2010 Lexus Hybrid RX 450H

By: Kara Gilmour
08/04/2009 10:57 AM ET

The 2010 Lexus Hybrid RX 450H is a vehicle for people who appreciate luxury, convenience and the environment. Let’s begin with luxury and convenience. With the revolutionary SmartAccess feature, you can lock and unlock your doors, open the trunk and start the ignition-all without having to take your keys out of your pocket or purse.

As soon as the sensors detect the presence of your SmartAccess key, the door unlocks when you touch the handle. Ladies, how many times have you found yourself rummaging through your purse looking for your keys in the rain? This 2010 SUV gets an estimated 32 mpg highway and 28 mpg city. The combined mileage is 30 mpg. The RX 450H has a starting price of $43,250.

With the Lexus SUV, you no longer have to hold down a button to operate the power windows or moonroof, the driver’s side window can be opened and closed automatically with one touch. Even better yet, the power windows and moonroof are designed to stop closing during auto-close operation if they sense an object blocking their path.

This vehicle comes with Electrochromic Mirror Sensors in the rearview mirror detect glare, which is then reduced automatically by adjusting the mirror’s reflectivity. The electrochromic mirror senses ambient light and glaring headlights from behind. It then automatically reduces the annoying glare from bright lights. This feature just may save you from being in an accident someday.

Lexus Personalized Settings (LPS) allows certain electronic functions, such as the automatic door locks, power window system, illuminated entry system, moonroof operation, and so on to be customized to an owner’s preference by the Lexus dealer or the driver. This is available on most Lexus models including this one. The Lexus Personalized Settings (LPS) Program is a one-time, complimentary offer for the first 12 months from the date the vehicle is sold.

Of course no luxury vehicle is complete without leather upholstery, heated seats are optional. With today’s technology, you must have an ipod and Bluetooth phone. The automobile has 19-inch wheels and includes rain-sensing wipers, heated mirrors, wood trim, blue-tinted headlamps, tail lamps and an exclusive grille.

Well, enough about all the luxury and convenience of this vehicle. Now, let’s get to the point on how great it is on the environment and not to mention your wallet. The RX 450h features an enhanced Hybrid Drive system with a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine that runs on a highly efficient Atkinson cycle. This is combined with a new, more efficient inverter, the total system output will be 295 horsepower. This is 27 more horsepower than the current generation RX.

With this new improved Lexus 2010 Hybrid Drive’s evolution, with the addition of two new systems, the fuel efficiency will greatly improve. The first is an exhaust-heat recovery system which reduces engine warm-up time in tern allowing it to stop earlier, more often, and for longer periods. This provides a great improvement in both fuel economy and emissions. It also has a cooled exhaust-gas recirculation system that reduces engine pumping losses, which also helps to improve economy.