2022 Lexus RX 450hL Hybrid

The 2022 2022 Lexus RX 450hL is offered with just one trim level but Lexus also has a Black Line Special edition on offer which can be considered as the other trim level. The SUV is priced at around $52300 while the special edition costs around $3000 more. All-wheel drive is standard and we’ve listed a few features offered with the SUV below. Only 2500 examples of the Black Line Special Edition will be sold.

Which trim should you buy?

The base spec RX 450hL should just suffice all your daily driving needs and has all the features and equipment that you would want in a luxury SUV. However, if you need a few more luxury and creature comfort features, then you may opt for the Black Line Special Edition. Otherwise, the base trim is just good enough.

The 2022 Lexus RX 450hL comes equipped with a 3.5 liter, normally aspirated V6 combustion engine and has 3 electric motors- a 165 hp motor at the front, a 67 hp motor at the rear, and a starter-generator motor. The hybrid powertrain delivers 308 horses and 247 lb-ft of torque combined and power is sent to all the wheels via an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT).

The 2022 Lexus RX 450hL is not the quickest option in the segment. It takes 8.1 seconds to clock 60 mph from a standstill and covers the quarter-mile distance in about 15.8 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 128 mph. Power delivery is very linear and the power unit somehow lacks the rush. Not that it is a lazy unit but then it doesn’t quite deliver as one would expect it to. The eCVT tends to be a little slower while delivering power and isn’t as slick as a torque converter or a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The suspension system feels perfectly balanced and the steering is precise which inspires confidence while driving. The ride quality is unmatched and even body roll is very well contained. 

The Lexus has the lowest power and performance numbers in the competition which is a bit of shame. The Volvo is the quickest of the lot doing a 0-60 mph in just 5.4 seconds and covering the quarter-mile distance in 14.4 seconds only. The Volvo also has the highest power numbers and delivers a solid 400 horses along with 472 lb-ft of torque. The Audi on the other hand is the second fastest of the lot and is followed by the Land Rover while the Lexus ends up last in the competition by a margin of more than 2 seconds.

With a hybrid powertrain under its hood, the 2022 Lexus RX 450hL is tailor-made keeping frugality in mind. The SUV delivers equally good fuel economy numbers on the city and the highway. In the city, the Lexus can go for about 28 miles and on the highway, it can haul up to over 29 miles. It has a combined EPA rating of 29 MPG which is pretty decent for a vehicle in this segment. It gets a sizable tank that can hold 17.2-gallons and can cover a range that is just shy of the 500-mile mark. 

The RX 450hL is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the competition. The Volvo and the Audi both deliver 27 MPG combined while the Land Rover delivers 21 MPG combined which is the lowest in the segment. But it benefits from the most voluminous tank that can hold 23.5-gallons. Yet it manages a lower range than the Lexus and in terms of distance covered, it is the 2021 XC60 Recharge T8 PHEV that manages to come close to the Lexus averaging 500 miles.

Well, there are conflicting opinions about the RX 450hL’s interior design. Some might find the design of the cabin a little too overdone for there are a lot of lines and creases flowing across the dashboard and the cabin. On the other hand, some people may like the cabin design because it is tastefully done, looks very modern, and is plush. The quality of materials used on the inside is high and you won’t find bits of cheap plastic or other materials anywhere in the cabin.

With a three-row configuration, the 2022 Lexus RX 450hL can accommodate 6 passengers. However, the space on the third row is a little too scant for which the sloping roofline is to be blamed. We’d recommend seating kids in the third row The seats on the first two rows are nice and snug and offer good support and bolstering. The amount of head, shoulder, and legroom on both the rows is quite good, and even tall people won’t have any trouble in fitting in there.

As standard, you get NuLuxe upholstery. Lexus offers multiple color combinations to choose from and you can select colors that best fit your taste. Lexus also offers many packages that let you customize interior trims and designs, select materials for dashboard and other interior items, and also add on any other creature comfort features that you may need.

Behind the third row of seats, you get about 7.5 cubic feet of cargo area which isn’t enough to carry the luggage of 6 people. Fold the third row down and then you have a cargo space of 23 cubic feet and further if you fold down the second row, you open up to about 34.1 cubic feet of luggage space. There are a good number of storage spaces inside as well. At the front, there are cupholders in the center console along with two deep storage cubbies and a wireless mobile charger. Then you get pockets and bottle holders on all 4 doors and there’s also an armrest at the back that has cupholders in it.

In terms of sheer passenger and cargo space, it’s the Land Rover that beats all the other SUVs in the competition. The Land Rover is a bit expensive but then it has enough space to carry 7 passengers and a fair bit of luggage as well. With just two rows of seating, the Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 PHEV and 2022 Audi Q5 have better cargo capacities of 17.8 and 25.9 cu.-ft, respectively. We liked the Lexus’ interior design more than any other vehicle’s and in our opinion, it has the most well-laid-out cabin in the competition. It also gets a long list of standard interior features and we’ve listed a few of them down below:

• 10-way power-adjustable front seats
• NuLuxe interior trim
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 50/50 split-folding third-row seats
• Interior Air Filtration

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The RX 450hL comes equipped with a Lexus Enform infotainment system. At the front, there’s a rather large 8-inch touch screen infotainment display mounted on top of the dash. You can access all the infotainment and vehicle settings through this screen. We also appreciate the fact that Lexus still has physical buttons and dials for volume and air-con controls and you don’t have to tap on the screen every time you wish to change volume or temperature. The infotainment system, on the whole, is simple and easy to use, and full credit to Lexus for building a very intuitive infotainment system.

Key infotainment features:

• Nine-speaker premium audio system
• 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Alexa compatibility
• SiriusXM radio
• AM/FM radio
• Six USB ports
• Bluetooth smartphone integration

The RX 450hL has a very radical exterior design. At the front, there’s that large spindle-shaped grille that is typical to the brand and makes the SUV easily recognizable. This grille is then surrounded by those pointy LED daytime-running lights along with the swept-back headlights that give the SUV a striking face.

Moving sideways, you find a very strong beltline emerging from the headlights, traveling over the front wheel arch and going all the way through the SUV’s body, and merging into the taillights. Lexus has also offered a floating roof and the SUV has a sloping roofline.

The 2022 Lexus RX 450hL doesn’t have that strong and aggressive aura that most SUVs have but it rather is a stylish SUV. This is perhaps the most striking SUV in the competition and in our opinion, it indeed is the best looking of all the SUVs in the competition. It is the longest option yet has the shortest wheelbase of 109.8 inches. It is also one of the wider options in the segment and has ample clearance from the ground of 7.9 inches. 

The Lexus RX 450hL is the largest SUV in the competition. The Land Rover Discovery R-Dynamic is slightly smaller than the Lexus while the Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60 are much smaller than it but seem fitting for a two-row SUV. The Volvo. however, gets the maximum clearance from the ground of 8.5 inches, while the Audi is the lightest having a curb weight of 4619 lbs. Yes, we think that the Lexus is the better-looking SUV here although looks, after all, are a matter of taste and so we’ll let you decide which one looks better.

Key exterior features:

• Power-folding, auto-dimming, outside rear-view mirrors
• 18-inch split 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Front lip spoiler
• Powered tailgate
• LED brake lights
• Auto on/off aero-composite headlights with DRLs

The 2022 RX 450hL is yet to be tested and rated but the 2021 model has been. Hence, we shall be using those scores for reference here. The RX 450hL is the IIHS’ ‘2021 TOP SAFETY PICK’ which indicates that the RX 450hL is a pretty safe vehicle. Further, the Japanese SUV gets a 4-star rating from the NHTSA which is enough to assure you that this vehicle shall indeed keep you protected on the inside.

Key safety features:

• Side impact beams
• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Front and rear collision mitigation
• Pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection
• Lane-keep assist with lane departure warning
• Cruise control with steering assist

2022 Lexus RX 450hL vs. 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge T8 PHEV eAWD Inscription Expression

The Volvo is priced slightly higher than the Lexus but for a couple of thousand dollars more, the Volvo has more power and performance to offer. On the flip-side, the Volvo can only carry 5 passengers while the Lexus can carry up to 7. Moreover, in terms of quality, fit and finish, and creature comfort, the Lexus is far more superior to the Volvo. Our pick in this comparison would be the Lexus but if you crave more power and better performance then you might pick the Volvo.

2022 Lexus RX 450hL vs. 2022 Audi Q5 Premium 55 TFSI e Quattro

The Audi Q5 does pretty much everything better than the Lexus except for the fact that it can only seat 5 passengers. The Audi has better power and performance, drives better, delivers similar fuel economy, and is also quite plush on the inside. Now, if you badly need those third row of seats, only then go for the Lexus, otherwise, it’s the Audi that’s the better SUV of the two.

2022 Lexus RX 450hL vs. 2022 Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic P360

The Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic P360 is the only other 3-row hybrid SUV in the competition. Again the Land Rover delivers better power and performance but doesn’t quite match the level of interior quality and design of the Lexus. Now, if you’re looking for a luxury SUV that you can also take off-roading, then the Land Rover Discovery is the one you should go far as no other SUV in the competition is as off-road capable as the Land Rover is. However, if you’d be using your SUV to mostly drive around on paved roads, then the Lexus is the one you should opt for.

The 2022 Lexus RX 450hL on paper does look like a very solid package. It has good power, performance, and creature comfort features on offer and all these factors make it very desirable. However, when you compare it to its rivals, you might find those vehicles better. So, to draw a line, if you need a 6/7 seater SUV that you’ll mostly be driving around the city or on the highway, then you may put your money on the Lexus. If your purpose exceeds beyond this, then you may opt for some of its rivals that offer better performance and off-roading capabilities.