Hybrids appear to be the flavour of the month at the moment with manufacturers doing their best to market environmentally friendly machines which have yet to really catch on here in the UAE.
Drivers are slowly being weaned off the beloved V8 in favour of more powerful V6 turbos but the electric/petrol engine combo is still way down the menu on the must-have list for many motorists – for now, anyway.
It’s not easy to convince a population of car enthusiasts who have grown up with powerful combustion engines that a hybrid is the way to go but it’s good that manufacturers continue to try and Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota, have been at the forefront of green technology for a while.
They have just revamped their RX hybrid SUV which has actually been around since 2005, in the form of the futuristic, sharply designed RX450h F Sport as the top of the range flagship, a car that actually looks like it’s way ahead of its time.
Aesthetically, it is certainly distinctive, which I like, although some may feel it is a little over-designed, with its massive black mesh front grille which dominates the front, giving it a quite menacing look.
The stylish headlight clusters and the origami type sharp folds in the bodywork really do make it stand out from the crowd. The side profile is athletic with its floating roof effect and the rear is muscular. It sits on classy 20-inch wheels which complete a very sophisticated look indeed.
Being a Lexus, you would expect the interior to be pretty cool and I wasn’t disappointed. It has been redesigned to give it a much more prestigious feel with lots of leather, polished metal and wood trims.
The sports seats are ultra-comfy and the layout is both logical and practical. There is also a reasonable amount of space in the back although because of the sloping roof anyone over six-feet tall may find headroom limited.
I particularly like the 12.3-inch infotainment split screen although I wish some car manufacturers would follow the lead of Audi whose screens are all integrated within the dash and only appear when they are needed. As good as the screen is in this car, it still looks like it has been stuck there as an afterthought.
The infotainment itself is impressive although the mouse-type controller on the centre console can be a little sensitive so it takes some getting used to.
The instrument cluster, inspired by the Toyota LFA supercar, is simple and ultra modern with the rev counter the main feature and the steering wheel is electronically adjustable so finding the perfect driving position is easy.
There is also a colour HUD system and the vehicle is stuffed with driver assists and excellent safety features, including Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, blind spot monitors and 360 degree parking assist which appears on that large screen when you put the car into reverse.
The power comes from a 3.5- litre V6 with assistance from electric motors, one over the front axle and one over the rear, delivering drive to all four wheels. Combined, they create 308bhp and 335nm of torque.
There are four drive modes, Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus which you select from a circular dial controller on the centre-console. There is also a button marked EV which puts the car into electric power only, lighting up a green indicator on the instrument cluster.
The car always defaults to EV when you start it, so your journey begins in complete silence with only the sound of the tyres on tarmac for company. Interestingly though, electric power only does not last long before the combustion engine comes into play.
How long you can go on electric power alone depends on the speed you are going and how much charge the battery is carrying but it’s not very far. It is automatically charged by braking or lifting off using kinetic energy and tends to act as assistance to the V6 rather than operating independently for any amount of time. When you slow down or stop EV kicks into play but as soon as you hit the accelerator the combustion engine takes over, so it’s more of a smooth double act which improves fuel efficiency.
All this environmental stuff is all very clever and interesting but when there is Sport Plus on the drive mode selector I always find it irresistible and the car really comes to life.
The V6 makes a rather nice noise – artificially enhanced – and the response is reasonably entertaining with a 0-100kmh time of around 7.7 seconds. The handling is excellent although you do feel the weight of this vehicle, 2,715kg fully laden, when you throw it in to corners at any kind of decent speed.
Given the choice I suspect I would just buy the RX F Sport with combustion engine only because it provides all I need but as a hybrid it works perfectly and with that design is definitely at the sharp end of what the future holds.
