83: Lexus RX450h – Comfort and refinement key traits of premium crossover

Driving Lexus’ big hybrid SUV wafts around. The chassis settings have been kept deliberately soft and gentle so as to achieve maximum comfort, and that’s backed up by seats that are probably more squishy and enveloping than a button-backed armchair in the finest sort of private members club. Probably.

Actually we need to talk about seats, because you can now, for the first time ever, buy an RX450h with seven seats, if you go for the longer RX450h-L.

Lexus has stretched out the RX to fit in a pair of folding third row seats in the boot. Those seats are pretty luxurious too, with their own climate controls and the same sumptuous leather upholstery as the rest of the cabin. Bit short on actual space for heads and legs, though, but at least they do bring a touch of extra versatility to the RX. Performance is strong, thanks to that combo of V6 petrol and hybrid power, but fuel economy suffers if you get too enthusiastic.

Best model: RX450h Luxury AWD for €78,050