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Lexus RX is a Japanese luxury crossover which is put on sale in the Indian market in 2 versions – one is RX 350h and the other one is RX 500h F sport. The model which I currently reviewed is the Lexus RX 350h luxury which is a perfect example of such craftsmanship. Priced at a hefty βΉ1.12 crore (on-road, Delhi), this hybrid Crossover SUV is designed to offer excellent fuel economy, particularly in city traffic and low-speed cruising when its battery comes into play.
EXTERIOR
While talking about the design, this crossover will draw your attention with its bold front fascia grille with a big Lexus logo and sharp LED headlamps often giving you a vibe of Japanese classiness with 3-projector Bi-Beam LED headlamps; an auto-leveling system. It looks elegant and sharp.
From the side, you will notice that the car is long enough at 4.9 m in length, 4890 mm to be precise, and my god, it looks damn attractive from the side because of its coupe rear roof and low height. The massive alloy wheels of 21 inches look so damn premium and big that this is the most attention-drawing part of the car.
With a ground clearance of 188 mm, this car will not touch the ground and is suited for Indian bad roads too. From the rear, it looks more elegant, especially the connected LED setup which has a defogger and a hidden wiper. The car is also wide enough at 1920 mm in width and 1695 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2850 mm.
INTERIOR AND FEATURES
As soon as you enter this RX 350h, you will realize this looks more promising as far as interior classiness is considered than the German rivals.
The doors are quite heavy, and the best thing you will pay attention to is the detail of the sound of the windows going up and down; damn, it works so silently that you will feel how silent it is. The quality of each component is good enough to make you feel rich.
However, let me tell you this is not a highly feature-loaded car, but it has all the utility features that a person needs daily, like charging ports and a big infotainment system. It also gets Lexus Safety System+, which has ADAS features like – collision avoidance, which is the Pre-collision System (PCS) Vehicle detection – Stationary/Preceding Vehicle only in Lexus terms, also adaptive cruise control, the best one is its Lane Tracing Assist, and automatic high beam, etc.
It also gets cameras for a 360-degree panoramic view, Blind Spot Monitor, the Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound System; 21 speakers, Seat Heater with Front & Rear seats, Seat ventilation Front seats and outboard rear seats, 3-zone independent temperature controls, 14-inch touch display; Apple CarPlay and Wired Android Auto compatible, etc.
Talking about practicality, the car is super practical, with a good boot space of 461 litres. It features a wide-opening aperture, a flat floor, and powered reclining seats, making the car super comfortable and practical.
PERFORMANCE
Well, if you are someone who is particularly looking for a performance luxury car at this price, then the RX 350h might not give you the jaw-dropping performance that you might need; You would need to select the RX 500h version because the RX 350h is for those who believe only in comfortable driving pleasure along with high quality. It doesn’t aim to provide the exhilarating, seat-gripping performance of German cars in this price segment. Instead, its primary focus lies on luxury and comfort.
The ultra-smooth 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder engine is paired with a powerful, self-charging electric motor run by a Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery, delivering a combined output of 247 horsepower.
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 7.9 seconds.
Maximum speed: 200 km/h.
The car focuses on quality driving rather than making you feel like in a sports car. The Toyota group’s 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder provides a high-level balance between smooth, direct driving performance and excellent fuel economy with 142kW/6,000rpm Max Torque 242Nm/4,300-4,500rpm. Though the engine is quite refined, it sometimes feels highly vocal when you hard press the throttle.
The best thing is that it is an AWD vehicle. The motor-driven AWD system uses various sensors to determine when drive force is needed in the rear, such as during start-up or normal driving, and precisely controls the front-rear torque distribution between 100:0 and 20:80. It efficiently uses the battery power to drive the front and rear motors, contributing to fuel economy as well as delivering excellent starting performance and driving performance.
It also has the Trail mode. Trail mode provides integrated control of the AWD, braking, and driving force to prevent the wheels from slipping when driving on slippery or uneven road surfaces. The suspension is slightly on the softer side, unlike stiff German cars, and you will not feel uncomfortable even at low speeds.
Overall, the car will make you feel super silent (starts in EV mode at starting) with a smooth engine with almost no harshness and vibration.
CONCLUSIONΒ
Though the price is slightly felt on the higher side, the Lexus RX 350h luxury crossover SUV offers you highly classy interior comfort and a feel like you are in a Japanese masterpiece. It is for those who enjoy comfort and a classy interior with a buttery smooth engine.