The Lexus RX accounts for about 30 percent of Lexus sales in New Zealand and of that, 50 percent are self-charging hybrid models, and that looks set to continue if the Ardern drive for more environmentally friendly vehicles goes according to plan.
You won’t lose the ability to have a little – well OK, a lot – of luxury for the sake of being environmentally-friendly and at the same time, you’ll also enjoy the new technology Lexus has imbued its hero seller with.
Technology like the latest Lexus Safety System + package, which provides advanced safety and accident prevention technologies. These either warn the driver of a collision risk or help them avoid or mitigate the severity of an impact.
The package includes a camera – and radar-based Pre-collision system with autonomous emergency braking, all-speed dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, road sign assist function, and auto high-beam.
On the top end RX F Sport and Limited grade models, Lexus is debuting the world’s first BladeScanTM adaptive high-beam system.
This adaptive system automatically reduces brightness in specific regions ahead of the car to avoid blinding oncoming drivers and can redirect light towards the side of the road making it easier to see cyclists and pedestrians at night.
The 2020 RX will be available with a self-charging hybrid-electric RX 450h or petrol-only RX 350 powertrain. The five-seat version can be purchased as a standard, F-Sport or Limited grade, while the seven-seat version is only available in the Limited grade.
All RX models are all-wheel-drive and are powered by a 3.5 litre V6 engine. The petrol-only RX 350 produces 221kW, while the RX 350L produces 216kW of power. The self-charging hybrid variants RX 450h and RX 450hL have a total power output of 230kW.
The RX line is also the first Lexus product to adopt Apple CarPlay® and Android AutoTM with either Apple Siri® or Google AssistantTM accessed via Smartphone.
And on the topic of in-car connectivity, the RX Lexus features an updated multi-media system, with satellite navigation, uses a new 12.3-inch touchscreen display with a remote-touch interface.
The 2020 RX will be available with a self-charging hybrid-electric RX 450h or petrol-only RX 350 powertrains and a variety of specification levels.
The 2020 Lexus RX is priced at:
RX 350 3.5 V6 SUV AWD $97,400
RX 350 3.5 V6 SUV F Sport AWD $109,600
RX 350 3.5 V6 SUV Limited AWD $108,900
RX 350L 3.5 V6 SUV Limited AWD – 7 seat $109,500
RX 450h 3.5 V6 Hybrid SUV AWD $116,400
RX 450h 3.5 V6 Hybrid SUV F Sport AWD $127,600
RX 450h 3.5 V6 Hybrid SUV Limited AWD $126,900
RX 450hL 3.5 V6 Hybrid SUV Limited AWD – 7 seat $127,50