- Lexus is adding a plug-in-hybrid model to the RX lineup for 2024.
- It’s called the RX450h+ and it has the same powertrain as the smaller NX450h+, with a slightly shorter claimed electric range and slightly lower efficiency.
- The RX450h+ starts at $70,080 and will go on sale by the end of the year.
For 2024, Lexus is adding a third hybrid option for the RX SUV. The new RX450h+ model joins the lineup as a plug-in hybrid, complementing the existing RX350h and RX500h F Sport Performance hybrids. The plug-in version offers a claimed 35 mile electric range and has the same setup as the smaller NX450h+.
The RX450h+ has a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four plus three electric motors; this is the same all-wheel-drive setup found in the NX450h+ and Toyota RAV4 Prime. It has a 6.6-kilowatt onboard charger that can charge the 18.1-kWh battery pack in two and a half hours using a 240-volt outlet. It has slightly more power, with a total output of 304 hp compared with the other models’ 302 hp. The larger RX won’t be as quick as those smaller PHEVs, though, with Lexus claiming a 60 mph time of 6.2 seconds.
The RX450h+ is expensive, starting at $70,080, making it the costliest model in the RX lineup. It comes standard with all the features included on the lesser powertrains’ Luxury trim level including a head-up display, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front and rear seats, and a panoramic sunroof.
EPA fuel-economy ratings are 35 mpg combined while running on hybrid power, just 1 mpg less than the RX350h, and 83 MPGe including electric driving. Lexus says the RX450h+ will be available at dealerships by the end of the year.
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Senior Editor
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.