Lexus goes under 7.0L/100km
BY MARTON PETTENDY | 30th Mar 2009
Apart from being the first Lexus model to return less than 7.0L/100km and therefore the first to be exempt from the federal government’s luxury car tax, Lexus says the petrol-electric RX will therefore be Australia’s ‘greenest’ SUV when it joins the new RX350 on sale here mid-year.
The RX450h made its Australian debut at the Melbourne International Motor Show in early March, just days before its official European efficiency figures were announced at the Geneva motor show.
As expected, our RX450h will come with slightly higher petrol consumption and CO2 emissions figures than its European counterpart, which returns 6.3L/100km and 148g/km, because of Australia’s different fuel consumption test regime.
Lexus Australia has also confirmed the RX450h will be both 10 per cent more powerful and 23 per cent more efficient than the RX400h it replaces – as well as more economical than its diesel-powered luxury SUV rivals.
Official figures show the new RX450h’s 3.5-litre V6, which is based on the same engine that powers the Aurion sedan and Kluger and RAV4 SUVs, will produce 220kW and is capable of a 0-100km/h acceleration time 7.8 seconds, while “achieving fuel economy figures and emissions closer to a small four-cylinder sedan”.
Lexus said the RX450h will qualify for inclusion in the top 10 green vehicles as determined by the federal government's Green Vehicle Guide, which is dominated by small four-cylinder sedans and hatchbacks.
Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca said today that the Lexus RX450h had but one rival – the RX400h it replaced.
“All-new RX450h will be 20 per cent more efficient than the vehicle it replaces and yet is 10 per cent more powerful than the outgoing model,” he said.
“Lexus anticipates that RX450h will also achieve a five-star green rating from the Australian Government when launched.”
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