The 2022 Lexus RX 450h is a supremely comfortable and frugal SUV, making it perfect for families.
The Lexus RX 450h has always been the go-to model for those who wanted a comfortable and feature-rich mid-size premium mid-size SUV powered by a hybrid powerplant. Being in continuous production since early 2015, this fourth-generation model has started to show its age, especially with the growing competition from the likes of the Audi Q5 Hybrid, BMW X3 Hybrid, and the Land Rover Range Rover Velar Hybrid.
With the arrival of the 2022 iteration of the RX 450h, Lexus has made a few revisions to the exterior and interior design and trims. The Black Line Special Edition is a limited edition model, with only 2,500 being produced. Apart from that, the cabin is still one of the most luxurious in the segment. The spacious cabin and the long list of features are some of the other plus points too. Launched at a base MSRP of $49,345, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Lexus RX 450h.
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The interior of the 2022 Lexus RX 450h comes packed with premium materials throughout, and this is where the SUV feels hugely different from the Toyota Highlander Hybrid on which it is based. The dashboard and door cards come with premium leather with contrast stitching, soft-touch injection molded plastics, and silver accents, all of which make the cabin feel classy.
The infotainment system is pretty wide and is neatly integrated into the top of the dashboard. The silver accents are also present on the center console and the other features like an analog clock, old-school AC controls, and the tactile switchgear are onboard too. Even though the design feels a bit dated in comparison to the modern rivals, the interior does have a charm of its own. The quality is top-notch, and the cabin feels like it is built to last.
The cabin is easy to get in and out of, and the 8" of ground clearance is perfect, too. When inside the front row, the excellent headroom and legroom, coupled with the ergonomically placed armrest, make it a comfortable cruiser. The seats are leather-wrapped and get heated, cooled, and ventilation support.
The panoramic sunroof is standard, and the cabin also comes with many storage areas to keep all the knick-knacks safe. The door pockets are extendable too. The rear seat is roomy and there is no transmission tunnel that protrudes into the cabin, making it perfect for three passengers. The cargo space is not compromised, with more than 32 cu ft of space with the seats up.
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Like the outgoing 2021 model, the refinement in the 2022 Lexus RX 450h is excellent. When driving slowly, there are no clunky suspension noises and brake squeaking to point out. It also runs in pure EV mode when driving slowly, and that makes it a supremely comfortable daily driver.
Even if you step on the throttle, the sound from the V6 motor is well-controlled. The sound-deadening materials do their job well, and the engine and other external noises are filtered out effectively. The wind noise and road noise are on the lower side too.
Under the hood of the 2022 Lexus RX 450h lies the same 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine as before, paired with two electric motors for the front and rear axles. As a result, AWD is standard, and it is capable of producing a combined 308 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. The engine and the electric motors comes mated to an eCVT automatic transmission, which makes it a great daily driver.
Even though the 0-60 mph time of 7.7 seconds and the top speed of 124 mph are not the best in the segment, we found the driving experience to be alright. The low-end acceleration is more than adequate for city commuting, and this mid-size SUV can easily overtake fast-moving traffic on the highway. However, the rivals did turn out to be faster and more engaging to drive. The transmission also felt a bit lethargic out on the open highway.
The 12.3" touchscreen infotainment system comes with the 2022 Lexus RX 450h and is far superior to the mediocre 8" unit offered with the lower trims. It gets many standard features like in-dash navigation, a 12-speaker audio system, Lexus Enform app suite, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Even though the display quality turned out to be quite good, the same cannot be said about the interface. The infotainment feels a few years behind the rivals with the MMI and iDrive infotainments, and some of the much-needed settings are buried deep inside the menu. The trackpad that is present in the center console is very hard to operate, especially while driving.
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One area in which the 2022 Lexus RX 450h doesn't disappoint anyone is when it comes to fuel efficiency. Like the outgoing 2021 model, this 2022 iteration also could do 31 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway, equating to combined gas mileage of 30 MPG.
With a 17.2-gallon fuel tank capacity on offer, the 2022 Lexus RX 450h could do 533 miles in the city and 481 miles on the highway with a full tank of gas. In comparison, the Audi Q5 Hybrid and the BMW X3 Hybrid offered a combined gas mileage of 27 MPG and 24 MPG. Due to the smaller fuel tank size, both of them have worse tank range as well.
The front end has 12.9" ventilated rotors, and the rear end features 13.3" rotors. The other braking features included are braking assist, ABS with EBD, automated emergency braking system, electric parking brakes, and hill hold control. The initial bite is excellent as only a slight tap is required to anchor down the SUV comfortably.
Press the brake pedal harder, and it slows down without feely twitchy. Since this is a hybrid model, there is a regenerative braking system on board, and it doesn't make the brake pedal feel artificial like some of the competitors. The regenerative braking is not too harsh when you take the foot off the brake pedal and feels very refined. The 70-0 mph braking distance of 178 feet is on par as well.
Even after more than 7 years in production, the styling of the 2022 Lexus RX 450h does stand out pretty well. The front end is highlighted by the triple beam LED headlights with L-shaped LED DRLs, Lexus spindle grille, LED foglights, and air vents. If you get the F Sport variant, the grille and air vents are blacked out, making it look more modern.
The lip spoiler looks cool and the dual character lines on the hood with decent width and height give it an SUV stance. The side profile is highlighted by the 18" alloy wheels with, multiple character lines, and the futuristic side mirrors. The black pillars, silver roof rails, and subtle LED taillights look clean. The clean bumper and air diffuser are neatly done too.
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Being a Lexus, it doesn't miss out on any safety and driver-assistance features. As a result, driver-assistance techs like lane tracing assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, collision mitigation system, pre-collision system, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are offered as standard.
The other basic safety features like tire pressure monitoring system, ABS with EBD, airbags, traction control, reverse camera with parking sensors, side-impact beams, and emergency SOS are onboard too. With solid build quality, the RX 450h managed to receive an overall crash safety rating of 4-stars in the NHTSA crash test and the 2022 top safety pick title in the IIHS crash test.
The 2022 Lexus RX 450h is far from a sporty SUV, and the well-calibrated independent front and rear suspension setup make the ride superb. When doing slow city commuting, put the car in comfort mode, and you would be getting an almost magic carpet-like ride quality. All the bumps and potholes are absorbed with ease and the suspension works silently too.
When driving on the highway, the sports mode does stiffen the suspension reasonably well. As a result, there is no major vertical movement. The potholes when met at high speeds are mostly filtered out, and we also found the body roll to be on the lower side.