Lexus RX test drive since 2008 SUV
Kaizen-car
Our life is filled with stereotypes: in general, the RX 350 Lexus arranged a presentation in his native California But to represent the hybrid version of the crossover, the company chose one of the most agrarian countries of the Old World Hungary, the homeland of not only the forever young Ikarus, but also the forever green globe, which spelled out on the domestic market before the fall of the iron curtain. However, the history of international commodity relations was unlikely to touch the Japanese ...
The main message of this action (albeit not advertised openly) was the statement that only the RAPS (by the way, is a raw material for the production of bioethanol) and the car in the future will be able to merge in a single symbiotic ecstasy. And this future is not so far away: the same Lexus almost completely duplicated its model line with multi -caliber hybrids and continues to actively work in this direction, in every possible way indicating that the modern hybrid is not just a car, an additional electric motor of which serves only to increase the traction characteristics The basic engine, and the most complex intellectual complex, which allows minimizing the harm caused by the ICE of the environment. And the new RX 450H really knows how, if only because he learned to move on the same batteries.
The new RX 450H generally can do a lot. The list of technical innovations is so wide that reasoning on the topic of stylistics in the framework of this test crazy waste. Moreover, the car fully repeats the basic RX (with the exception of the azure nameplates and a specially designed frontal optics) and its Kaizen unchanging component of the proprietary philosophy of L-Fancy (which means a continuous desire for perfection). The same, of course, fully concerns the interior, literally exuding comfort and respectability ...
But do not forget that the concept of Kaizen in itself is extremely ambiguous and in relation to the novelty it acquires a slightly different meaning from a visual-tactile perception, which becomes clear when the driver triggers the power unit. Not a motor, but a power unit, since you will not wait for the usual starting vibration. ICE will start later when the leg drips the accelerator. Or will not turn on. True, subject to extremely careful handling of the corresponding pedal and compliance with the speed limit established by the manufacturer (the most economical EV movement mode can also be activated forcibly). In this case, the car will only use the battery charge.
It is clear that the three -kilometer supply of stroke, taking into account the average Russian distances, is at least ridiculous, and the maximum possible 40 km/h are relevant only in a deaf metropolitan traffic jam, but, on the other hand, the spare kilometers that RX can take a completely dry tank, albeit a small one. But the advantage. However, it is worth admitting that moving on a copy-caring electric car is really fascinating only the first five to ten minutes, after which you start to get tired of it. In addition to the constant control of the road situation and the legitimacy of the selected route on the shoulders of the steering, no less constant control of sled parameters lies. Any careless movement, whether it is an exacerbation or speed of speed, is immediately punishable by the inevitable launch of a gasoline engine. In a word, this is at least tiring, but as a maximum is unsafe, so it is much easier to initially surrender to the caring hands of intellectual electronics, especially since this is its direct duty.
In addition to the EV Lexus mode, the driver can offer two more sidelines of ECO and Snow. The latter, as the name is clear, is designed specifically for movement in ice conditions. In this case, the car will initially use both the electric motor and the gasoline engine, the traction characteristics of which will be artificially lowered to exclude slippers.
By the way, it will not be superfluous to say that, like the predecessor, the RX 450H is equipped with a hybrid drive with a consistent and parallel circuit that allows the car in motion by a traditional engine, an electric motor (there are two front and rear systems in the system) or both sources) simultaneously. Thus, in motion at any speed, the system independently controls its work, constantly optimizing power and traction indicators, as well as fuel consumption and, accordingly, the volume of toxic emissions.
The ECO mode in this case seems to be the main one. When it is activated, the car literally begins to save on everything. Electronic accelerator damps; In addition, the reactions of the throttle of the damper become nonlinear. Simply put, the system refuses the driver to unanimously provoke powerful acceleration (temporarily, of course, but the pause between pressing the pedal and the beginning of the corresponding acceleration reaches a second).
The only thing the driver needs is to try to keep the tachometer arrow in the zone marked with green. In this case, he will be able to make sure that the city consumption (6.6 liters) declared by the Japanese is not theoretical, but quite real.
And this is impressive, especially if you recall that under the hood of 450h, a 3.5-liter V6 is installed from the usual RX 3.5-liter V6. True, the latter works according to the traditional Otto cycle, and the engine of the hybrid version of the Atkinson cycle, as a result of which its power was reduced to 249 hp, and torque to 317 nm. By the way, if, after reading these lines, someone will think that the RX 450H has become absolutely toothless, then we dare to assure that it is, to put it mildly, not so.
The total power of the power unit of the new items is 299 hp, but the main thing is that the traction is developed by electric motors (335 Nm front and 139 nm rear) is in full available even before the start of movement. As a result, this Lexus exchanges the second hundred on the speedometer 7.8 seconds after the start, which is 0.1 seconds faster than that of an ordinary crossover.
From a user point of view, I would like to note that he does it not only quickly, but also exactly, which, without a doubt, is the merit of a new 6-speed automatic transmission. A special extinguisher of steep fluctuations of the flywheel was introduced into its design, smoothing tremors not only at the start and stop of the motor, but also when transmitting the moment. As a result, both acceleration and braking seem completely linear and continuous, as if the car is not equipped with a traditional hydrotransforming transmission, but by a variator.
And yet the new RX 450H is far from a car. He rides quickly, confidently, but too respectable. The steering wheel, pendants ... their settings are extremely comfortable. They soothe. And so that an attempt to grab some simple bundle of turns at a critical speed literally turns into torture. No, x5 in such a situation is definitely more incendiary, Infiniti FX is not so comfortable, but it is more frustful and brutal. Lexus is a pleasure, now also environmental.
SPECIFICATIONS
Lexus RX 450h
Dimensions (mm) 4770x1885x1685
Wheel base (mm) 2740
Road clearance (mm) 170
Mass (kg) 2185
Slave. engine volume (cm3) 3456
Max. Power (L.S.) 249 (299)*
Max. Twisting the moment (NM) 317
Max. Power of E/D (per./Rnov., L.S.) 167/68
Max. torque
e/d (per./rear., Nm) 335/139
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b(km/h) 200
Acceleration 0100 km/h (c) 7.8
Average fuel consumption (L) 6.3
Price ($) from 89 200
* In brackets, the total power of the hybrid system.
Vladimir Zhidkov
Source: MKOMBILA magazine [July/2009]
