Lexus RX 450h 2021 Review

Toyota and Lexus are pioneers when it comes to the early adoption of hybrid technology. Back for the 2006 model year, Lexus debuted the first luxury hybrid, the RX 400h. Today, that lineage continues with the 2021 Lexus RX 450h. In those intervening years, the RX hybrid has steadily improved and proved itself both powerful and dependable. The competition has also caught on and developed their own fuel-sipping alternatives.

This year, the Lexus RX 450h receives just a few updates and remains an excellent choice among hybrid SUVs, but it's not the best. It's outshone by the larger Acura MDX Sport Hybrid as well as plug-in hybrids that include the BMW X3 xDrive30e and the Audi Q5. It's still a close battle among all of these hybrid SUVs, however, and we recommend checking all of them out to see which best suits your needs. And check out our Expert Rating below to get our in-depth evaluation on this year's RX 450h.

Which RX 450h does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Lexus RX 450h is available in base and F Sport trims (technically, the F Sport is an option package). Both are powered by a 308-horsepower hybrid powertrain that uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine. All-wheel drive is standard. Feature highlights include:

Base RX 450h Comes standard with the typical features expected from a luxury SUV, such as:

• Keyless entry and ignition
• Power liftgate
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Simulated leather upholstery
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Nine-speaker audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Amazon Alexa integration
• Six USB ports
• Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 suite of advanced safety features:
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the RX 450h and the car in front)
• Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
• Lane keeping assist (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Automatic high beams

F Sport Sharpens handling and adds sporty-looking touches that include:

• Larger wheels
• Sport-tuned suspension dampers
• Unique exterior and interior trim elements

The F Sport Handling package further improves handling and comfort with:

• Adaptive suspension
• Heated and ventilated front sport seats
• Heated steering wheel

Other bundled options include: Premium package

• Driver-seat memory functions
• Wood interior trim

Luxury package

• Larger wheels
• Leather upholstery
• Wood and aluminum interior trim
• Wood-trimmed heated steering wheel
• Rear window sunshades
• Interior ambient lighting

Several stand-alone options are also available:

• Navigation system with:
• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• 12 speakers
• Streaming internet radio and convenience apps
• Touchpad controller
• Satellite radio
• Auto-leveling headlights
• Panoramic sunroof
• Hands-free liftgate
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated rear seats
• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
• Wireless charging pad
• 15-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Front and rear parking sensors with rear automatic braking