The new Lexus RX, introduced locally in the second quarter of this year, is now complete with a full line-up of models.
What’s new?
The new RX “spindle body” frontal treatment may stand out immediately, but it is the wide range of drivetrain options that now complete the line-up.
Exterior:
Lexus has developed what it calls the Next Chapter design language, which includes a new ‘spindle body’, achieved by integrating the signature spindle grille concept into the entire front of the vehicle. The RX team also drew inspiration from the model’s rich design heritage to produce a car that is instantly recognisable, but with a more dynamic, elegant and confident character.
The overhangs are shorter than before and the track wider. Basic advantages are drawn from the GA-K platform, including the lower centre of gravity (-15mm), increased wheelbase (2 850 mm, +60 mm) and wider tracks (front +15 mm, rear +45 mm), achieved, as mentioned, within an overall length that is the same as the outgoing RX (4 890mm).
Interior:
The theme of simplicity complements Lexus’s “tazuna” concept for the driver’s cockpit, which rationalises the location and ease of use of the controls and information sources, so that attention is focused on the job of driving.
The tazuna approach can be seen in elements such as the soft-touch steering wheel controls, head-up display and new multimedia system. The large, 14-inch touchscreen and the provision of physical buttons for frequently used functions help minimise driver head movement.
The list of standard equipment is unlimited but some of the more uncommon bits of standard comfort and convenience kit include three-zone air conditioning, a 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, wireless charger, illuminated entry, head-up display as well as seat heating and ventilation.
Engines:
The new RX comes with a line-up of no fewer than three different electrified powertrains. At the core of the brand’s offering, the RX 450h+ is the first RX to adopt Lexus’s plug-in hybrid technology.
The RX 350 boasts a 2.4 litre turbo-petrol engine with 205 kW, while the RX 350h hybrid electric offers a 2.5 litre petrol engine connected to an EV battery delivering 184 kW.
The total output of the RX 450h+ is 227 kW while the RX 500h marks a breakthrough in hybrid electric technology with an output of the turbocharged 2.4-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor totalling 273 kW.
Prices:
Lexus RX 350 (R1 424 000), Lexus RX 350h (R1 458 300), Lexus RX 350h F Sport (R1 543 200), Lexus RX 500 F Sport (R1 684 300) and the Lexus RX 450h+ (To be announced later.)
JLR reports growing demand for plug-in hybrid models, with global retail sales for the first half of the financial year up 29% compared to the prior year, as more customers use the technology as a stepping stone towards battery electric vehicles (BEV).
Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) called on the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, to announce measures in his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) to ensure that a transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) will result in the reduction of carbon emissions in the country.
The ratio of used to new vehicles financed increased in the second quarter of this year, indicating a growing consumer preference for used vehicles, according to TransUnion South Africa.
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