Not sporty sufficient, not environment friendly sufficient—the 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport

Something about automotive physique types brings out feelings in individuals. Witness the once-mighty station wagon’s fall from grace; at one time, it was the household supercar, now it is largely simply adored by individuals on the Internet (who by no means really purchase them) and reviled by everybody else. The wagon gave method to the minivan, which in flip misplaced favor to the SUV, however the true winner over the previous few many years has been the crossover. Something of an “I do know it after I see it” class, the crossover is extra car-like than an SUV, and extra SUV-like than a automotive and topic to loads of arguments over what does and does not fairly slot in that four-wheeled pigeonhole.

If you could have emotions in regards to the crossover—and from the feedback I do know that a few of you do—it is in all probability Lexus’ fault for creating them within the first place. In 1998, the then-upstart Japanese luxurious model launched the RX 300, a beautiful luxurious hatchback with an off-roader’s journey peak, and a brand new phase was born. Now, almost 1 / 4 of a century later, the RX is in its fifth iteration, on a brand new GA-Ok platform that is stiffer and lighter than earlier than.

Its styling has gotten a little bit extra sophisticated of late—notably that huge Cylon-like entrance grille. The powertrain choices are rather less sophisticated than they was, nevertheless, as your entire lineup strikes to four-cylinder turbocharged engines, a few of that are supplemented by a hybrid system. In time, the US will get a plug-in hybrid RX, and the devoted RX 350h returns to the vary, however new for mannequin yr 2023 is the (deep breath) RX 500h F Sport Performance AWD, which begins at $62,750.

This is the brand new king of the RX vary, and within the outdated days its moniker would counsel the presence of a giant outdated 5.0 L V8 underneath the hood, behind that huge all-black cheese grater. But now we’re all about downsizing, and as a substitute you will uncover a 2.4 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends 271 hp (202 kW) and 339 lb-ft to the entrance wheels through a six-speed gearbox, along with a permanent-magnet synchronous motor. A second electrical motor powers the rear wheels, including as much as 107 hp (80 kW) at that axle. Both electrical motors are fed by a nickel-metal hydride traction battery, and the powertrain’s whole output is a most of 366 hp (273 kW) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm).

With 4,751 lbs (2,155 kg) for that torque to maneuver, the RX 500h F Sport does not really feel precisely sluggish—0-60 mph takes 5.9 seconds—but it surely additionally does not really feel that fast compared with the various battery-electric SUVs and crossovers we have examined this yr. What’s extra, the four-cylinder powertrain sounds harried and frantic whenever you take it to the higher finish of its rev vary, which is jarring in what’s alleged to be a luxurious automotive. I additionally suspect the journey would have benefited from some higher-profile tires, though it was by no means crashy or disagreeable.

Instead, the crossover most popular a extra relaxed driving fashion; I attempted for some time to see if it was doable to drive with out firing up the interior combustion engine, however not like different Toyota and Lexus hybrids we have examined, the RX 500h didn’t default to electrical propulsion-only under 25 mph (40 km/h).

Fuel effectivity is also higher. Lexus quotes a mixed 27 mpg (8.71 L/100 km). I should take its phrase for that, as a result of the brand new infotainment system doesn’t seem to have the ability to preserve observe of total mileage; the journey pc would both inform me my instantaneous mileage, or it might current me with a bar graph exhibiting the previous couple of miles.

Our check automotive was outfitted with the 14-inch display screen model of that infotainment system, which is far improved in comparison with even current classic Lexuses. But the UI designers have nonetheless made some irritating decisions right here and there. I do remorse not attempting out the voice recognition and clever assistant to see whether or not Lexus has reached characteristic parity right here with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But I believe most drivers will use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for his or her infotainment wants, each of which work wirelessly or through USB.

Lexus and its father or mother firm, Toyota, have gone all-in on a typical suite of superior driver help programs to make their vehicles safer. This ADAS suite contains ahead collision warning and automated emergency braking (with pedestrian detection in daylight and low-light, and bicycle and bike detection in daylight), lane departure warning and steering, adaptive cruise management, adaptive high-beam headlights, and street signal help, amongst different capabilities. Some drivers could discover the lane departure a little bit overeager, however it may be simply turned off.

For me, the RX 500h did not fairly hit the mark. Assuming one likes the styling, the RX 350h can also be a hybrid and averages a mixed 36 mpg (6.53 L/100 km). It additionally is not a lot slower, and whereas Lexus appended the “F Sport Performance” to the RX 500h’s title badge, it struggles and labors to stay as much as that.