Lexus RX450h+ review: the plug-in hybrid SUV that quietly outclasses the Germans

If you happen to be in the market for a big, comfortable, family-friendly SUV, the first place you're likely to turn to is the Germans. But if you know your stuff, you might buy a Lexus.

The Japanese marque has always been the smart choice. It’s perhaps even always been the alternative choice. And I've never understood why.

Lexus is famed for exquisite build quality, bullet-proof reliability, sumptuous comfort levels, and some really significant innovation. Drive one back-to-back against a BMW and you're likely to fall for its charms.

It's worth remembering, too, that Lexus pretty much started the hybrid SUV genre, borrowing tech from the pioneering Prius to offer a tax-busting alternative to the diesel domination at the time.

The RX model that started all that off is now in its fourth generation and, true to form, most buyers will ignore it in favour of a Bimmer or Benz. But with a plethora of plug-in hybrids now on the market, does the Lexus RX450h+ still stack up against them?

In most cases, yes, absolutely. It's an attractive thing, for a start. Not something you'd really say about a BMW SUV these days. The Lexus RX bloodline is evident, and the gigantic grille seems tamer in the latest version, thanks to some softer angles up front, while the rear aspect is elegant and unfussy.

The interior is as lovely as you'd expect it to be in a Lexus, with gorgeous seats, a fine driving position, beautiful materials, and class-leading build quality.

We've lost a few too many physical buttons for my liking, but rotary nobs control the climate, and there are handy shortcuts baked into the large central display. If we really must have heated seats and so on on the touchscreen, this is the way to do it.

There's plenty of space, too. The front-seat passengers have neat storage options, the rear-seat passengers have lots of legroom, and the boot is perfectly usable with 461 litres. It's a bit shallow when compared to some rivals, but you're certainly not short-changed.

Out on the road, the RX450h+ in plug-in hybrid guise makes the most of its 304hp 2.5-litre engine. Progress is never vivid, thanks largely to the CVT gearbox, but it has plenty of grunt to get you away from the lights, or out of trouble.

If you choose not to bother the petrol engine, you have a battery capable of propelling you for a claimed 40+ miles, which is becoming less impressive among the "PHEVs" these days, and when the battery does expire, you'll switch to a conventional hybrid mode with the little juice that remains.

Obviously, being a plug-in hybrid, absurd MPG figures are within reach on a short to medium run, but suffice to say achieving over 50mpg in the real world is a doddle.

Ride quality is on the firmer side, especially in the F-Sport, and none of the variants take corners with any real finesse, but the RX steers accurately doesn't roll too much, which suits its economically sound, CVT-driven driving feel.

It's at its best on a long cruise. The cabin is wonderfully silent, even with the engine singing away, and it's at its smoothest on the motorway, with the miles slipping away quickly, especially if you're making the most of a Mark Levinson stereo upgrade.

True to form with any Lexus, the standard spec is generous, there's a three-year warranty, although you're unlikely to need it, and residuals are likely to be strong.

And these are its biggest virtues. Yes, there are faster SUVs, yes, there are SUVs with bigger batteries and longer electrical ranges and, yes, there are SUVs that will make a tidier job of a British B-road, but the Lexus RX series just hits so many sweet spots. And the RX450h+ might just be the sweetest of them all.