Auto Express Comparison: Lexus RX 450h vs. BMW X5 30d
Auto Express compared the 2010 Lexus RX 450h to the BMW X5 30d SE to see which SUV is the better buy:
...which car more successfully mixes eco-friendly credentials with rugged versatility and luxury?
There’s no denying the X5 still rules the roost for image and driving dynamics. Plus, the big boot and seven-seat potential make it a practical proposition. Yet the latest Lexus is a huge improvement over its predecessor.
The RXh trounced the X5 in fuel efficiency, delivering 44.8 mpg compared to the diesel’s 34.4 mpg (British). Along with its “refinement, sophistication and impressive emissions”, the Lexus SUV took first place in the comparison.
[Source: Auto Express]
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Kudos to Lexus! The RXh looks pretty nice from many points-of-view, even with the optional LEDs (I particularly like its foglights, especially when you consider its gasoline counterpart’s).
The X5 certainly looks pretty great regardless of its age, but because of the X5 M, I’ve began to find the X5 a very unattractive car from the rear - I can’t stop thinking about the cheap appearance of the X5 M’s dull blue color with its new, not-well-thought-out aero kits in the press pictures. The RXh, on the other hand… ooo… nice paintjob. And I think Lexus’ paint really has improved. I realize that the RXh just came out, so all that I saw should’ve have been pretty clean; however, I’ve been amazed by how the RXh looked all pretty and shiny in just about any environment.
Poor diesels… making them clean really has hurt their performance although both vehicles can benefit much from a lighter curb weight.
OH, um, I just recently returned the Toyota Corolla that I rented and asked for a Chrysler 300. The 300 was extremely smooth on the freeway - the faster, the more fluid, and in many cases, giving me a much greater confidence and feeling of relaxation on the freeways than my LS had. I think the weight really has helped the vehicle’s freeway performance.
Maybe that is why many have claimed that the new RX has improved so much that it rides just as smoothly, if not more, than previous generations of the LS, which is a substantial improvement.
Nice to see that at least one auto journalist reviews HYBRID vehicles for their efficiency and not performance.
It’s really all about performance these days isn’t it?
Even if you’re buying a Prius or an Insight:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/09q3/2010_honda_insight_vs._2010_toyota_prius_1998_chevy_metro-comparison_tests
I’m really digging the smokey granite mica color… umm smokey granite, black or red…can’t decide…
How bout that? Lexus beats BMW is a comparo! Way to go.
You can win one of these Lexus Hybrids at http://www.quatrocasino.com/en/casino-promotions/rev-it-up
I think the promotion ends pretty soon though…