Lexus RX test drive since 2008 SUV
Lexus RX 450h - in search of the perfect car?
Can I create the perfect car? One that, in beauty, would overshadow the sunset on the Indian Ocean. Which consumes fuel no more than Chilean iliac during hibernation. Which lulls comfort and will allow you to rush along the northern loop of Nürburgring in 8 minutes. And at the same time, seven passengers and baggage will easily place inside. Of course not! But everyone is trying stubbornly. And Lexus is no exception. In Hungary, a presentation of the new generation of the RX 450H hybrid crossover was held.
In Russia, the hybrid Lexus RX 450H will appear in a month, and prices will start from the mark of $ 89,200 for the EXECTIVE equipment. A richer capacity of Premium will cost $ 99,900. Warranty conditions are identical to the RX 350 models three years or 100,000 km of run. Interction interval 10,000 km
The Japanese tried to combine the incompatible from a dozen years ago when the first RX entered the road. He looked very interesting against the backdrop of the boxes with windows, which was traditional for the SUV class, impressed with the interior and surprised at quite passenger habits. And five years ago, already in the second generation of RX, a version appeared, in which flowers grew out of the exhaust pipe and butterflies flew out.
With a change in generations, Lexus RX has grown slightly in length, it added 5 cm (up to 4770 mm) and became wider 4 cm (1885 mm). The wheelbase is increased by 2.5 cm between the axes now 2740 mm. But at the same time, the RX 450H has excellent maneuverability of the radius of the turn only 5.7 meters. And it feels to unfold on it very easily even on narrow Hungarian paths
Then, in 2004, Lexus geneticists first crossed a gasoline V6 under the body of RX and a couple of electric motors with batteries and showed the whole world that a hybrid is not necessarily a mutant with chromosomes sticking out of ears. The experience was recognized as successful (150 thousand RX 400H was sold), so the appearance of a hybrid version of the latest RX was only a matter of time. And, six months after the third generation of the crossover, when the passions about the design of the car lay down, RX 450H rolled out onto the market.
In fact, Lexus RX 450H is a front -wheel drive car. The rear electric motor with a capacity of 50 kW is connected only with intensive acceleration or slipping of the front wheels. The US market even sells a modification, which is completely devoid of an electric motor from behind
And, by the way, it looks more interesting than a gasoline RX 350. Firstly, the headlights received three rounds, which have already become a generic line of hybrids from Lexus exactly the same flaunting the flagship sedan LS 600h. Secondly, the emblems and rear lights have now received a considerable fraction of blue. I wonder why ecologists are called green around the world, and automakers use more and more Blue words in their models?
Lexus RX 450H has three new traffic modes. EV allows you to go only on an electric protrusion up to 40 km/h. In ECO, gas response changes, an electric current converter works in a different way and the air conditioning evaporator temperature rises. And the Snow is designed to move on slippery coatings and differs only in smooth reactions to the accelerator. By the way, the ECO mode allows otherwise to save up to 10 percent of the fuel
The blue theme here and on the instrument shield, it is generously illuminated by the radiance of organic LEDs. Also, by the way, curtsy towards ecology they have less energy consumption. A good joke, considering that the rear passengers in the RX 450H are freely located on the battery with a voltage of 288-650 V. The battery capacity remained the same, but the design is changed for better cooling.
A considerable merit in confident behavior at high speeds and silence in the cabin belongs to aerodynamics. The frontal resistance coefficient is 0.32, which, according to Lexus, is the best indicator in the classroom. A curious solution of the antenna and the rear wiper are hidden under a large spoiler, which is included in the basic equipment
Otherwise, the salon is identical to the Lexus RX 350 here is a cool steering wheel, and an effectively curved central console, and a new interface designed to smooth out the loss of the touch screen, the Remote Touch controller. The latter is something like a computer mouse. It’s quite a convenient device, although some have problems with adaptation. Probably, such people still miss the arithmometer and scores.
The maximum speed of the Lexus RX 450H compared to the previous RX 400H has not changed the same 200 km/h. But acceleration to a hundred grew from 7.6 to 7.8 seconds. The fault of this increased weight of the hybrid version is on average by 130 kg. But the novelty boasts a sharp decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from 192 g/km to 148!
There is another funny thing. These are two -speed windows that slow down the glass when it approaches the extreme positions. According to the creators, this should reduce noise and vibration and create a feeling of luxury and comfort. I don’t know if it was worth it to reinvent the wheel, because in the previous RX there were no complaints about this aspect. Chip for the sake of chips or a new trend?
But the most interesting thing here is in another: pressing the engine start button and silence in response! There is no need to disturb the 3.5-liter V6, borrowed from the RX 350, when there are two electric motors. Moreover, if you do not rush at the gas pedal with frenzy of the hungry lion, then in the first three kilometers of the road you can imagine yourself as a trolley bus, contemptuously looking at the puffs of smoke from the old diesel truck. Then, in any situation, the gasoline devourer will enter into business.
However, his appetite is such that the top models will die of envy. Give him a gas of gasoline, and he will depart you over the horizon. The main difference from the RX 350 motor cycle instead of the traditional Otto cycle. His intake valves are closed later, which allows you to increase the efficiency and reduce the temperature of the exhaust gases. In practice, this means better efficiency, and the lack of moment at low speeds and lower power with more than compensate for electric motors.
Review in the Lexus RX 450H does not cause any complaints, the lateral mirrors are very convenient. There is a camera in the number of options, built into the right mirror, which is designed to facilitate the parking process to the curb. The basic equipment includes 18-inch discs, but all test leaks were on 19 discs (in the photo). And the Russian market will go RX450H only with tires 235/55 R19
In addition to the Atkinson cycle, innovation includes recirculation of chilled exhaust gases and their use for heating antifreeze during starting. This whole set of encyclopedic words is poured into a reduction in fuel consumption by 23% under ordinary conditions and as much as a third at low temperatures. Lexus states that RX 450H in a mixed cycle consumes only 6.3 liters of gasoline per 100 km.
The interior, despite all the riot of forms, is quite convenient. To get rid of only huge rectangular buttons that the salons of any Japanese machine sin. The rest is decent materials. The indications of the navigation system and the rear view chambers are displayed on an 8-inch LCD display. The EXECUTIVE package includes music with 12 speakers, and Premium is equipped with a top audio system of Mark Levinson here and the columns as much as 15 pieces, and it can play a sound in format 7.1. For active driving, it is better to prefer a steering wheel with a completely leather casing (in version of Executive) on wooden inserts hands slide
True, all this is true only in the case of economical driving smooth accelerations, constant charging of batteries and no overtaking. In the evening, colleagues boasted in front of each other by saved nanolists, speaking about an average consumption of 7-8 liters per hundred kilometers. I could only rush casually: and I have 13 and cut off the discussion on this.
Is it possible to deny himself the pleasure of grabbing on magnificent mountain paths, especially since due to filming our crew was forced to constantly catch up with the caravan? Forgive me, the comrades are green, but my Lexus threw it much more than 148 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.
The front seats are comfortable and equipped with a bunch of electric regulations. And the performance of Premium boasts not only heated, but also the ventilation of the seats. The rejection of the cardan shaft (the rear wheels are given only by the electric motor) made it possible to make the floor even. The rear cut sofa moves in the longitudinal direction, the angle of inclination of its backs is adjusted in a wide range. There, by the way, there are plenty of places there
Why? Yes, because Lexus suddenly realized that it was time to tie up with cars for pensioners and glamorous ladies from Rublevka. And they decided to attract buyers under their banner, who are not only familiar with the new Ermeenegildo Zegna collection, but in the middle of the night they will be able to recall the record time of Stefan Bellof on the Nordschlyife. The Japanese were guided by German crossovers and local competitors in the person of Acura and Infiniti.
Lexus RX 450H trunk volume has increased compared to its predecessor from 439 to 469 liters. This is a merit of not only a compact block of batteries that does not burn a useful space, but also a new rear two -winged suspension, it took the place of McPherson racks
Just don’t think that Lexus has released an aggressive stool on the roads, which rides on irregularities and squeezes all the juices out of the driver. RX 450H compromise. But very successful! The rolls are moderate, and the reactions, albeit slightly lubricated by the steering wheel, but still quite fast and accurate to confidently attack turns. And at the same time there is no stiff on the broken asphalt. Yes, this is not a BMW X5, but you will not have to shake the vertebrae of panties after each trip.
To fold the rear seat, it is not at all necessary to go around the car and climb into the salon enough to pull the handle in the trunk. In the underground 12-volt battery and doktka
Moreover, this is true not only for optional air suspension, but also for the basic spring, which is only a little tougher and does not know how to change the road clearance. We still will not get a new RX by almost two centners heavier than the previous one and engineers fear that the increased load will not affect the resource during operation on far from ideal Russian roads. And this applies to both gasoline modification and a hybrid. Active stabilizers will not reach us.
The main increase in the mass on the account of the body and suspension. The body for 42% consists of high -strength steels, and the stiffness of twisting has increased one and a half times, and most importantly, a fundamental change in the layout of the junction of the two -leaf in the back instead of McPherson. Compared to the predecessor, the front suspension has acquired new shock absorbers, springs and reptile stabilizers. Also, 70 mm became wider than the track. All this really worked to the controllability of the Lexus RX 450H added a lot of driver notes. The brakes remained the same with 328 mm disks in front and 309 behind
It's time to talk about dynamics. The right pedal to the floor, and the arrow of the left scale immediately takes off up. But this is not a tachometer, but something like an indicator of power. With intensive acceleration, the arrow will fluctuate in the Power zone, when moving at a constant speed, it will crawl into ECO, and on braking will go to Charge, symbolizing the start of battery charging. Acceleration, by the way, in any case will be exclusively smooth, and all because in the Lexus RX 450h there is no gearbox in its usual form.
For the active safety of the Lexus RX 450H in the response, the integrated system control system VDIM, which combines ABS, VSC stabilization, TRC anti -wings system and ECB electronic control brakes. And passive safety is provided by 10 pillows, active front head restraints as well as front belts with pies and electric vehicles. All this is the basic equipment of the RX 450H. By the way, in the process of designing and creating the model, 233 crash tests were carried out
Lexus RX 450H power plant with a total capacity of 299 hp. It is arranged in such a way that the role of the checkpoint is played by the planetary mechanism, which smoothly distributes the torque from the internal combustion and electric drive. And it does it so successfully that you can think, as if a variator is working in the car!
In this case, there is a manual mode with six fixed steps, which is useful on winding paths. However, the most organic Lexus RX 450H on autobahns. Two -ton colossus playfully reaches the maximum 200 km/h, but inside it is quite quiet soundproofing!
A second -generation Lexus hybrid drive can boast of 10% with power and is designed to provide average consumption in a mixed cycle at 6.3 liters per 100 km. The installation includes a gasoline 3.5-liter V6 operating in the Atkinson cycle, two electric motors (front and back) and a special generator. Electronic control allows you to use all energy sources in parallel, making RX 450H all -wheel drive. The power of the electric motors and the battery capacity remained unchanged compared to RX 400h
As it turned out later, engineers led by Takayuki Katsudu (the author of the previous generation Avensis and Corolla Verso) paid a lot of attention to the behavior of the car at high speeds. And this is felt by the Lexus RX 450h confidently holds the line and does not get down from the course with gusts of the side wind. This is where all the delights of suspension and steering settings pop up. Frantically cling to the bagel? This is not about him. You relax so much that after turning on the adaptive cruise control, at least transplanted to the gallery.
Adaptive cruise control works in tandem with the PCS Pre-Crash Safety system. The preventive safety system in the event of information from the radar of the cruise about the possibility of a collision pulls the seat belts and, if necessary, is able to independently perform emergency braking. True, for Russia, this, again, is not relevant the reason in the prohibited frequencies that the radar uses
It is a pity that the autopilot in the Lexus RX 450H is not available for any money to fight between the desire to manage or fall apart in a passenger chair with ventilation, enjoying the sound of the Mark Levinson audio system. However, posters with RX 450H will never fall into the Louvre, although on the streets they are still staring on it. And they will not be taken to the eco-marathon, even if the consumption of 13 liters with very active ride will be envied even by low-commissions. There is still no ideal car, and the search will continue forever. But Lexus is now among the best search.
Text: Vadim Gagarin
Photo: Vitaly Kabyshev, Vadim Gagarin, Lexus
Source: Auto.mail.ru
