Plug in stealth
When is the last time you thought about Lexus? Apparently in Ireland not often enough. Lexus Ireland says the brand sold 610 Lexus RX’s in 2023. Break that down further and 147 of those were the RX plug in hybrid models. That’s a pipsqueak amount of units from the premium Japanese car maker even in a market as small as Ireland. The total number of new PHEVs sold in Ireland from January to November was over 18,000.
Take heart. This seemingly bad news for Lexus turns out to be surprisingly good news for the rest of us. After testing the RX PHEV one thing struck me. This is an SUV that egregiously suffers from a case of unfair dismissal. I’ll admit I too rarely think long and hard about Lexus but each time I test one I walk away thinking the same thing – what pleasant and well constructed cars they are.
Let’s not forget Lexus is responsible for some spectacular cars like the LFA and the current LC. Then add in the supreme rarity of an RX and you’re bound to stand out in a sea of grey German competitors.
A Lexus tends to be pretty reliable too. The Lexus MK4 RX scored impressively as the third most reliable car in the UK’s JD Power survey scoring 92.15%. We like that. Tellingly none of the Top 10 cars in the survey was a German brand. The German wooden spoon is compounded by the fact that desirable BMW 3 Series, Mercedes GLC and previous version of its C-Class reside at the bottom of the UK’s reliability chart. This says less about Japan’s ability to properly build reliable cars in the first place over that last ten years – they’ve always managed that – but a whole heap more about the slide in German carmakers’ engineering prowess since then.
The 2023 influental What Car? Reliability Survey reported just 8% of owners had problems with their Lexus RX. If things do go wrong Lexus offers a 3 year/100,000 km warranty, 5 year Hybrid battery cover with a 10 Year Service Activated Warranty.
The 2024 Lexus RX PHEV isn’t cheap by any means and the range starts at €92,240 in Ireland. That may appear a lot for a Lexus – and no Toyota jabs here please – but spend time poking and prodding the interior controls; open and closing doors and it’s evident the Japanese engineers spent considerable time producing a quality car that bellys up to the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5 heavyweights with confidence. Where the RX does face its immediate challenge is cabin space with the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5. They are simply bigger inside and feel it.
Two specification options are available in Ireland – Luxury and Premium both costing €92,240 and the latter at €100,860. The RX is powered by a petrol engine and electric motor driving the front axle and an additional electric motor at the rear – hence four wheel drive power.
As a fifth generation the design has been sharpened with a new grille and updated headlamps with daytime running lights. In other markets a hotter RX500h is available but the 2.5 litre PHEV tested here is said to be the calm riding RX’s sweet spot.
The RX says it achieves a 1.1litre WLTP from the 2.5litre petrol PHEV and 25 g/km using a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) gearbox. Of course it doesn’t. This is simply a calculation based on too many variables that would confused the best of us. One thing, you should certainly test the CVT gearbox before you buy as the linear and sometimes raucous acceleration may jar with buyers used to something like a ZF 8-speed auto gearbox. Granted Lexus has improved the harshness in this latest RX and during this test as it didn’t grate as much.
The lack of air suspension serves up a taut ride that for the most part is well damped but never offers the level of wallowing waftiness that buyers are familiar with in an SUV approaching six-figures. Be prepared for some suspension fidgeting at lower speeds and on road surfaces pockmarked by shoddy roadworks. In comparison the BMW X5 copes better in the corners, leans less into bends and this dictates how the RX will be driven with less aggression at the limit than the BMW X5.
Commendably the RX does well to siphon away the hours of long distances and the relaxed composure which makes it an appealing SUV to travel in when the weather outside is grim and you just want to arrive as unflustered as possible. The cabin’s interior feels plush and the large central touchscreen worked well with just a few occasions having to click a command twice to activate a function. It sits as a solid peer amongst rivals with above average usability. The controls are easy to get to grips with but a degree of acclimatisation will be needed for buyers migrating to the brand for the first time.
If you’re looking for seven seats the Lexus RX will be off your shortlist straight away. It only comes as a five seater but this apparent deal breaker should be examined closely and consider how often you really use seven seats anyway? Storage for oddments is good with sufficient cubbyholes to store stuff. If transporting three people in the back an adult will find the middle pew sits higher than they may like over longer trips. Boot space is only average at 461 litres it trails the seven seater rivals.
In the end the decision to choose the Lexus RX PHEV comes down to a number of factors. Supreme reliability for families depending on an SUV for day in and day out chores is a given. So too is the relaxed demeanour of the driving experience and possibly the rarity. Whichever, or even all, of these attributes are important it’s difficult to go wrong with the Lexus RX. For me the RX’s dependable comfort and rarity does hold strong appeal. If you haven’t considered a Lexus SUV before now might be a good time to test drive one yourself.
Mark Gallivan report