Despite the presence of the dreaded touchpad controller (I’ll get to it in a second once I prepare myself), the interior of the RX 450h — and really any Lexus, in my book — is one of its strongest suits. The materials are high-quality, and the knobs and switches all feel first-rate. The test vehicle’s two-tone upholstery might not be for everyone, but it still feels nice.
The RX 450h’s interior is roomy enough for adults front and rear, and there’s so much headroom that adding the optional moonroof, which the RX we drove didn’t have, likely wouldn’t be a problem. Cargo space is also solid, with a Lexus-measured 16 cubic feet with the backseat in place and 32.6 cubic feet with it folded down. Those are identical measurements to the RX 350, so there’s no cargo space penalty when choosing the hybrid.
The touchpad controller, on the other hand … stinks. Its action is imprecise and requires a lot of attention, which really ought to be reserved for, oh, I don’t know, driving. I actually prefer the older joystick-based system, because with that one I could at least keep my eyes on the road more and have a better idea of where the cursor was going. But all that doesn’t really matter now that the display is a touchscreen. The only time my hand went deliberately toward the touchpad was to hit the Home button, which is located there, not on the display itself. Other than that, I never used it.
The display’s graphics are starting to look dated, and the menu structure isn’t the most user-friendly one out there, but for now I’m willing to give Lexus a pass because the system is finally at least usable. Another nit to pick, however, is that most functions on the 12.3-inch display use only about two-thirds of the screen, but that’s less a problem than a wasted opportunity. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa connectivity are all standard, regardless of screen size.
Safety
The RX 450h comes standard with Lexus’ Safety System Plus 2.0, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist, lane-centering steering, forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and high-beam assist. Blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert is newly standard for 2021 models. Our test vehicle also included an optional head-up display; it was helpful when it wasn’t being washed out by the polarized sunglasses I wore.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2021 Lexus RX, which includes both the gas-only 350 and hybrid 450h but not the three-row L versions, a Top Safety Pick for 2021, representing top scores for crashworthiness, crash prevention with other vehicles and a child seat anchor rating. It scored slightly lower for its headlight performance and crash prevention with pedestrians. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rated the 2021 RX 450h at four stars overall.
Should You Buy an RX 450h?
If you’re deciding between an RX 350 and an RX 450h, the hybrid makes a very compelling case. It offers a similar driving experience, identical interior and significantly better fuel efficiency for a starting price just $1,250 higher than an AWD RX 350.
In terms of price and efficiency, the RX 450h also makes a strong case — at least on paper — compared with competition outside the Lexus family.
Ultimately, the RX 450h’s strongest argument is that it offers the benefits of a hybrid without most of the penalties and annoyances of the usual “unique” hybrid experience.
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