I drove a Lexus RX450h+ for a week — and this PHEV is the best of both worlds

[admin]

Car shoppers hesitant about buying an EV may be convinced to try the 2024 Lexus RX450h+ PHEV thanks to how it features both gas and all-electric power.

I drove a Lexus RX450h+ for a week — and this PHEV is the best of both worlds : Read more

 

[Laura-Ann C.]

The Lexus RX450H+ uses the same powertrain and traction battery as the Toyota Rav4 Prime; I own a 2023 Rav4 Prime and have driven it 17,500 miles. Although the two vehicles look very similar and have about the same interior and exterior dimensions, the Lexus weighs a little more than the Rav4 Prime due to having more sound insulation; this extra weight reduces the EV driving range slightly, and the HV mode fuel economy is 1 or 2 mpg less - probably not really significant if you can afford to buy the car in the first place. Anyway, here are a few personal observations regarding my Rav4 Prime that carry over to the RX450h+. The EV range displayed on the instrument panel when you first buy one of these cars will be 25 miles. Over the next several weeks, as you add miles, the computer that's monitoring the powertrain will learn your driving habits and adjust the EV and HV range values accordingly. If you mostly use EV mode for in-town errand running on surface streets in the 25~40mph speed range, the traction battery in the Rav4 Prime will yield 58 to 60 miles EV range in summer, and 2~4 miles less in cold winter weather. The RX-450h+ in similar conditions should yield 56 to 58 miles EV range. On longer road trips, where you are using HV mode, the gasoline fuel economy (in flat terrain) in my Rav4 Prime, is: 48 mpg at 45 mph - 44.5 mpg at 55 mph - 42 mpg at 60 mph - 38 mpg at 65 mph - 34 mpg at 70 mph - 29 mpg at 75 mph. The car can cruise just fine at even 85 mph, but due to the boxy SUV body shape, the fuel economy at 85 mph is really bad - about 25 mpg - and wind noise gets pretty loud, so I don't recommend driving that fast in any Rav4. You can't go wrong with either of these PHEV's. Buy the Rav4 Prime if you want to save some money and don't need the cushier and quieter ride, nicer upholstery, and better stereo of a Lexus, or if you want those extra luxuries and can afford them, get the RX450h+. They are both outstanding for quality, efficiency, reliability, and both are actually very fun to drive in either EV or HV modes.