Used 2015 Lexus RX 450h Consumer Reviews

2013 RX 450h vs 2006 RX400h

I purchased a new 2013 RX450h after having the original RX400h since April 2005. Since it's been 7 model years of advancements I expected the new 450h to be more technically advanced then my 400h (it truly is), but I am amazed how much better it is overall. The 2013 handles much better, is quieter, and the transitions from no engine to having the engine cut on are not noticeable like they were on the 400h; especially at traffic lights. The 2013 feels much more substantial and you really don't hear the road noise or the loud engine go-cart like sounds that I could hear when I accelerated with the 400h.

The comfortable tireless driving experience

Let's get to the elephant in the room first: I logged 27.4 MPG for my first 50,000 miles of driving. That's not even close to the EPA's estimate (and my first car in which I couldn't best the EPA's estimates). Add that to the requirement of Premium grade fuel, and the expected savings (based upon fuel cost savings) for me, won't happen. That off the table, I find that 10-hour-per-day 2-days back-to-back leave me rested and ready to go! The car is pleasingly quick and reasonably quiet; and, at least within the RX line at the time of purchase, the best safety features were reserved for the Hybrid. Stop and go traffic snarls are almost entertaining, in that the MPG goes UP while inching along; and the engine being stopped means lower heat cooking under-hood parts. The electric air conditioning is always perfect. My AWD's snow prowess is stellar and just short of unbelievable. Solicited update from Edmunds on 1/7/2020: I now have 96K miles on it — and nothing above needs any amplification or deletion. It’s a supremely satisfying car. I usually drive it in Normal mode - but when using “Economy” mode - and can reach 29+ MPG (air conditioning off) IF road and traffic permits keeping speeds under 55 MPH. I reset the MPG once per month, and I’ve found that the onboard MPG report is spot-on. One significant complaint: I'm on my third OEM 12 V battery - and I cannot count on the car starting after 2~3 weeks of non-use (as in parked while on a cruise) because the 12 Volt battery dies. The most recent occurrence caused the key fob(s) to become “unregistered” and required the magic touch of an informed tow truck driver (hint: on my 2013 model, one must push the Start button USING THE KEY FOB to “re-register” the fob to the vehicle. Try finding THAT tidbit in the user manual when you’re fuming over the fact that your Lexus is dead - Again!) 7/7/2020 - Edmunds asked for an update - I’ve re-read the above, and I still agree with it. I love this car - however it is the last car that I will intentionally buy that requires Premium Fuel. 1/9/2021 - another Edmunds-requested update: 101K miles - the above is still valid. Brake pads were reported to be more than 2/3 life remaining at last oil change (I change oil at 5K intervals, and front/rear motor/transmission fluid at 35K intervals — will change again at 105K). I have no plans to offload the car. 7/11/21 Another Edmunds requested review: My local dealership sent an unsolicited offer to buy my car for only $15K - and I plan to use/enjoy it for at least another two to four years (it's that loved).

All around outstanding mid size SUV

Had a Highlander, drove that and the rx350 and Rx450, the rx 450 beat the others. It's extremely quiet, powerful, luxurious, outstanding build quality and we think very nice looking. It takes getting used to a hybrid in day to day driving, as it doesn't jump off the line unless you want it to. It's almost a game seeing how good of mileage you can get. We are getting at least 28 mph in city driving. We intend to keep this vehicle at least 8 years, and gas is not going to get cheaper so it will pay for us in the long run. The ride on the 450 is smoother than the 350 due to the extra weight of the batteries. We have had zero problems or defects in the 7k plus miles we have driven.

Happy camper

Picked up the 2015 RX450h in March. Traded in a 2013'RX 350. Gotta tell you the 2013 was a gas hog. Only 16 mpg. Tried everything to improve. No luck . The 2015 RX 450 h is just the opposite. Great mpg. Average of 28-29 city only driving. Could not be happier with the whole package. Car is loaded. Stargaze Black over Black. Hard to believe but it is even quieter than the 2013. Rides great with the 19" tires and rims. I believe with warmer weather and summer blen gasoline the mpg will,go,even higher. Glad we got the 2015. The 2016 redesign is not to our liking. We love the soft sculptured lines of the 2015 ext. And int. <br><br><br><br>

AWESOME Lexus 450h

I purchased my 2013 Lexus RX 450h used. We purchased it in September of 2017 with only 26,000 miles on it. I average 28-30 mpg in City and about 27-29 HWY. We live on a very busy highway and there are times you have to really 'gun" it it get in the road because of all the traffic. This was my concern that there wouldn't be enough power on demand when I needed it. NO PROBLEM ... squealed tires not thinking it would get down. Even though I have only owned this SUV for about 6 weeks, I am not disappointed in performance, looks or comfort. I feel that we got our money's worth and would most definitely purchase again.

Hybrid models not producing higher MPGs

My understanding is most of these batteries are warrantied for about 8 years/ 96 mo or 100k miles (whichever comes first). If the warranty 'expires' at that point, you can pretty much imagine, the battery components (things that 'hybridize' the vehicle) are going to begin to lose their charging/recharging capacity - and the car is going to operate more like the traditional RX model (without the hybrid feature); thereby, dropping back down in mileage from around 30mpg to closer to 20 maybe 22. What to do? My understanding is there may be a way where they can 'recharge' the cells of the battery (whereby you would not have to replace a battery - big bucks - my understanding $6-$8k for a battery replacement). If they can recharge the cells, costs would be closer to $1,500-$2,000. Is it worth it? I guess that depends how much you drive. Good article here: https://exclusivelyhybrid.com/lexus-hybrid-battery-warranty/ Lexus Hybrid Battery Replacement Costs Most people assume that replacing Lexus hybrid batteries will give them sticker shock. This isn’t always true if you consider reliable options other than the Lexus dealership. If you want Lexus to handle everything, they charge $5,000 – $7,000 for a drive motor battery pack depending on the model. Read more: How Much Does a Lexus Hybrid Battery Cost to Replace? The good news is, reputable manufacturers sell their own replacement products. Exclusively Hybrid manufactures and sells highly respected Lexus batteries at a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Reconditioned hybrid batteries are also available for those who want a cheaper product. Reconditioned batteries for Lexus models like the CT200H start at just $990 from Exclusively Hybrid. A reconditioned GS450H hybrid battery from Exclusively Hybrid ranges in price from just $1,500 to $2,000. Reconditioned battery packs include refurbished hybrid batteries. This includes machine testing each cell to distinguish the usable from the unusable. Weak cells are discarded and replaced with new cells. Anyway, hope this helps. :) LG - Maine

Rockin RX

Mostly I love the car. Had an ES350 before. No problems with previous car and sold at 90,000 + miles. Miss my 6 changer CD player and the new ones only have 1 CD player and miss the little drawer on left of steering wheel that they replaced with another cup holder. I think Lexus is a great car. I only put 4 tires and a battery on my first one and everything was fine at my 90,000 mile check up. Find I sometimes bump my head

A Joy Every Day

My biggest gripe about this car is that when Lexus redesign this year it omitted the sunglasses holder. That's about it for complaints. I have just under 40K on it and it NEVER been to the dealer for any kind of repair or warranty work. I have only had routine 5K and 10K maintenance. The OEM tires are NOT great in snow and ice, but I bought a set of modestly priced winter tires on rims so once in "Hybrid Snow" mode, it drives great in all kinds of weather. It is about as comfortable as one can get under $100K. I love it. Update, October, 2016: For a variety of reasons, I sold my Lexus privately. My primary reason was my age. I recognize, which some of my peers do not, that my vision and reflexes are slowly declining. I have driven 54 years without a chargeable accident, and wanted to keep it that way. So I sold my Lexus to a friend at the top end of the "private sale" range to buy a car with auto-stop and other safety features. I still loved the Lexus and happily recommend to others. I considered a new one, but was simply put off by the new "aggressive" styling on the exterior and the lack of a harmonious design in the cockpit.

Hybrids Rock

This is one of the most quiet vehicles I have ever driven and it is fun to drive since I try to have it run on battery as much as possible to get the best MPG. The MPG is excellent (34 MPG) when in the city and okay when on the highway (30 MPG) and the gas engine kicks in. We bought this vehicle used, but it was low mileage (26,000) for a 2013 vehicle and we anticipate having many years of use from this vehicle. This is our 4th Lexus and we LOVE the brand even though we know it will be a little pricey for long-term maintenance.

5 years and 75000 miles

MPG 25-26 (mostly freeway traffic). Not enough room for car seats if you are a driver with long legs. Super reliable with virtually no issues. Quiet and problem free. Held is value when i traded it in. Overall no complaints

It's a super-solid vehicle, but fuel economy meh

I bought this with just over 30K 30 months ago as a Certified Pre Owned. I chose the RX450, but also looked at the regular 350. This one was being sold at a great price and was only in-service for 2 years (dealer must have used it as demo or such), so I got 4 years of CPO coverage as part of the basic deal (and then added 5 more years on top of it). As many have written, you'll be fortunate if you get around 26 MPG in combined driving, and that's driving as a normal person, but a hybrid obsessive trying to get the last mile per gallon out. On the other hand, you will never feel you're driving an anemic hybrid. This thing can move out as quickly as you need to. I have NO idea how a few of the disgruntled folks doing these reviews are only getting around 22 MPG, have NEVER been anywhere near that low in my 30K miles of ownership. This model has a lot of premium features packaged with it, which adds to the value. I'm not looking forward to replacing the hybrid batteries (probably $3 or $4K when it happens). If you want REALLY spiffy winter performance, and you live in a snow and ice area (I'm in New England) put on WINTER tires for winter driving. So-called "all season" tires are pretty poor compromises at best for real winter conditions. The only thing to do is seriously consider buying it as a certified pre-owned from a Lexus dealer. Do your research on one of the auto sites and - with a bit of work - you'll be able to find CPOs at about the same price as Plain Old Used. The Lexus CPO warranty is crazy good, and you can buy a lot of extra, bumper-to-bumper coverage, with NO mileage limit for not bad money on top of what it comes with. So...Go for it. We have 2 other Lexus GX models (from 2006, almost 150K miles on each). They are very different kinds of models (derived from the 4Runner, body-on-frame), but their reliability and quality has been outstanding.

gives only 22 MPG vs 30 - 32 as stated on sticker

I traded in my Lexus GX470 after 6 years for the 2013 450h. The estimated mileage on the sticker is NO WHERE close to what the vehicle actually gets. I am getting 22-23 average miles per gallon! I called the sales man and he asked us to bring it in. Service dept told us there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The dealer told us to call Lexus corporate office. We are very disappoitned with the way the sales maanger treated us. He was insensative and blew us off. My family has been buying cars from LONGO Lexus (El Monte, CA) for 30 years. We will nto buy from LONGO again. I sincerely hope that taking the time to post this review will sufficiently warn others fo the this disparity in mileage

my 3rd. Lexus

This is the second "h" we have purchased. I see much improvements over the last. Clearly the interior had a "women's touch". Engine much more "peppy" than the last. Still the better ride compared to the Cad 2013 Rx I now use for work.

It's a Lexus, need I say more...

Though this model is a bit pricey with all the "bells and whistles", it is worth it in comfort, convenience, and reliability.

Great - but!!!

This is my 2nd RX, previously owning a 2008 RX400h, the 450 is definitely the better of the two. It is extremely comfortable, fun to drive, well appointed & stylish. I drive a lot, so it is important that I don't feel beat up or worn out after 5-8 hours. There isn't much I don't really like about this vehicle. My disappointment has been with mpg in both vehicles. I am a "hyper-miler", squeezing every mpg out of the car I can. In the 450, after two years I was averaging 30.5 mpg; getting 32-33 mpg's on many trips. Something changed and I'm lucky to get 28.5 now. The same with the 400h after 70K. Raising the issue with Lexus netted "that's too bad", offering no interest/solution to fix it!

Lexus’s Roadmaster

Great car, worth every penny. We purchased this car after our BMW. It was such a relief to be back with Lexus again! We had a 2008 RX400h and it was a fantastic car. The rx450h is even better. I absolutely love the sporty f-sport look. Mechanically, this car has exceeded my expectations with very minimal problems. We did have to replace the transmission at 68,000 which was very frustrating and pricy, but other than that, it’s a great car. I would definitely purchase a Lexus again. It’s a fantastic car. I love the ability to put the address on your phone and sync it to the Mac in the car. The maintenance is so cheap and everything works, a HUGE change from the bmw. My only criticism is the workmanship. The interior is not very luxurious. Maybe that’s cause I’m coming from a BMW, but the dashboard and center console are not very impressive. That’s something that definitely makes me miss my bimmer. Acceleration is great, super fast in sports mode. Eco mode does the absolute opposite of what it’s intended to do. I feel like it takes up more gas. I average at about 23-26 mpg, my mom gets 28 on hers (she has a 2013 rx450h as well). If you’re considering buying it, go for it! It’s a great car. It’s been a year and I still love it, the value has increased so much since last year! Gotta love Lexus! Update: we’ve had this car for almost 2 years, it’s a great car but the only thing is that the paint feels very cheap in the body isn’t the best. Any small ding would make a big dent. Coming from BMW, it was much stronger. Even the older lexus were stronger than this one. Still highly recommended!

Great family car

I've had the car for about a year and a half. Really like the luxury and performance. Some of the cool features includes an auto setting for the windshield wipers that has it automatically engage when it rains (and if it's raining harder, the wipers will go faster), lots of cupholders, seat adjustment options (forward, backwards, tilting, up and down, lumbar), the blue lights that go on to indicate that you are driving in eco mode for better fuel consumption/mpg. This is my first hybrid so in the beginning it was hard to know if the engine was on since there is no noise initially, but after about 5 seconds or so the noise will tell you it's on. It's roomy and the second row fits two booster seats with enough room for an adult in the middle. One issue that I have is that the MPG only averages about 25 combined city/hwy rather than 30/28. But it's better than my last compact SUV, a Honda CRV.

Buy one and keep it forever

My 2013 RX450h is staying in the family. I bought it 4 years old and plan to keep it as long as I can drive. It came totally loaded with every possible option. And they are worth it. All the bells and whistles that make driving and owning a dream. Mileage is fantastic, easily average 30 plus highway, 29 city. Regular gas. I see some people complaining about mileage and wonder if they really know how to drive a hybrid. If you are a pedal to the medal, slam on the brakes like many drivers, your mileage will be bad. Easy does it, coast when you can and brake gently. Not always possible but it’s a goal so long as you are not hindering traffic. Generally, I have the car serviced at Toyota, same oils and fluids and much cheaper. 50k miles on the tires before replacement. 80k on rear brakes and still good. 12 speaker audio, unreal quality. If the hybrid battery wears out, I’ll replace it but probably not by Lexus, too expensive. The V6 engine is good for at least 300k if cared for. Our friends love riding in the rear, say they love the luxury and elevated seats and great visibility. Going on 11 years old and still looks new.

Good for city; Expensive gas for highway

A hybrid advice was to have vehicle not to exceed 65 mpg to be economical with gas, so I try to drive within the Eco range. However, from stop, the suv has to go beyond Eco to Power range just to move forward at a pace that doesn't bother the cars behind you. As soon as the suv has acquired speed below Power range, then you can drive with Eco. On highway, I would stay within the Eco range to see how soon I could raise the speed up to 60 mpg. I believe it took me 4 highway exits to get there. Next time, I should time it. I guess you really have to be aware of staying within the Eco range, to get the mileage benefits of this car. The car insulation is really great, drives smooth with good vehicle handling.

A very fragile SUV

Extensive use of plastic body parts makes this vehicle VERY susceptible to damage and VERY expensive repairs. The slightest encounter with road debris will cause body parts to separate. This type of damage cannot be repaired, requiring both parts to be replaced, which is VERY expensive. This is my last RX-450h!

POOR fuel economy!

Very disappointed! Fuel economy well below the EPA estimates. Had I known I would only get 22-23mpg I wouldn't have wasted my money on the hybrid version. Definitely feel cheated. Poor design of back seats. There is a large gap between the back seats that is both a safety hazzard and is unsightly. Poor design of navigation/computer as unable to perform many functions when the vehicle is in motion. Windshield wipers/washer has poor coverage of the front windshield. Unable to close off outside air when the defroster is engaged.

Better than Mercedes,BMW

GAS MILEAGE

I see people here having concerns about gas mileage in the RXh and feel I might have some advice. I am on my second hybrid SUV from Lexus and also owned an LS. The first thing lots of people do not seem to realize is that in order to extend your gas mileage in any car, including hybrids, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT HEAVY FOOT OFF THE ACELERATOR! Driving faster than a maximum of 65 will diminish your mileage, also driving in hilly terrain, fast take-offs, your AC usage, incorrect tire pressure, and otherwise rough handling. In addition, you have to go into the RXs' information setting and reset the gas mileage indicator to see the true mileage. Hope this helps.

Luxury

Very nice suv with style. Price was high but you’re driving a Lexus.

Best Buy 2013 hybrid SUV 450 Lexus

Rare car in demand

Waste of Money

I am extremely disappointed in my purchase of 2015 Lexus RX450H. I put approx 12k miles and the mpg is a joke at 25-27mpg average. The electric hybrid does not work in excess of 30 mph. In addition, the emergency brake is positioned badly at the left leg shin. The vehicle I purchase sat on the lot for over 150 days. DO NOT take any vehicle that has been sitting around this long. I would definitely not recommend this vehicle.

gas math

I had planned on buying an rx450h tomorrow. It was a great looking car that I have driven a couple of different times, so can't rate that. But i did want to talk about the 'gas' math. In 2021, it is $0.56 more per gallon for premium and regular gas. The RX450h has a 17.2 gallon tank. So at this date, it is a full $10 more per tank. I fill up every 2 to 3 weeks. So $10 spread across time ... IDK if it's worth a serious argument. HOWEVER, I want this car to travel ... up to 1000 miles at a time. I used to take a silverado that got 22 miles per gallon on those trips and was hoping for some savings. With premium gas, that will be about the same cost with the lexus with much more comfort. If we just use round numbers and say you will get 500 gallons per tank (presuming 30 mpg), that is a per mile cost of .099 if you could use regular gas and .119 per mile for premium. So, about 2 cents per mile difference for premium over regular gas. If you want to assume 400 miles per tank, That is $0.124 per mile at regular gas, while premium would be $0.148 per mile. About 2.5 cents per mile difference. Is that expensive? depends on your driving habits. If you drive 10 miles a day, it is $1.48 on the high end, $1.19 on the lower end. If you drive hundreds of miles, it's way more. For a 60 mile trip, it is $8.88 with premium, $7.44 with regular gas (using the 400 miles per tank figures). For a 600 mile trip, add a zero to all the numbers... $88.80 premium and 74.40 regular ... $14.40 difference. There have definitely been times where that $14.40 is a big difference. Thankfully, that's just one less fast food meal these days, that I don't need anyway. I used to drive a corolla and got 40 miles per gallon on the highway, so I'm going to have to spend more unless I go back to a corolla. Since discovering this premium gas requirement, I haven't decided if I will change my purchase decision. But with the cost of gas discussion in the comments, thought i would put some numbers out there.

Huge surprise!!!!!!!!!

Bought a brand new Lexus rx450h 2016 on 12/30/2015. Today, the engine and master warning both light up and Needed to be towed to the dealership for immediate check up. Only one week and this happened. What a disappointment. My good old rx2004 served my family over 12 years without a problem besides oil changes and tire rotation. Anyone knows what I should do? Legally, could I ask for another car?

RELIABLE and DEPENDABLE

Comfort

Premium fuel

Before You Buy Hybrid

Please don't get the Hybrid version if what you want is to save on gas. Gas required for this vehicle is Premiun, so you'll pay more at the pump. The tank takes about 14 gallons and I get about 300 miles about 22 mpg. I believe "Hybrid cars" are just a trend that does little or nothing for the environment. It does Nothing for your wallet. I think the only good thing I heard about Hybrid is that there's no smog check ever. It's extremely distracting every time you're looking at that dashboard to see if you're saving any gas. I won't recommend the hybrid version.

Best Auto Rolling

This veh is reliable, great looking even today and provides an exceptionally smooth ride.

Great car

Slow acceleration

Lexus rx450h 2013

The car works on engine but battery mode is not working now. It shows battery charged but no action in hybrid mode The cruise control stopped working also

Should be perfect

I wanted a car with better gas mileage - this one should fit the bill perfectly. It had 3 prior owners and looked a "little rough" but the dealership promised to spiff it up.

BEST CAR EVER

EXPENSIVE, HOPEFULLY,​ IT EVENS OUT IN THE LONG RUN

Simply Delivers

Lexus quality and luxury throughout

nice car, gas mileage is 25ish. has held together

the only reason that I don't give it 5 stars is the storage space in the front is terrible. deep well in the console.

Great car for fair price

My boyfriend and his father ended up making the actual purchase, but so far, we love this hybrid SUV! It has more scratches and "wear" than I had expected (shows up more on the deep red color), but that is my only complaint so far. I think the sale went well and the price was fair for having just under 50K miles on a 2015 model.

Smooth and quiet ride

I love this hybrid!!

Magnificent vehicle!

I love the smooth handling and quiet drive. The car is luxurious and a pleasure to drive. One of my favorite feature is the driving settings. It is so nice to click one button and the car is ready to go. It is a convenience to just push a button to start the car. Looking forward to many years to come.