Lexus RX 450h (2015-2022) interior, dashboard & comfort
Conservative styling doesn't detract from the high-quality and well equipped Lexus RX 450h interior
In spite of its eye-catching exterior design, the Lexus RX's interior is considerably less extroverted. It even looks a little dated next to some of the cooler, more contemporary styles employed by the likes of Audi or Volvo. But the quality is undeniably high, with the attractive materials put together beautifully.
Lexus RX 450h dashboard
The Lexus dashboard isn’t perfect from an ergonomic perspective, but it works well enough. There are two large dials in front of the driver, plus a centrally mounted analogue clock, which gives the dashboard a traditional feel. A tablet-style screen juts out of the dashboard above the centre console: this is now a touchscreen thanks to latest facelift, making the awkward-to-use touchpad less of an irritation. The head-up display is a real highlight: Lexus reckons it’s bigger than any rival’s, and it projects an impressive amount of information onto the windscreen in front of you, including speed and speed limits, navigation instructions and cruise-control settings.
Equipment, options and accessories
The RX range kicks off with an entry-level model that gets a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, six USB ports, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the Lexus Safety System+ active safety package, a powered tailgate, a wireless smartphone charger, heated front seats, Tahara synthetic leather upholstery and eight-way power-adjustable front seats.
The standard specification can be upgraded with a 'Premium Pack', which adds smooth leather upholstery, front-seat ventilation, hands-free tailgate operation with a kick sensor, a heated steering wheel, auto-dimming and reverse-tilting functions for the door mirrors and an auto-retracting seat and steering wheel (with memory function).
The Premium Sport Edition trim adds black exterior trim and 20-inch alloys wheels, plus black and white leather seat upholstery, a heads-up display, heated rear seats, panoramic sunroof and additional safety systems including blind-spot monitoring.
The F Sport is offered in five-seat RX guise only and has an F Sport spindle grille, aluminium pedals, F Sport seats and steering wheel and adaptive suspension. At the top of the range, the RX Takumi gets power-folding heated rear seats, a 15-speaker Mark Levinson stereo, 360-degree camera, semi-aniline leather upholstery, 10-way powered front seat adjustment, memory settings for the front seats, steering wheel and door mirrors.
Infotainment, apps and sat nav
The premium navigation system is a good-looking upgrade, but the features it provides are not much better than the navigation options provided by most smartphones. In late 2019, Lexus added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, which many owners will probably prefer to use. The trackpad user interface is a pain to operate, and it's nowhere near as slick as systems offered by German-built rivals. Ultimately, this system is a major let down in the Lexus' otherwise very likeable and sumptuous-feeling interior.
