The Lexus RX is the bread and butter that helps fuel the luxury brand’s sales machine with the RX rapidly morphing into a vital cog in the broader sales machine. The updated RX made its debut a short while back and while the odd exterior styling caused some controversy, it ultimately did little to stunt the model’s sales. Lexus is also out to prove that it’s not afraid to venture into new territory with the RX and used this iteration of the crossover to expand its presence into the PHEV market. The 2024 RX 450h+ is attempting to help push PHEV life into a broader net of customers. But is it all enough to help this version of the RX resonate with customers?
RX450h+ attempts to find balance
Unlike the spicier RX 500h F Sport. The 450h+ is attempting to strike a delicate balance between efficiency and affordability and that’s evident when you look at its exterior styling which tries its best to blend into the background despite the efforts of its green paint to try and add some color and swagger to its presentation.
The carryover styling also comes with the latest iteration of the brand’s spindle-style front grille and more aggressive-looking taillights. With the bulk of the exterior being mostly unchanged, the 450h+ unsurprisingly is expecting its badging to do the talking and that might cause it to go under the radar of some consumers especially those that want their PHEV to have more of a styling statement versus blending into the crowd. The 450h+ offers several options to change the appearance but it’s not enough to help shake the image that this RX prefers to lurk in the background.
RX interior continues to deliver comfort and luxury
The interior of the RX 450h+ is largely unchanged from other RXs with Lexus designers attempting to inject more modern touches into the slick cabin. As a result, there’s nothing out of the ordinary as far as changes are concerned. The 450h+ gets several buttons that allow owners to choose from Hybrid, EV, and Auto modes with the cabin coming only in Luxury guise which gives the space splashes of semi-aniline leather and micro-suede inserts. Lexus’s touchpad interface has been swept away and in its place is a fully touch-operated infotainment system with the 450h+ getting a 14.0-inch screen versus the 9.8-inch unit in the base RX.
But despite the Luxury moniker, there are some interesting items that are not included which force buyers to fish them out of the options list. While some features like the triple LED headlights, a surround-view camera, and smartphone as a key system are to be expected, buyers will not be pleased to see that a hands-free liftgate is also a pricey optional extra. In an era where many mainstream vehicles are giving their buyers hands-free capability standard, Lexus’s decision not to follow that route is certainly head-scratching especially when you consider its over $70,000 price tag.
PHEV performance continues to shine in RX
Performance for the RX450h+ comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that’s mated to three electric motors with the triple arrangement being powered by a 18.1 kWh battery pack. The whole setup makes a combined system output of 304 hp which is good but left us wanting more power. The 450 doesn’t get the turbocharged 2.4 liter like the 500h and as a result, the jog to 60 mph is completed in 6.0 seconds.
Handling is competent but there were times when our tester felt overwhelmed in sharp cornering and other spirited driving. The PHEV setup allowed our tester to have a short pool of EV range but the 37 miles you get is less than the RAV4 Prime which gets 42 miles of all-electric range from the same powertrain setup. Braking is composed and our tester did a good job delivering smooth stops from a wide variety of speeds. Charging from the on-board 6.6 kWh charger is quick when hooked up to a 240-volt outlet with Lexus saying that the RX can get fully charged in just over two and a half hours.
Value quotient
With the high amount of luxury and PHEV performance on hand, it;s a pity that the biggest problem that the 450h+ has is its pricing ladder with a base model starting at $70,000. Our tester had a final as-tested price of $77,000 which is on the high end for a vehicle in its segment and also highlights some of the unusual choices Lexus made in regards to choosing what items were standard and optional. Perhaps if the brand chose to make the power-liftgate standard then it would help improve the RX’s value factor just a bit.
However, if you’re willing to tolerate some of the unusual choices Lexus made in packaging, the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ can be the perfect PHEV solution for your fleet. Most buyers will be happy with the performance that’s already on hand and when you combine that with the luxurious interior, the RX continues to be a comfortable oasis after a hard day at the office.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.