high trim.
For consumers new to PHEVs, these are hybrids with larger batteries that can be plugged into a standard 120-volt household outlet, or a 240-volt EV charger. This gives the vehicle a dedicated electric-only driving range (typically for about 20 to 40 miles, depending on the model) for commuting and running errands, which is something that regular hybrids can’t do. When the battery is drained, the vehicle switches to regular hybrid operation. This also means that, unlike a full battery-electric vehicle, there is no need to find a public charger on a long trip because the gas engine takes over once the electric range is used up.
For buyers who are nervous about going all-in for an EV, a plug-in hybrid could be a logical and cautious step toward electrification. PHEVs make especially good sense if you have a short commute to work, rarely drive long distances, and have the ability and willingness to plug in your vehicle at home to charge overnight—it’s bound to save you money at the gas pump.
The RX PHEV’s battery can be charged overnight in 11.5 hours using the supplied charging cable with a standard 120-volt household outlet, or in about 3 hours using a 240-volt EV charger.
We bought a Lexus RX450h+ Luxury AWD—anonymously from an area dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review.
In addition to the benefit of being able to drive solely on electricity for close to 40 miles, the RX PHEV has more power than the regular RX hybrid. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and electric drive for a combined 304 horsepower. It utilizes an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) and comes with standard all-wheel drive.
The extra power makes it pretty speedy, with a 6.4-second run from 0 to 60 mph, which is about 1.5 seconds quicker than the regular RX hybrid. That said, the PHEV’s four-cylinder engine gets loud and gritty, especially when pushed—such as when merging onto the highway or climbing a steep hill—which seems out of place for an expensive luxury SUV.
In most other ways, the PHEV mirrors the rest of the RX line. Handling has been slightly improved over the previous RX, with a more responsive feel through corners, but the suspension still leans on the side of soft rather than taut, with pronounced body roll when you pick up the pace. It doesn’t possess the athletic feel of a BMW X5 or Genesis GV80. The ride is still comfy overall, and the suspension does a good job absorbing most bumps. But it doesn’t isolate occupants as well as the old RX when the road gets rough. The cabin is quiet but there is a clear juxtaposition between when the RX450h+ operates solely on electric power and the way the “vroom” from the gas engine intrudes when it’s acting as a hybrid.
As with most Lexus models, the cabin inside the RX450h+ is nicely finished with lots of padded surfaces, soft leather, exposed stitching, and solid materials. It’s too bad the dashboard air vents feel rather flimsy when you adjust them, though.
We found the front seats even more comfortable in the PHEV model than in the other two RXs we tested, in part thanks to the standard four-way lumbar adjustment that comes on the Luxury trim. Our drivers also appreciated the ample seatback side bolstering that holds you in place through corners. However, some drivers felt that comfort waned after about an hour in the saddle.
The cockpit proved well-suited to drivers of various shapes and sizes, with decent headroom, an elevated seat height, a clear view of the gauges through the steering wheel, and a well-padded center console in the area where it infringes upon right-knee space. Due to the swoopy styling and tapering window line, rear and side visibility are limited—a nuisance during parking and merging maneuvers.
The rear seat is impressive, in terms of both space and comfort. The elevated seat delivers good under-leg support, the cushions are plush, there’s decent foot space under the front seats, and the seatback has ample recline range.
When it comes to infotainment interfaces, Lexus just can’t seem to get it right lately. First there was the awkward computer-mouse-like system for navigating around the display screen. Lexus eventually tossed that disaster in favor of an also-fussy touchpad-based infotainment system. This time around Lexus has gone all-in on the touchscreen approach. While it’s an improvement in general functionality and usability over the two previous systems, we don’t like that the setup consolidates media and climate controls into a single screen, or that some relatively simple tasks require multiple steps. It’s also unfortunate that the standard head-up display on our tested RX450h+ brings with it unlabeled steering-wheel controls, which are distracting to use while driving.
The electronic exterior door handles are annoying, as there is a momentary pause after you pull on the handle before the door opens, and the interior door-latch buttons are sure to be difficult to find for new passengers. Also, the RX’s stubby electronic gear selector is odd to learn and annoying to use, with a confusing pathway and diagram for how to go between Reverse and Drive.
Standard active safety and driver assistance features on the RX include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle detection, along with automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.