What's New for 2011
After a redesign last year, the 2011 Lexus RX 450h is unchanged other than the discontinuation of last year's Sports package.
/Introduction
If you're reading this, chances are you're interested in a luxury crossover SUV. We can also assume that you want a hybrid vehicle that actually delivers a significant fuel economy advantage. Just a few years ago, you would have had but one choice: the Lexus RX. Although it has a few rivals now, the 2011 Lexus RX 450h remains a top pick.
Compared to its conventional RX 350 stablemate, the RX 450h uses a similar 3.5-liter V6 engine but also adds two electric motors (three for the all-wheel-drive model). This hybrid powertrain produces a total of 20 horsepower more than the conventional RX 350's V6 while also delivering fuel economy that's approximately 40 percent better. The increase in fuel efficiency is certainly an enticing proposition, but it's worth noting that the RX 450h will set you back more than $5,000 over the RX 350, and that means it's going to take a number of years to recoup that cost in fuel savings.
Of course, there is a certain satisfaction that comes with driving a more efficient vehicle. In addition, Lexus RX 450h owners will also enjoy all of the typical RX benefits, including class-leading interior quality and an impressively smooth and quiet ride. The cabin also boasts a bevy of high-tech features -- both standard and optional -- to please most technology enthusiasts, including a surprisingly useful mouselike electronics interface, a sweet-sounding Mark Levinson sound system and LED headlamps.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Lexus RX 450h is a five-passenger midsize luxury SUV available in front- or all-wheel-drive versions. It comes in one well-appointed trim level that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, auto-dimming mirrors, keyless ignition/entry, 10-way power front seats, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, wood interior trim, sliding and reclining second-row seats and a nine-speaker audio system with a six-disc CD changer, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack.
Options are bundled in a number of packages. The Premium package adds leather seating, a sunroof, a power tailgate, driver seat memory, a rear-seat armrest and an iPod interface. Additional option bundles require the Premium package. The Comfort package tacks on adaptive xenon headlights with automatic high-beams, rain-sensing wipers, heated/ventilated front seats and an upgraded 12-speaker audio system.
The Luxury package includes 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, power-retractable outside mirrors, upgraded leather seating, side-view cameras, a wood and leather steering wheel and extendable front seat cushions. The Navigation package features a hard-drive-based navigation system (with real-time traffic and voice control), the Lexus Remote Touch interface, a back-up camera, increased Bluetooth functionality and Lexus Enform telematics.
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