What makes the Lexus RX 350 and RX 450 h different?
August 31 2021,
If you've decided to purchase the Lexus RX SUV, or are simply looking for the ultimate in the mid-size luxury utility vehicle segment, you may be undecided about the two main versions of the RX, the 350 and 450h.
Let's take a look at what differentiates the two, both under the hood and in terms of offerings and pricing, as well as cargo space.
H
First of all, when you see the letter "h" next to the name of a Lexus vehicle, you are looking at a hybrid-powered model. That's the first major difference between the 350 and 450h.
The powertrains
Regardless of the variant, the RX is powered by a 3.5-litre V6. With the hybrid version, it's obviously backed up by electrical components, which means that it offers a little more power. In concrete terms, we're talking about a combined output of 308 horsepower for the 450 version, 295 for the 350 model. What's important to remember, the most important thing in fact, is that in both cases you're in the right place if you're looking for reliability.
In fact, there is one main difference between the two models in terms of powertrain and it is in the transmissions. The naturally-aspirated version has an eight-speed automatic transmission. In the case of the hybrid version, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is used.
Fuel economy
Obviously, with powertrains offering very different approaches, there is a difference in fuel economy. In the case of the regular version, the announced figures are 12.2 liters per 100 km in the city and 9.0 liters on the highway. Switching to the hybrid version, these melt away to 7.5 and 8.4 liters, respectively, for combined city-highway trips.
Pricing
As far as price goes, well, the price difference between the two versions isn't huge. The RX 350 sells for $59,860 while the 450h variant is listed at $62,610. Of course, it's up to you to see if in the long run you'll be able to recoup that difference with the better fuel economy of this one.
Trunk volume
In closing, the good news is that when it comes to cargo space, you don't lose anything with the hybrid version. Behind the second row of seats, you get 694 liters of space. Behind the first row, the available space is 1,580 liters.
As for the towing capacity, it is the same at 1585 kilos, or 3000 pounds.
As you can see, the differences between the 350 and 450h versions of the Lexus RX are minor. It's all a question of whether you prefer a model with a conventional gasoline engine or a powertrain that offers better fuel economy.
