Should I buy a Lexus Hybrid? Expert advice and model overview

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

"Lexus Hybrid" appeared in 2005. Then the first models saw the light, under the hood of which there was a motor that consumed fuel and was connected to an electrical installation. But I would like to tell you more about new cars. "Hybrids" of the last years of production are more modern, attractive and perfect from a technical point of view.

Design

The first distinctive feature of this model is its appearance. "Lexus Hybrid" 2015/16 can be safely bought already due to the fact that it has a stunning design. The first thing that catches your eye is a large open radiator grille. A chrome-plated sparkling edging is installed along its perimeter.

Sharp strict forms give the body a special sophistication. The car looks sporty aggressively, but in moderation. His appearance does not repel, but, on the contrary, attracts.

Special attention should be noted front optics. Bottom mounteddaytime running lights, cornering lights on the sides. In the center are the high and low beam lenses. Interestingly, in the RX F Sport version, the optics are entirely LED. By the way, fog lights are located a little lower.

The back looks just as attractive. Originality is added by a slightly inclined trunk roof and a rear wing located at the top. In addition, two exhaust pipes involuntarily attract attention, which indicate that there is a really powerful engine under the hood of the car.

But the main highlight that the Lexus RX350 Hybrid boasts is an electric sunroof, which, if there is a desire and money, can be replaced with a panoramic roof.

The F Sport package looks even more attractive. In many ways - thanks to aggressive bumpers, front spoiler, rear diffuser, chrome pipes, nameplates and original wheels.

Interior

The outer beauty of a car is important, but every person is much more concerned about how the car looks from the inside. Is the Lexus Hybrid 350 comfortable, convenient, ergonomic? We can answer with confidence - yes.

The interior looks very rich and expensive. The front panel is decorated with a beautiful mechanical clock, on the sides of which you can see air ducts. A little lower is the audio system. It is worth noting that 12 powerful speakers were installed in this car, which will surely please the driver and his passengers with high-quality sound. And under the audio system, by the way, you can see a 2-zone "climate"with displays showing temperature readings. But the main highlight of the interior is a multimedia screen with a diagonal of 12.3 inches. And at the very bottom you can see the control panel for the parking brake, suspension, driving mode and heated seats.

The steering wheel deserves special attention. It is not only multifunctional, but also equipped with heating, plus everything is covered with leather.

And what about the back? It can comfortably accommodate three people. The seats are also heated. A USB port, recharging and temperature control are also available for rear passengers.

Specifications

This is the most important part of the review. Lexus Hybrid is a very powerful car. Under its hood is a 3.5-liter V6 engine. In the front-wheel drive version, the engine consumes about 12 liters per 100 kilometers in the city, and about 8.5 on the highway. If we take the model in which all wheels are involved, then its consumption was 12.5 and 9 liters.

"Lexus Hybrid" is different in that its engine is supplemented with an electrical installation, thanks to which the power is boosted to 308 "horses". The speedometer needle reaches 100 km / h in 7.7 seconds. But this is if the car is front-wheel drive. The model with four active wheels accelerates to this point for 0.2 seconds longer.

The Lexus Hybrid 350 technical specifications are impressive. Its installation works in tandem with a CVT equipped with electronic shift control.

Above it was said about the expense. Worth somethingto clarify, these data indicate how much fuel the engine consumes without taking into account the hybrid installation. Together with it, the consumption is significantly reduced. It is 7.6 liters in the city and 7.9 - on the highway or in mixed mode (front-wheel drive version). From this we can conclude that the Lexus Hybrid 350 has exactly the same fuel consumption that is ideal for constant driving. By purchasing such a car, you can save a lot on refueling. And this is the main plus of this car.

Safety

Talking about the hybrid Lexus, we should also mention how reliable it is. Well, this car received 5 stars in the Euro NCAP test. It protects 91% of adult passengers in case of an accident, 82% of children, and 79% of pedestrians. Active safety, in turn, is 77%. These are very high figures, because the answer to the question of whether to buy this car is obvious.

No wonder the Lexus Hybrid 350 pictured above got 5 stars. After all, it has 10 airbags, including not only front and side, but also curtains around the entire perimeter of the cabin. There is also a rear view camera, the image of which is displayed on the center display.

Even in the configuration there are systems ESP, ABS, VSC, parking sensors, "cruise". As additional options, rain and light sensors are offered, as well as an automatic parking function.

What owners say aboutengine?

Naturally, each person, before making a choice in favor of a particular car, will study the reviews that people who owned it leave about it. This allows you to finally decide whether to buy this car or not.

What do they say about the Lexus RX350 Hybrid? Owner reviews are mostly positive. But with some nuances.

Electric motors consume huge amounts of energy. As much as only an incredibly powerful battery can give. That is why the internal combustion engine starts to work in generator mode.

About driving dynamics and character

Pleasantly happy driving in a traffic jam. We can say that the car was created just for them. Near starts, which last 50-200 meters, the car runs on electricity. The engine is not activated. It starts working only half a minute after the start of the movement - in order to warm up. And then it turns off so that the car continues to drive on electric traction. By the way, the rest of the devices are battery powered.

There is also a minus - weak overclocking. The electronic installation cannot boast of good dynamics. But the model has excellent brakes. When a person presses the pedal to stop, the electric motors go into generation mode, due to which the speed is instantly reset. If they fail to do so, the pads and brake discs will activate.

About Service

As you can understand, the Lexus RX350 Hybrid does not cause any particular complaints. The specifications of this machine are indeedare good, even if some nuances arise during operation. It just takes getting used to this car.

In terms of maintenance, this model has only one drawback. And this is an inverter. The weak point of the Lexus hybrid. It has its own cooling circuit. If the driver misses the antifreeze, he will get big problems, and will have to fork out for repairs and troubleshooting of various types. Everything else is high quality and reliable. So, for example, the number of drive belts in this machine is minimal. Discs with pads rarely work when compared with those models that are only equipped with a gasoline engine. They also have a segmented traction battery. This means that in the event of failure of some blocks, it will not be necessary to replace it all. And you don't need to change the oil as often. In general, this car is very convenient to use.

Cost

The price of new items depends on the configuration. A car with standard equipment will cost about three million rubles. If you want to purchase a model in the Premium package, you will have to pay about 4,200,000 rubles for it. And the version equipped with "Exclusive" is the most expensive, as it will cost approximately 4,650,000 rubles.

Which version to choose is up to the potential buyer to decide. But in expensive trim levels, the model is equipped with an adaptive suspension, ventilation of the front seats and heated rear seats, a projection screen, navigation, all-round cameras, music from Mark Levinson (15 speakers included), as well as an adaptive “cruise”, a tracking system for “blind” zones,markup, etc.

Helpful tips from experts

Many people decide to buy a "hybrid" in used condition. This is, to some extent, a reasonable approach. The model will get almost new, but it will save several hundred thousand rubles. Plus, the car will not need to be “run in”.

But experts advise something to take into account. First, it's an expensive car. And for this reason, it is popular with car thieves. Therefore, when purchasing it from hand, you need to check the TCP and check the numbers. You also need to see if there is a mark on the ban on sale in the passport.

Don't trust dealers yet. They often twist the mileage, passing off the car as practically new. If there is suspicion, it is better to pay attention to the leather of the driver's seat. If it turns out to be too elongated, cracked, or completely torn, then the car is well used. And further. You don't need to buy a car if it twitches when the transmission is in D or R. In general, you need to be as careful as possible when buying.

Well, in the end, we can say that the Lexus hybrid is a worthwhile car, the number of pluses of which far outweighs the minor minuses. And if you want to buy a reliable, beautiful, comfortable and economical car, you should definitely buy a Lexus of this model.