There is a reason the Lexus RX has such a good reputation. It is one of the Lexus brand’s most well-loved offerings and it wins all the popularity contests when it comes to a favorite luxury crossover.
Lexus did some work on the RX 450h in 2016 and made some styling changes, also adding key safety improvements. For 2017, there is the addition of smartphone integration called the Scout GPS Link and even more standard safety features like blind spot monitoring and pre-collision braking.
The competition in this luxury crossover market includes the Audi Q5, BMW X5 and Acura MDX.
The Lexus RX 450h is a five-seat hybrid with a base or F Sport trim version for 2017. On the base, you get 19-inch tires, and on the F Sport, 20-inch. Luxury will engulf you once you step inside the Lexus from the eight-way power driver and passenger seats to the heating and air-conditioned driver and passenger seats and smooth leather inside including the steering wheel. In the rear, the seats have reclining and split-folding seatbacks with a folding center armrest. There is heated mirrors, keyless ignition, a panoramic moonroof, roof rack cross bars and illuminated door sills. There is also a tilt and telescopic steering wheel with the audio and cruise controls at your fingertips. For technology, the navigation is a 12.3-inch color multimedia display, there is a dual screen rear-seat entertainment system, 12 speakers and auxiliary audio input and USB with an external media control.
For added features, there are a variety of add on packages. The Luxury Package offers a semi-aniline, perforated leather-trimmed interior, manual rear-door sunshades and ambient lighting.
For the cold weather package, it is the rain sensing wipers, a windshield wiper de-icer, a fast response interior heater and auto-leveling headlamps.
On the Towing Prep, expect a heavy-duty radiator and cooling fan as well as engine and transmission oil coolers.
A Premium Package offers leather interior trim, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a Lexus Memory System and electrochromic outside mirrors.
For the Navigation/Mark Levinson® Premium Audio Package, the speaker count is 15 with the Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound Audio System and Navigation System with 12.3-inch or eight-inch color multimedia display as well as the Lexus Enform App Suite.
Under the hood, the 2017 Lexus RX 450h is all-wheel drive with a continuously variable speed automatic transmission and a 3.5L hybrid, V6 engine. You get 308 horsepower with 247 pound feet of torque. For towing, the maximum is 3,500 pounds.
Safety on this 2017 Lexus includes the Safety System+, which comes with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control all standard. There are daytime running lights, dual front and dual rear side-mounted airbags and front and rear head airbags. You also get stability and traction control, rear door child safety locks, turn signal mirrors and stolen vehicle tracking.
There is plenty of room inside the 2017 Lexus RX 450h and whether in the front or bag the head and leg room will not disappoint. For hauling, you get 18-cubic-feet with all seats in use or the maximum cargo capacity is 55.9-cubic-feet.
An all around good experience driving the 2017 Lexus RX 450h, you will not only enjoy the destination. But with this crossover, you will enjoy getting there as well.
Should You Need to Know: There are 10 exterior colors to choose from on the 2017 Lexus RX 450h.
Miles: For miles per gallon, it is 31 in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
Cost: The price tag for the 2017 Lexus RX 450h I drove was $61,595 with an audio package.
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