Is it worth buying a Lexus Hybrid? Expert tips and model review

Lexus Hybrid appeared in 2005. Then the light saw the first models, under the hood of which was a motor that consumes fuel and is connected to an electrical installation. But I would like to talk more about new cars. "Hybrids" of the last years of release 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 bought safely already because of its stunning design. First of all, a large open radiator grating is thrown into view. On its perimeter is a chrome-plated glittering edging.

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

A separate attention should be paid to the front optics. From below are installed daytime running lights, on the sides - turn lights. In the center there are lenses of far and passing light. Interestingly, in the RX F Sport version, the optics are entirely LED. By the way, just below the fog lights are located.

The back part looks no less attractive. Originality adds a slightly inclined roof trunk and located at the top of the wing. And attention is attracted involuntarily to two exhaust pipes, which indicate that under the hood of the car is really a powerful engine.

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

In the configuration of the F Sport the car looks even more attractive. In many respects - thanks to aggressive bumpers, front spoiler, rear diffuser, chrome plumbing, nameplates and original wheels.

Interior

The exterior beauty of the car is important, but every person cares much more about how the car looks from the inside. Is the Lexus Hybrid 350 comfortable, comfortable, ergonomic? It is possible to answer with confidence - yes.

The interior looks very rich and expensive. The front panel is decorated with beautiful mechanical watches, on the sides of which air ducts can be seen. A little lower the audio system. It is worth noting that in this car there are 12 powerful speakers that will definitely 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 on which temperature indicators are displayed. 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 of the parking brake, suspension, ride mode and heated seats.

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

And what is behind? There can comfortably accommodate three people. The seats are also heated. Even for the rear passengers is available USB-port, recharging and temperature adjustment.

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 version with front-wheel drive the engine consumes about 12 liters per 100 kilometers around the city, and along the road - about 8.5. If you take a model in which all the wheels are involved, then its consumption is 12.5 and 9 liters.

"Lexus Hybrid" is distinguished by the fact that its engine is supplemented with an electrical installation, thanks to which the power is forced to 308 "horses". The speedometer needle reaches a mark of 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 mark for 0.2 seconds longer.

The car "Lexus Hybrid 350" specifications is impressive. Its installation works in tandem with a variator gearbox equipped with electronic switching control.

The above was said about the expense. There is something to clarify, these data indicate how much the engine consumes without taking into account the hybrid installation. Together with her consumption is significantly reduced. It is 7.6 liters in the city and 7.9 on the highway or in a mixed mode (front-wheel drive version). From this we can conclude that the car "Lexus Hybrid 350" fuel consumption is exactly what is ideal for a constant ride. Having bought such a car, you can save a lot at the gas station. And this is the main advantage of this car.

Security

Talking about the hybrid "Lexus", you should also mention how reliable it is. Well, this car in the Euro NCAP test received 5 stars. It protects 91% of adult passengers in the case of accidents, 82% - children, and pedestrians 79%. Active security, in turn, is 77%. These are very high indicators, so the answer to the question of whether to buy this machine is obvious.

Not surprisingly, the Lexus Hybrid 350, the photo of which was provided above, received 5 stars. After all, it has 10 airbags, among which not only front and side, but also curtains around the perimeter of the cabin. Also there is a rear-view camera, the image of which is displayed on the central display.

In the complete set there are systems ESP, ABS, VSC, parktronic, "cruise". As additional options are offered rain and light sensors , as well as automatic parking.

What do the owners tell about the engine?

Naturally, every person, before making a choice in favor of this or that car, will study the reviews, which are left by the people who owned it. This allows you to finally decide whether to buy this machine or not.

What do they say about the Lexus RX350 Hybrid? The feedback of the owners is mostly positive. But with some nuances.

Electric motors consume a huge amount of energy. As much as only an incredibly powerful battery can give. That's why ICE starts working in generator mode.

On the dynamics and nature of the ride

Pleasantly happy riding in a traffic jam. You can say that the machine was created just for them. Nearby starts, which last 50-200 meters, the car runs on electricity. The engine is not activated at this time. 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 go on electric traction. By the way, the rest of the devices are powered by batteries.

There is also a minus - a weak acceleration. Electronic installation can not boast of good dynamics. But the model has excellent brakes. When a person presses the pedal to stop, the electric motors go into the generation mode, due to which the speed is instantly reset. If they can not cope with this, the pads and brake discs are activated.

About service

As you can understand, special complaints do not cause "Lexus RX350 Hybrid". The technical characteristics of this machine are really good, even if some nuances arise during operation. It's just that you need to get used to such a car.

In terms of service, this model has only one minus. And this is an inverter. The weak point of the hybrid "Lexus". It has its own cooling circuit. If the driver misses the antifreeze, it will get big problems, and you will have to fork out repairs and troubleshooting of various types. All the rest is qualitative and reliable. So, for example, the number of driving belts in this machine is minimal. Disks with shoe work rarely, if compared with those models that are aggregated only by a gasoline engine. They also segmented the traction battery. This means that in the event of failure of some blocks, it will not be necessary to replace it with everything. And you do not need to change the oil that often. In general, and in operation this car is very convenient.

Cost

The price of new items depends on the equipment. The car in 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 for it. And the version in the equipment "Exclusive" is the most expensive, as it will cost about 4 650 000 rubles.

What version to choose is already decided by the potential buyer. But in expensive trim levels, the model is equipped with adaptive suspension, ventilation of the front seats and heated rear, projection screen, navigation, round-the-clock cameras, music from Mark Levinson (15 loudspeakers in the kit), and an adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring system , Marking, etc.

Useful Expert Tips

Many people decide to buy a "hybrid" in the state of used. This, to some extent, a reasonable approach. The model will get almost new, but it will save a few hundred thousand rubles. Plus, the car will not need to "run around".

But experts advise something to take into account. First, it's an expensive car. And for this reason it is popular with hijackers. Therefore, getting it from hand, you need to check the PTS and check the numbers. Also, it is necessary to see if there are any notes on the ban on the sale in the passport.

You do not need to trust resellers. They often twist the run, giving the car for a practically new one. If there are suspicions, it is better to pay attention to the skin of the driver's seat. If it is too elongated, cracked or even completely torn, then the car is well-used. And further. You do not need to buy a car if it jerks when the gearbox turns on D or R mode. In general, you need to be as careful as possible when buying.

Well, finally we can say that the hybrid Lexus is a worthwhile car, the number of pluses of which significantly outweighs minor disadvantages. And if you want to buy a reliable, beautiful, comfortable and economical car, definitely worth buying Lexus of this model.