Lexus RX450h+ mysterious patent filing hints at plug-in hybrid

No way could the 3.0L do 5.6 second which is what I had in my T100. Maybe more like 15.6 secs.

As far as the RX 500h, its curb weight is 2190 kg (4,828 lbs), which is 190 kg (419 lbs) more than the RX 350 but 50 kg (110 lbs) lighter than the RX 450h+ so maybe the PHEV could have tied it if they weighed the same. For reference the 2022 RX 450h is 2150 kg (4740 lbs) versus 2065 kg (4553 lbs) for the 2023 RX 350h or about 85 kg (187 lbs) heavier. The 2022 RX 450h is about about 40 kg (88 lbs) lighter than the RX 500h.

Another odd thing about the RX 500h. It has dynamic rear wheel steering (up to 4 degrees) but that is not a first. The LC 500h also has it through their Dynamic Handling Package called Active Rear Steering.

Comparing the NX 450h+, the NX 450h+ does 0 - 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds with the same 227 kW and gets 76 km (47 miles) EV Driving range compared to the RX 450h+ 0 - 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and EV Driving range of 65 km (40 miles).

 

Official Specs on the RX 350, RX 350h, RX 500h are out.

2023 Lexus RX 500H F SPORT Performance - Lexus USA Newsroom

No specs on the RX 450h+, but that's not surprising since most of them will probably be sold in Europe anyways. No surprises from the European specs quoted earlier but they still quote Toyota estimated gas mileage and not EPA, 27 mpg for the RX 500h and 36 mpg for RX 350h combined. Battery size for the RX 350h is 1.30 kWh and the RX 500h is 1.44 kWh. For reference the 2022 RX 450h battery size is 1.87 kWh. Cargo space is 29.6 ft3 behind rear seats and 49.2 ft3 behind the front seats which is surprisingly roomy compared to the 2022 RX 450h which is 16 and 32.6 ft3 respectively. The 2023 RX is closer to Venza territory in cargo space. I started laughing when I read top speed, because while the RX 350h is limited to 112 mph and the RX 500h is 130 mph, the RX 350 is 200 mph . I think someone didn't do their math because the Europeans said max speed is 200 kph (124.3 mph) for all of them except the RX 500h which is 210 kph (which is surprisingly 130 mph). Even the Lexus LC 500 is limited to 168 mph with its 5L V8 and the LC 500h with its 3.5L hybrid system is limited to 155 mph.

 

The battery is NiMH.

 

Yup bipolar NiMH. The 2022 RX 450h also had an NiMH. Fascinating they can pump out more power from a smaller battery, but that was the appeal of Toyota developing the bipolar NiMH. Another key fact is the towing capacity is the same across all three models, 3,500 lbs (1585 kg) or 999 lbs (453 kg) without a braking system. Identical to the 2022 RX 450h but you needed the towing package. Europe limits are 2000 kg (4,409 lbs) and 750 kg (1,654 lbs) respectively.

Still having trouble envisioning someone towing with one of these.

 

U.S. Prices are out for the 2023 RX lineup: LEXUS FULL-LINE PRICING - Lexus USA Newsroom

Summary (includes DPH)
RX 500h - $62,750
RX 350h base - $50,150
RX 350h Premium - $52,150
RX 350h Premium+ - $54,750
RX 350h Luxury - $58,150
RX 450h+ - NA

 

Can't find Canadian pricing even when I tried to build one, which of course was a 2022 RX 450h.

RX 450h base - $48,870
RX 450h Black Line - $53,300
RX 450h F SPORT - $53,800
RX 450h F SPORT Handling (very rough equivalent to RX 500h) - $55,670

So for the RX 350h base it is a $1,280 increase (about 2.6% higher) over the RX 450h base.
Jumping from top of the line RX 450h F SPORT Handling to the RX 500h F SPORT Performance would cost an extra $7,080 or about a 12.7% jump.
The RX 450h F SPORT or RX 450h Black Line don't have corresponding RX 350h trims.
And of course there is no long version (3 row) of the 2023 RX 350h so nothing to compare to the $53,260 RX 450hL.

 

I haven't seen a single NX 450h+ sold here for under $60,000 so I'm assuming the RX 450h+ will fetch close to $70,000. Don't get lack of Canadian pricing at all. Made in Ontario you'd figure the 2023 RX prices would have shown up by now in Canada. I'm thinking they still have a people problem, as in not enough yet. Lexus Canada Newsroom haven't updated their pricing summaries since 2018 and their Specifications since 2021.

You would have figured Lexus would be desperate to build the NX 450h+ and RX 450h+ there in Cambridge and take advantage of their largest market's new tax credit as they would still be under the max $80,000 SUV limit. Or maybe the main reason for delaying the RX 450h+ is to move production to Cambridge.

 

Well at least Lexus Canada is starting to make the RX 350, RX 350h and RX 500h in Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario.

Toyota Starts Canadian Production of Fifth Generation Lexus RX Luxury SUV | Lexus Canada

Shouldn't be too long before seeing the new RXh and RX 500h all over the dealers' sites here. Maybe the reason I'm seeing a pileup of RX 450h here. Everybody is waiting for the RX 500h which has comparable mileage to the outgoing RX 450h but much more power, 366 hp to 308 hp.

RX 500h = 27 mpg (8.7 L/100km) combined
RX 450h = 30 mpg (7.8 L/100km) combined

RX 500h = 28 mpg (8.4 L/100km) highway
RX 450h = 28 mpg (8.4 L/100km) highway

If I was in the market, I'd probably wait for the RX 450h+, but the RX 350h is closer to my budget. And if I was in the market I'd go BEV anyways.

 

Are you sure those MPG figures are right? They looked low for a hybrid and when I went to the Lexus site they were showing 34/37 for the RX 450h. What would cause a ~20% drop?

 

I believe you are looking at the 2023 RX 350h of which the mileage is listed as 37 city/34 highway/36 combined. The 2022 RX 450h is only listed 30 city/28 highway/30 combined. The newer 2023 RX 350h has lower power than the outgoing 2022 RX 450h but better gas mileage. Believe it or not the newer 2023 RX 350h is faster than the outgoing 2022 RX 450h to 60 mph by about a half second.