Lexus RX 450hL launched at Rs 99 lakh

Lexus, the luxury arm of Japanese car giant Toyota, has introduced the 7-seater version of the RX, the RX 450hL SUV at Rs 99 lakh at Delhi showroom to boost sales during the festival season. It is priced a whopping Rs 30 lakh less than the standard five-seat RX 450h.

Officials said the price reduction has not come about from deletion of features but has been a result of a pricing correction to help boost sales in the world’s fourth-largest auto market.

Interestingly, the RX 450hL will be replacing the standard model going forward, meaning there will no longer be a five-seat RX available.

In terms of design, the front-end of the 450hL and 450h are more or less identical, and even in profile the SUVs look very similar, barring the longer rear overhang to accommodate the third row of seats. Even the rear-end of both models look the same.

While the long-wheelbase RX 450hL is powered by the same 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid powertrain as the standard car (it produces a total of 313hp), it is compliant with BS-6 emissions norms.

“RX 450hL is a self-charging hybrid electric vehicle that offers luxury, space, quietness, craftsmanship and elevates the senses with every moment of the journey,” P.B. Venugopal, President at Lexus India, said.

The improved technology, design and attractive pricing will surely make RX 450hL a desirable car for our discerning guests, he boasted.

Its safety features include 10 airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, ESC, traction control, hill-start assist, Active Cornering Assist (ACA), front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera, which are all standard.

First launched in India in 2017 as a 5-seater model, the fourth generation RX 450hL now gets a third row seating option along with a mild facelift, which was introduced globally earlier this year. It rivals the likes of the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE and BMW X5.