The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/lexus/" target="_blank">Lexus </a>RX 2023 has just beefed up the carmaker's presence in the UAE and fans of the brand have a choice of three powertrains, two of which are electric and sit as the manufacturer’s first turbocharged hybrid vehicles. While the brand is already popular in the Middle East, it can claim further bragging rights when it comes to the origins of this model, as 1998's RX 300 is cited by many as the world’s first luxury crossover. As for the 2023 version, the pure fossil fuel option, the 350, is powered by a newly developed inline 4-cylinder 2.4-litre turbocharged engine that produces 275hp and 430Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the first of the new hybrid-electric systems, the 500h, combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with electric drive to produce 246hp. That figure goes through the roof with the next fresh option, though — the RX500h F Sport Performance model is a 2.4-litre hybrid with a motor capable of generating 366hp. All this helped, no doubt, by Lexus managing to shave 90kg off the car since its previous incarnation. You wouldn’t expect a Lexus to be anything but tidy, and the new RXs are no exception. The models, all with a lower centre of gravity than previous versions, have a refined air, incorporating the usual delicate, smooth lines, but they also retain an assertive and dynamic stance. The LED headlights are horizontal and sleek, while the body and spindle grilles merge to create a seamless look from all angles. The interior features Lexus’s Tazuna design, which focuses on direct but intuitive control, for the driver’s cockpit, something revealed for the first time in the brand’s LF-30 concept car. Each model has been fitted with the latest version of the Lexus Safety System, and all-wheel drive comes as standard. The new RXs are available for order now, with prices starting at Dh350,000.
