It’s by design that the Lexus RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid electric, the first Lexus RX to have a plug-in version, is also the top of the line RX and the most expensive RX you can buy.

It doesn’t take that top honor because electric powertrains cost more (though, that helps), but because it’s packed with every luxury Lexus offers in the RX line. This approach to luxury includes valuing your time; you can spend less of it doing things you don’t want to do, like going to the gas station and more time doing things you like, such as enjoying a fast, twisty drive route.

The list of luxuries continues: a very quiet ride, insulated by ultra suede and leather; an adaptive suspension that provides an elegant ride; technology that’s at your fingertips and prompted by your voice; innovation that will simply spoil you for other cars; a powerful drive that, despite all the pampering, leaves you in full, fun control of this 5 passenger SUV.

With 306 HP, 37 miles of all electric driving and luxurious seating and surrounds, the $70,000 top of the line Lexus RX may be the ultimate way to spend time on the road. And you get your pick of driving: Efficient, silent electric power when you want, or a throatier, sportier drive when you feel like it.

You’ll Want To Take The Long Way Home

I certainly did. During my week-long test drive I found more places to go than I normally do, and I ran long-ignored errands just to be in the Lexus RX 450h+. Sinking into the perforated leather seats with ultra suede bolsters, wrapping my hands around the leather and wood steering wheel and seeing the road framed ahead of me was glorious.

Popping the RX into gear is a subtle, easy move; the gear selector is similar to that on the Lexus LC 500: small, palm-sized and elegant. It was cold that week, so each time I got into the car, I also tapped the heated steering wheel and seat heater buttons. These also activate the knee heaters for front seat passengers. Cloth panels under the steering wheel and on the passenger side, the glove box, heat up to radiate warmth toward you. It’s subtle and it felt really nice.

And then, each day I headed out on the road. In silence. Every time I crept through my neighborhood, or through a parking lot, or into a parking garage, I was struck by the thoughtful ambiance of the cabin: The silence of the electric motor, the low hum of the hybrid engine (when the battery was depleted), the dampening of any noise by leather upholstery and thick carpeting. The cabin is flooded by sunlight from the panoramic sunroof during the day and at night, the ambient lighting system creates a mood—you pick the color and mood—while adding dimension to the interior and highlighting important spaces such as cup holders and USB ports.

You can hear yourself breathe, and it made me conscious of my breathing; I was inspired to breathe deeper, to relax. I wanted to stay in the car all day long.

Once my oxygen was replenished I was inspired to change the drive mode—accessible only via the multimedia touch screen—into Sport. I could instantly feel all 306 HP push me back in my seat as the suspension became a bit more precise and the steering a bit tighter. It transitioned me from a soft, relaxing drive to one filled with the confidence to merge into the left lane and lead rather than follow.

The Joy of Electric Driving, But Without Regenerative Braking

During my test drive I decided to try to use as little gas as possible. Each night I charged the RX 450h+ on a ‘trickle charger,’ the standard 110 household outlet in my garage. It charged completely each night (though if I used a level two 240V charger it would completely recharge in about two hours) and I left each morning with a full 37 mile charge on the battery.

I decided to visit my favorite work space, a coffee shop across town, 23 miles away. I wouldn’t be able to charge there, so drove about 10 miles on gas each day. During the week I only used about two gallons of gas, the fuel indicator needle barely moving. That felt too good.

I also appreciated being able to tap the “EV” button on the center console and drive solely on electric (there’s a notification on the driver display that indicates you’re in electric mode). But I could also let the system decide when to use battery power by tapping the “auto” mode, or I could tap the ‘EV Hold’ button and drive only on gas power, saving the electric charge entirely. I mostly drove in electric and enjoyed plugging it in each night for 37 miles of silently delightful miles the next day.

What I could not do was add to the battery range via regenerative braking. While the Lexus system does have a regenerative system—the gauge on the driver display shows when charge is being added to the battery—you can’t set the levels of regeneration. The system is most efficient in Eco mode, less in Normal or Sport. And the paddle shifters are for exactly that: Shifting through gears in manual mode, not for adding regenerative braking.

An Advanced Redesign And Yet, Still The Iconic RX Look

Lexus introduced the redesigned RX in 2022 amid much fanfare; it sorely needed updated technology to keep up with its evolving modern exterior and unwavering reliability. RX fans are a dedicated bunch and they, as well as all RX buyers, were rewarded with a makeover that slingshotted the model from the distant past into an innovative future.

However, the RX kept its iconic exterior look with the same swooping roofline and just-big-enough size. Lexus evolved the “Spindle” grille with more metal and less mesh and added a light bar across the lift gate with the Lexus name spelled out to replace the logo badge.

Interior Changes Set The Stage For Top-Shelf Luxury

Innovation has long been the hallmark for Lexus: hybrid technology, touch pad controls (which were removed in the 2022 re-design) and the SUV itself; the RX was the first compact luxury SUV on the market and has been a best-seller since.

It’s been a wait for this iteration of design; Lexus tends to have a longer span between re-designs than other carmakers. But it was worth the wait. So many of the new features are spoilers: once you get used to them you can’t believe every car doesn’t have them.

This particularly applied to the electric door handles. A pebbled tab on the door panel invites you to push it with your thumb; the door pops open and you gently push it outward. Like the gear selector, it’s an elegant, subtle move that I grew very fond of. Now, I fault every other car door for making me pull and push to get the door open (it really is quite a contrary process, once you think about it).

Other interior changes include a streamlined and simplified center console, buttons on the front passenger seat that allow the driver or rear seat passenger to push the seat forward or back and a 14” multimedia display with all new technology. This system is light years removed from the last system and it’s almost a rabbit hole of functionality; you can go layers and layers deep to customize almost anything. And, it has voice activation. Just say “Hey Lexus,” and the assistant is there to execute your command.

A Head Up Display Like No Other

Probably my favorite innovation is found on the steering wheel: touch-sensitive pads on either side that pair with the head up display; this is a feature that can be added to other RX models but is standard on the 450h+. As you swipe your finger across either pad you’ll see the function light up in the head up display. Driver assist systems and adaptive cruise are on the left pad, entertainment is on the right side, and the features that they control can be customized in vehicle settings on the multimedia system. These take a bit of use to really learn to use the system seamlessly, but it’ll happen. And it’s a delight.

And then, the head up display itself is fantastic. It’s wide, colorful and easy to see. You can customize your view to see things like driver assist features in action (such as lane departure assist), vehicles in your blind spot, speed limit signs and the radio station that’s playing.

What You Get For $70,000

This is the top of the line Lexus RX model and it has a starting price of $70,580. And yet, our test model had about $3,000 of add-ons that really completed the package.

The RX 450h+ comes with a 2.5L 4-cylinder gas engine that generates 304 HP and has all wheel drive. Standard features include the leather and suede interior, heated and vented power adjustable front seats, heated wood and leather steering wheel, heated and vented rear seats, radiant front seat knee heaters, ultra suede door trim, ambient lighting, LED headlights and daytime running lights, heated side mirrors, rain sensing windshield wipers, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, digital door handle, 14” multimedia touchscreen with voice activation, cloud-based navigation with 3-year complimentary subscription, wifi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10” color head up display, premium sound, Lexus Safety System 3.0, paddle shifters and a drive mode selector with eco, normal and sport modes.

Yes, There Are Extras, But Not Many

Four of the eight paint colors come with a surcharge of $500-$600, but the three interior choices, blonde Macadamia and Ash, brown Peppercorn and Black, and simply, black, are offered standard.

Buyers can upgrade with several packages including Convenience ($1,420) which adds a surround view camera and traffic jam assist; Technology ($475) with digital key and digital rear view camera; Cold Area ($100) with heated steering wheel and windshield de-icer; Advanced Park with automated park assist ($480) and Power Rear Door ($150) which adds a motion activated kick sensor. There are accessories that can be added, too; I particularly liked illuminated door sills ($460) and the puddle lamp ($175), both of which I found to be helpful in the dark.

With a destination fee of $1,350, the price of our test model came in at $75,190, about $1,000 more than the price of the F Sport Performance similarly outfitted with about $10,000 in options. Which maybe is another luxury; the value of your time not being spent on specifying which features you want, but simply having it delivered with everything.