![]() It pairs with a CVT that’s innocuous around town, but for any rushed driving it keeps the engine high in the rev range and fills the cabin with the kind of complaining that’s unbecoming of an RX. In the RX 350h, it makes 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque (down from 308 hp and 247 lb-ft in the 2022 model). The 3.5-liter V-6 is replaced with a 2.5-liter inline-4 dual-motor hybrid system used in everything from the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to the forthcoming Toyota Crown. Lexus targets a mpg stat line of 37 mpg city, 34 highway, and 36 combined, compared to the 30 mpg combined in the last model. Unlike the 500h, it was built for efficiency mainly. Like the 500h, the RX 350h comes standard with all-wheel drive. ![]() (We’ll exclude the Escalade-V because it’s ridiculous.) It only gets a Lexus-estimated 27 mpg combined, but for efficiency over performance, check out the RX 350h. It’s a tempting alternative to the Acura MDX Type S, and sportier than any SUV from Infiniti, Lincoln, or Cadillac. It remains quiet and chill in the RX way, but now it has the option to be injected with more performance chops. Still, with the Direct4 AWD system and adaptive dampers on its front strut and multi-link rear suspension, the RX500h feels more composed than any of its predecessors. Each mode can be customized for Sport or Normal settings for the powertrain, suspension, and steering, but it’s best to set it before driving hard because the drive modes are only accessible through the touchscreen. At lower speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the fronts to make parking easier or to hone a three-point turn into one point.Įco, Normal, Sport, and Custom modes change the throttle response, and Eco mode feels as if you’re stepping on a sponge. It couldn’t fully shed the physics of its 4,751-lb profile, but the four degrees of rear-axle steering made a difference sashaying through the higher speed valley sweepers. Coming around a bend into a valley left me hunting for more grunting, but that’s picking nits as there was plenty of passing power for everyday use. But when downshifting, it stayed in third gear until about 45 mph no matter how I flicked the paddles. It was more tolerant of the upshifts, letting me stay in second gear until about 56 mph, which was ideal up the hills on the interior of the California coast. Shifting down into second gear when going heavy on the throttle takes a long beat that can interrupt on-ramp fantasies. It’s spirited and surprisingly spry, but there were a couple of instances where I wanted a couple more gears in the 6-speed automatic. It steadies the weight transfer and helps the 500h reach a 0-60 mph time in 5.9 seconds, according to Lexus. In Sport mode at launch, the torque shifts from that of a front-wheel-drive crossover to a 40/60 split favoring the rear axle. With no direct mechanical connection between the axles, the 500h can adjust torque to the axles to optimize the driving mode. Together, this new system produces 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A 107-hp motor and inverter power the rear axle, and the motor is fed by the brand’s tried-and-true nickel-metal hydride battery. It employs a 2.4-liter turbo-4 with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a motor generator. This iteration of the RX F Sport first introduced on the outgoing model takes a bigger step closer to the performance suggested by its name.
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